Immediately after passing the Day Street exit on Route 280 westbound, many motorists will recall the small white cupola that once rose over the sunken roadway. The building it crowned was most recently known to be occupied by the Lycored group, but the story goes back further than that.
The building itself dates back to 1939, when it was the home of the H. Reisman and Knoll Pharmaceutical Company. The complex consisted of the main office building and several laboratory and warehouse spaces. By the time I visited the structure remediation work had already begun, and the office was the only building that was still worth visiting.
The facade of the structure was modest, with very plain finishes. The inside was no different. Despite being architecturally insignificant, the building had some interesting spaces. Unfortunately it had been modernized quite a bit over the years.
Lycored Corporation took over the property after Reisman and Knoll vacated it. They continued to use the site until around 2018 when it was announced that the property was going to be completely demolished to make way for a 208 unit housing development. The property sat stagnant for a few years before being completely leveled in 2020.
