While Vermilion was ironing out the plans to make its shopping district look like a quaint shipbuilding, fishing and sailing community of the 1800s (as noted in yesterday’s blog post), its neighbor to the east was on a similar mission to revitalize its downtown.
The difference was that Lorain’s plan looked forward, to a future that reflected anticipated population growth.
The article and photo below, which appeared in the Journal on Feb. 11, 1971, introduces a plan for a downtown area with several high-rise apartment buildings, including one to the west of the new City Hall and one to the south of Antlers Hotel.
Of particular interest is the concept of a two-story arcade with auditoriums at either end, located across from City Hall, that would “serve as the nucleus of Lorain’s rebuilt downtown area, with nearby high-rise apartment and office buildings dominating the skyline,” according to the article.
This Sept. 1973 Journal article follows the same idea and includes an illustration of what was envisioned.
It was intriguing premise that, alas, did not become a reality. Instead, the scaled-down civic center was built, making many people nostalgic for the restaurants that were sacrificed for its construction.
Thus, instead of becoming the very heart of Downtown Lorain, the building became – for many Lorainites – just a place where you went to get your drivers license renewed.
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I’ve posted several articles about businesses lost to urban renewal, including Urbas Cafe (here and here) and Heilman’s Ranch House. This article shows an aerial view of some of the ones along West Erie Ave.
3 comments:
I know alot of people don't agree with me but I always thought the city hall building in Lorain looked futuristic.With its mirror finished gold colored windows.And brutalist styled columns flaired out at the bottom.It looks like something out of a movie.Like a sci fi WWIII head quarters out of "Soylent Green" or the classic tv show "Lost In Space".And it's a coincidence since Soylent Green took place in 2022....It's people!...It's people!
I liked the comment on the movie Soylent Green.There is a product currently on the market that is named Soylent.And they lifted the name from the movie.They offer liquid,powder and energy bar type nutritional food.They have different liquid flavors.And they offer the classic green color,hence Soylent Green.Think of it as an alternative to the Carnation Breakfast Essentials nutritional drink.
Yes, Charleton Heston in "Soylent Green." Mention of that film brought back memories. I do agree that the city hall building looked futuristic, and now in my opinion, is quite dated.
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