Banners advertising the street-level commercial space in the Century Building Memorial Parking Garage have been switched to reflect a name change. The old banners has proclaimed the commercial space to be "The Shoppes on Ninth Street," in homage to the Middle English traditions of the central business district. The new banners sport a more prosaic name: "Shops on Post Office Square."
Meanwhile, the Board of Education's storefronts remain empty nearly one year after the condominium conversion was completed. The Pyramid Companies now manage the retail space, so perhaps they will follow their impressive total leasing of the Paul Brown Building's ground floor with a good effort on the other side of the Old Post Office.
Even more surprising is that the street-level commercial space in the Continental Life Building, which reopened in late 2002, has never been reopened. This is despite the developer's touting the space's future as a fancy restaurant befitting the art deco landmark's great architecture. Then again, as Grand Center Inc. continues to pursue a plan for the neighborhood that excludes small businesses, it has been a tough time for any storefront in Midtown.
Some good news is that the owners of the 1960's-era Days Inn building at Washington and Tucker downtown will be renovating the old hotel into apartments as well as seeking a 24-hour diner tenant for the building's prominent first-floor corner.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
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5 comments:
I think the Gus's to Creepy Crawl, Creepy Crawl to Grand Center exchange is also a positive for both neighborhoods: Gus stays close; GC gets a little buzz.
PE
I work in the building right next to the days inn....a diner would be a godsend! I'd probably be there nearly every day!
I would love to see someone do a new 60s-Modernist diner in that vintage 60s-Modernist building -- really play it up.
Oh, the diner/retro apartment idea does sound great. Any photos/images of the plans available yet? There's a Howard Johnson's here in Chicago near downtown that's still in operation. If they ever close, I'd love to see someone attempt the same kind of thing. . .
I have yet to see any plans, but I will try to locate a photograph of the Days Inn in its heyday. The panels on Washington that are now painted a dull orange were multicolor, with blue, yellow and red standing out. I do hope that the owners are not thinking of a recladding. The last proposal called for skinning the building in silvery reflective glass!
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