* Note this post is a follow up to another post from March, 2008.
The building that was sitting vacant following the closure of Ye Olde Steakhouse in the post from March, 2008, has been reborn as the Pour House Pub. I also managed to dig up some information about the conversion.
A news blurb ran in the Border Cities Star, in June 1924:
LEGAL FIRM TAKES GRINNELL BUILDING
____________O.E. FLEMING ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR HANDSOME OFFICE STRUCTURE
Purchase of the Grinnell piano factory on Chatham Street West by the legal firm of Fleming, Drake and Foster, who will renovate it and fit the buildings up for up-to-date business offices was announced late this afternoon.
The factory is three stories in height and 92 by 50 feet in size. It adjoins the government immigration office.
“We propose to renovate the building and fix it up for office purposes” said O.E. Fleming, K.C.’ senior member of the firm. “Our own firm will occupy a large portion of the structure, but there will be some space for rent.”
Nichols, Sheppard and Mason, architects, have been instructed to prepare the alteration plans, which will call for a handsome new front among other changes.
Oscar E. Fleming was the last mayor of the Town of Windsor in 1891 and was the first mayor of the City of Windsor, serving two terms in 1892 & 1893.
Above is a historic photo of the building, probably from shortly after the renovation. This photo appeared in the Michael Gladstone White book “Windsor a Moment in Time”. Sadly none of his books ever credit the source of the photograph, however I believe this one comes from the Municipal Archives.
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I do miss Dack's Shoes, though the only location that I remember is their store on Ouellette Ave beside Birk's (now Pepper's). I love the building to the right of the Grinnell Building, the Weights and Measures building, which is now an alley way.
Don't you just love the weights and measures buliding beside it? Too bad it was torn down for the new post office and now and alley sits where that building used to be.
Always loved the Grinnel Building. Chatham St is one of the best streets in downtown imo.
I wish this was still a walkable city.
Interesting research Andrew..... fyi, another Windsor legal firm got its start in that building back in the early 1980's - Monforton, Robitaille Law Firm. They were on the second floor of the building.
love the original storefront with the recessed entrance.
Love this building.......
A week before I was born my mom was having dinner at Ye Olde Steakhouse the night the 1974 tornados hit Windsor. The "superoutbreak":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Outbreak
They didn't notice a thing inside.
Wow, ME is right.. that Weights and Measures building next to it looks awesome.
Ric> it still is a walkable city, just chose to live in a central area and accept the fact that you might have to walk 2KM to get to something. The more people do that, the more walkable it'll become. I can think of many decent locations that are within 1-2KM of lots of things.
Good for you, Andrew. This photo does, indeed, come from the Archives. There's also an interior shot of the building that MGW decided not to copy for his book...