None of the building 's original plans survive ; they , along with practically all of the original plans produced by Williams ' office , disappeared many years ago . Built of brick on a stone foundation and covered with an asbestos roof , it was constructed to permit Williams to advertise it as " the only fire-proof apartment in southwest Ohio " upon its completion at the cost of $ 168,000 . Instead of simply designing buildings for others ' use , Williams embarked on real estate development , operating the apartment buildings he designed ; he would mortgage each building soon after its completion in order to obtain money for the next one , and rents from his tenants would finance the mortgage . For many years , this scheme worked admirably , but the chaos during and after the Great Flood of 1913 completely upset it , and Williams ' banks foreclosed on the Insco and other Williams-owned properties as a result
Great Flood of 1913
Great Dayton Flood
Insco Apartments Building