What's so special about this building?
Not much from this angle. Except when you zoom in and look above the display windows.
Don't do that IRL. It smells like urine.
So, move around to another side.
Anywhoo, it's been vacant since I've been in Cincinnati. I can imagine business was slowing as retail in the urban core became a more and more difficult proposition. And the riots of 2001 could not have done them any favors.
Just recently, I noticed the windows had been boarded up. One friend suggested it's about to be torn down. He'd heard it was too far gone to save.
However, why board it up, if you're just going to tear it down?
Maybe the good folks at Digging Cincinnati History, or Building Cincinnati know something.
It'd be a shame to lose all that ghost signage to the wrecking ball, but, if someone is going to renovate it, they'll likely cover up the ads anyway. So, in the meantime, it remains a gutted, urine-soaked waste of space, with some beautiful history painted on the sides.
(And we made the message boards, which indicate il diva is warming up her vocal chords.)
Reminds me of the scale of this one, look forward to hearing more about what happens to this piece of Cincinnati history...
ReplyDeleteIn my older photos, you can see some signage that's now gone, including the old neon. I really, really hope this building isn't razed as it anchors one entrance into OTR. I'd hate to see it replaced with something contemporary.
ReplyDeleteSo, looking at the neon signs you have, VL; were they mounted on top of the painted words? Because comparing photos, they seem to be in the same position.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, if (when) they tear this down, (see updated link), I'm going to miss it, terribly.
And Sam: Good lord! What a mural!!!
Yes, the neon was on top of the painted signage, but it doesn't look like the same language.
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