I was excited to learn that Stray Rescue, which I’m sure many of my readers have heard of, is expanding to a new location in the Bevo neighborhood. For those who don’t know, Stray Rescue saves dogs and cats left on the streets, many of which are in severe distress. They’re a great organization and their current location is on Pine Street just east of Jefferson Avenue in downtown.

I was interested in the new location so I did some research into what the buildings’ original use was. Constructed in 1919 at 4084 Bingham Avenue, it was originally the location of Chandeysson Electric Company, which incorporated in the same year as the complex’s opening.

As is typical of industrial concerns that were built in the early Twentieth and show the influence or were developed in the same milieu of Albert Kahn of Detroit, the buildings sit in a park like setting.

We actually have a fair amount of information about the company that built the factory. Designed by Gustav P. Wuest, it replaced the company’s old factory at Gratiot and 4th streets; it was served by a branch of the Oak Hill Railroad.

It was incorporated with $125,000 and to “do a general electrical and mechanical business,” manufacturing electrical appliances.

At one point, the plant was also owned by Motor Coils Manufacturing, which is still in business. There was also a stone fabricators company in the building in the early 2000s. So was the Young Touchstone Company, as well.

The area is that weird industrial area that I showed when I was discussing the Gravois viaduct a while back.

The old National Candy Company building is up the street, as well as some other industrial buildings of undetermined use.