As it appeared in the mid 1940’s. Photo above from the Bernie Drouillard Collection.
The Windsor Greyhound Terminal, 2006.
Completed in May, 1940, the Windsor terminal was shared between Greyhound of Canada and the S.W & A railway, the forerunner of Transit Windsor. The terminal was designed by the frim of Bonfield and Cumming, who also designed the Kalamazoo station as well as the Ann Arbor depot. Sometime in the 70’s or 80’s it was decided that metal cladding and stuccoing over the limestone and black grante facade was a good idea, and we recieved the mess that we have today fronting University Avenue. Only by going to the rear can some of the unaltered Streamlined design still be seen.
The new transit terminal is currently under construction a few blocks west, and scheduled for a spring opening. Expect this building to get hit by the bulldozers as well.
The lack of reuse/vision in this city is really tiring.
Wow. What a difference. They should have left them old windows and the canopy over the door entrance with the Greyhound sign. The building don’t look right with nothing over the door.
Very cool signage.
Yuuurgh… I hate remuddling.. that metal looks icky, but the original is so beautiful!
Here’s the small town version of a deco Greyhound Station that I took a few months ago, if you’re interested:
http://pics.livejournal.com/nessachan/pic/000k48sg
Thanks Nessa, that one is a beauty.
Notice the opened windows on the original building! No Air Conditioning in those days. We’ve become so spoiled, haven’t we?
I vividly remember waiting at the station to catch the “Bruce ” bus to take me home after my dentist appointment with Dr. Lacasse whose office was above the Palace Theatre on Ouellette Ave.
I worked at the old bus station from 1958 to 1964. I’m still in touch with a couple of co-workers who are life-long friends. We had some real characters hanging out in that terminal. They all had nick-names like “Boots” “Mr. Magoo” and “Capt. America”. Those were the days. I hated to leave, but got an offer I couldn’t refuse from the airlines. I also think they should have kept the old sign and entrance roof. Retro is in. Like those old hotels in Miami Beach.
Ten million doesn’t buy much anymore, eh?
Make that $7.9 million.