Anyway, when did the Holiday Inn Elyria open?
Well, remember, there already was a Holiday Inn in our area dating back to around 1950 that was located on US 6 just a little east of Baumhart Road in Vermilion. Only it wasn't part of the national chain; it was an independent motel (which I wrote about in a multi-part series and other posts).
So first, the national Holiday Inn people had to persuade the local Holiday Inn Motel owner (and the adjoining same-named steakhouse) to change their names – or at least shorten them to 'Holiday,' which they did.
Work on the new Holiday Inn took place in the later part of 1963 and early 1964. It seemed to have opened in late March, as that is when events begin to be announced as taking place there.
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| Sept. 25, 1963 Journal article |
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| Feb. 17, 1964 |
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| Sept. 10, 1964 |
It's been in the news many times in the last 15 years or so before finally becoming a nuisance – and then being nailed shut. In recent months, the city of Elyria has taken steps with the owners to fix the building, so maybe things are looking up.
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| A 2023 view |
The architectural style of this Holiday Inn is reminiscent, for me, of Lincoln Center in New York City. Holiday Inns were my favorite, along with Howard Johnson's, and that sign can't be beat!
ReplyDeleteTo me it always looked identical to Lorain city hall
DeleteI (sorta) worked for the Holiday Inn back in 1979, when they were swapping out the furniture and fixtures. For $3 an hour, my friends and I hauled out the old beds, dressers, and other stuff, and assembled and installed the new stuff; for some arcane reason, the fact that the dresser/mirror combo was called a "Uniplex" sticks in my mind.
ReplyDeleteThat is crazy but good money for the era! Can’t get away with uniplex today without being cancelled! Should be a duo plex at the minimum.
DeleteI recall when I was in seventh grade a fella told me to give him my jacket and shoes. I laughed but he was serious. He wanted these items I was wearing. We didn’t go back to the mall much after that. Right around 1990. I think Dicky Jacobs owned it then. It was right after the big expansion and remodel.
ReplyDeleteQuite a polarizing hotel I reckon. It could be a good location for a hip dispensary…
ReplyDeleteWhat they need to fix that place is a bulldozer.
ReplyDeleteI remember the Mountain Jack's restaurant next to the Holiday Inn.Famous people would go there if they were traveling on the Ohio Turnpike.I doubt if they stayed at the run down motel.They got right back in their limo and continued on to their destination.
ReplyDeleteLeon Spins had his famous car wreck right by H. I.
DeleteSpinks; I know that's what I typed!
DeleteOn the Turnpike? Jeff Lynne from ELO ate at Mnt Jacks.Tons of local Cleveland sports figures would go there.
DeleteI went to prom and took my date to Mtn Jacks! It had the best prime rib!
ReplyDeleteDan, sadly I think that you have inadvertently triggered a parallel nostalgia universe. Unseemly instead of sweet memories. As my LHS French teacher, Miss Wright, would say: “Quelle domage.”
ReplyDeleteBTW, Miss Wright graduated from the Sorbonne in Paris. LHS sure could attract a great faculty back in the sweeter days of Lorain life.
The future is calling Strongsville. Remember when that place was nice too? Isn’t Strongsville one of the next stops on Hell’s HIGHWAY. Aka the turnpike. Word to the wise and get rid of those old hotels before they breed the kind of blight this dangerous building has brought to Elyria’s front door! Ridgeville is already dumpy so I skipped that exit.
ReplyDelete