Ohio's Basket Building Sells
Ohio's Iconic Basket-Shaped Building, Former Longaberger HQ, Listed For Sale At $8.5 Million.
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Ohio's famous basket-shaped building is back on the market for $8.5 million. The seven-story structure in Newark, Ohio — built in 1997 to look like a giant wicker basket — once served as the headquarters of The Longaberger Company, a handmade basket empire that reached $1 billion in annual sales at its peak, according to WCVB.
The building has sat largely vacant since Longaberger went bankrupt in 2018. Now, owner Steve Coon is asking seven times what he paid for it. He bought the property for just $1.2 million in 2017, KMBC reported.
From Basket Empire to Bankruptcy and Back
The Longaberger Company was once a Central Ohio powerhouse. Founder Dave Longaberger opened this $32 million building in December 1997. It was designed as a 160-times-larger replica of one of the company's own baskets. The 150-ton handles on top are even heated in winter to prevent ice buildup, according to KOCO.
After Longaberger died in 1999, the company slowly collapsed. Staff shrank from 8,000 workers down to fewer than 75. By 2016, the company vacated the building entirely and left behind nearly $600,000 in unpaid property taxes. Coon stepped in and bought it the following year for just $1.2 million, plus $800,000 in back taxes, WMUR reported.
Hotel Dreams Died, but the Price Tag Soared
Coon had big plans. In 2019, he announced a 150-room luxury hotel conversion. But those plans were scrapped in January 2021 due to financial strain from the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, Coon pulled it off the market again — this time betting that a nearby Intel semiconductor project would drive demand for office space, KSBW reported.
That Intel project, a $28 billion chip factory complex just 20 minutes away, sparked a land frenzy in Licking County. Farmland prices jumped from $20,000 to over $110,000 per acre in some areas. Residential values in the county rose 30–40% after Intel's 2022 announcement. That boom helps explain why the asking price is now $8.5 million — seven times its 2017 sale price, according to WAPT.
A Hard Sell: The 'Novelty Tax' Problem
The building is impressive on paper. It spans 180,000 square feet across seven floors on a 21.5-acre campus. It has 555 parking spots, a 30,000-square-foot atrium, and two 725-pound gold-leafed basket tags hanging from the handles, KOCO reported. Listing broker Brandon Hess is pitching it as a "Class A" office or boutique hotel opportunity.
But critics call it a "white elephant." The basket shape makes standard office layouts awkward and expensive to renovate. And Intel's timeline has slowed. Licking County Commissioner Tim Bubb said in 2025 that Intel made "promises they couldn't keep" and that "the rug has been pulled out just a little bit." That uncertainty makes the $8.5 million price tag a harder sell, WMUR reported.
What Happens If Nobody Buys the Big Basket
Coon says he still believes in the property. "It's the only basket [building] in the world... we want it to be an attraction," he told local media. Preservation groups agree. Heritage Ohio has pushed for the building to earn a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, KMBC reported.
If the sale falls through, the building could end up in the county land bank — a holding place for distressed properties. Maintaining it is costly. The heated handles and the vast atrium require ongoing upkeep even when no one is inside. A successful sale could bring 500 or more jobs back to the Newark site. Without one, the world's only giant basket office building may keep sitting empty.
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