The Overlook Revisited – Part 2

Apt. 412 was at the center of the fourth floor and includes all seven windows
under the triangular peak, plus the kitchen window to the left (with the A/C unit in it)

You might be wondering how I came to live in the same apartment (#412) at the Overlook in 2017 that I lived in back in 1984-85.

It’s not that hard to believe if you think about it. It was on the fourth floor of an apartment house with no elevator. In fact, the ready availability of #412 is nothing new. It had been going on since the Overlook opened back in March 1928.

Here’s the city directory listings from the 1929 edition. Note that good old #412 (and eight other fourth floor units) are vacant.

By the time of the 1931 Lorain City Directory, the fourth floor had largely been rented out – except, natcherly, for #412 and four others.

Anyway, let’s step inside the Overlook from the parking lot, which is nicely paved now. (It was gravel and dirt when I lived there in the 1980s.) You have to use your key to get in the outside door, which was new to me too. It’s a nice security measure, but a nuisance when you are lugging groceries – or moving in or out.

Down the steps...

A couple of turns, and then it's down the hallway towards the mailbox.

We’ll take a quick peek out the front door onto East Erie before we grab our mail, though.

Then it’s back down the steps, and towards the mailbox near the end of the hallway.

After grabbing all of the mail (that’s taken weeks to be forwarded), it’s back down the hall towards the steps going upstairs.

You had your choice of two stairwells to use. One was rather narrow (and carpeted) and the other (shown above) was wider and suitable for use when moving furniture. Either way, a nice workout at the end of a long day.

If you wanted an extra workout, you did a few loads in the laundry room on the first floor, necessitating even more trips up and down the stairs.

Next: A look inside #412