I’m thinking mid 1970’s on this one?
DEVONSHIRE MOTEL
2763 Howard Ave.
Windsor, ONT.
PH. (519) 966-193030 units – air conditioning – color t.v.
phones
swimming pool
restaurant
commercial rates
recreation room
According to their website, they’ve been around for over 50 years.
It’s weird to see basically nothing to the left of it besides field and background trees. Today, it’s just a busy stretch of road with no hint of anything close to that! Judging from the Duster in the foreground, I’d agree that it’s early to mid 70’s.
Colin, what year would you say the Duster is? 1973 or so?
Looked at a few images and the tail-lights changed a bit from this design in 1973.
So 1971-72?
I believe John is correct in his 1971-72 assessment. I remember in the mid 70s Howard Ave was very homely looking street from Memorial Drive past EC Row. Just past the CN tracks on the south west side I can remember big red sheds and a gas station but it all looked horribly ugly. Anyone else remember that or am I just dreaming?
The Duster is about a 71-73 in my estimation. I’m a car nut but not a real big fan of Dusters so I’m not 100% sure. This was a Plymouth and Dodge had a brother version called a Demon which was almost identical save for the tail lights and other minor things. Lol, sorry- got side tracked! My dad grew up in this area (Remington Park) so I’m sure he passed this place a million times.
Andrew, I’m curious as to why there are about 4 motels along this short stretch of road (one north of Remark’s, this one and the two closer to E.C Row). I’m not sure how old the others are but this one was built before Devonshire mall I think… or was it in response to that perhaps? I just can’t think of anything else in the vicinity that would call for a few motels. Was the Kenilworth and Devonshire race tracks still around maybe?
Colin – Something I’ve always wondered about too.. The Tracks were gone by the mid to late 1930’s, so I’ve got no idea why this stretch called for so many motels.
It would seem to me that both the Ivy Rose and the motel next door (I think it’s called Town and Country??) are somewhat newer than the Devonshire but being side by side would probably mean they were built there for a reason. Devonshire Mall opened in 1977 correct? Maybe the time periods coincide? Also, when was the Zalev yard behind them opened? Again, seems a bit strange to want to build motels with that filthy yard right behind you.
The mall was announced in 1969:
http://internationalmetropolis.com/?p=466
I was thinking because Howard linked up with Highway 3/401 and it more into the city and closer to downtown. Kind of like Lundy’s Lane is to Niagara Falls.
It’s a ’70 or ’71. 1970 was the first year of production. In 1972, they changed the taillight treatment…wider stop lights with the gap between the back up lamps (inboard on the stoplight housing) narrowed. Also appears to be the newest car in the lot. The Pontiac is older, as is what appears to be a Mustang (the red one), so 1971 is a pretty good guess when it comes to dating the picture.
On the motel website, I was taken back a bit under “Amenities” where they list as a feature “24 hour running cold and hot water”.
Took the family for breakfast there this morning. YUMMY!
It wasn’t until the E.C Rowe Expressway was completed in the early 1980’s that Howard Avenue began to see major commercial development. I remember Howard Avenue in the early 80’s had little more than a Mac’s Milk, a few gas stations, the Ivy Rose and Devonshire Motel. The economic recession of 1980-82 stopped the local economy dead in its’ tracks but by 1987 Howard had a Wendy’s, Tim Horton’s, Boston Pizza and Remark Farms.
Wasn’t there another motel in the location of Remark farms? I do remember another one on Howard and think that’s where it was but cannot remember the name of the motel. Does anyone remember?
I was thinking the same thing, Guido and an auto scrap yard pretty much next door.
There’s another one right next to it. It might be Boroot’s or something close to that name. It’s quite small so most probably don’t even see it or think of it when they drive by. Could that be the one you guy’s are thinking about?
Colin I’m quite certain the one I recall had a losing battle with the wrecking ball.
Hmmm- I’m not sure because I don’t remember what was there before Remark Farms. Maybe I’m wrong on this as well but wasn’t Boston Pizza originally a different building on a bigger lot sort of in the center of what is now Jose’s and Remark’s? Or was BP in the same spot as Jose’s? It’s so hard to recall things sometimes when you have to go back a number of years.
I meant Howard Avenue, not the Howard Restaurant. Sorry. Boston Pizza later became Jose’s.
i was just wondering if anyone could answer this question. On the corner of hwy 3 and howard is a restaurant called Alibi’s used to be the Road Kill, and a few others prior. Years ago this was the spot of a well known Pizza Place. Does anyone know the name of the place?
I believe that Alibi’s was the Pompei Restaurant in its pizza place iteration (reply to Marshall)
Yes, one of the iterations after Pompeii was Ember’s. My friend’s family owned the original Ember’s which was on the northeast corner (now a gas station, I think). After they sold the property on the northeast corner, they briefly took over the Pompeii and renamed it Ember’s.
According to today’s Windsor Star, the Pompeii (Alibi’s) is slated for demolition to make way for the new border crossing project.
Howard ave. at one time time was highway 2 all the way to the riverfront. That is why it had so many motels and gas stations. A few posts back there was some wondering about motels. In the 2700 block of howard there was Kavanaugh’s motel. which was/while that family owned it quite clean and nice to look at. and at the corner was the OK motel. The Devonshire motel was just in the next block heading south. Each had pretty good restaurants we used to order lunch from while I was growing up at the family garage/gas station in the 1970’s.