Post by REoL on Oct 10, 2009 17:29:03 GMT -5
Wood Block Building (partial view), Leominster, Massachusetts.
Built in 1890, this originally was a large apartment building, with storefronts along the basement and first floor levels.
Over the years, this building has been severely damaged by many fires. One took out the deatail along the facade's top edge, and the clock over the 4'th floor windows, with said windows above the "Wood Block" granite piece.
Several more fires broke out, and in the early '70's, the last (ninth) fire destroyed the building, and it sat vacant, borded up, and a couple of attached buildings were demolished.
In the early 1980's, the building was gutted, and transformed into office space, with buisness/retail on the 1'st floor and basement. At first, occupancy wasn't going so well. After a few years, the building was about 80% vacant. Once the city threatened to tear the building down, various offices moved in. As the struggling ventures (and storefronts) came and went, ultimately resulted in a fully rented building today (or close to it).
Monumnent Bar & Grill occupies 2 of the 3 storefronts, right of the starcase entrance.
The only original structure that is left are most of the wood floors, and the brick walls that separate the 3 sections (and the original staircase) of the building.
Included in the renovation, was this Otis hydraulic elevator, which serves all 5 floors (L, 1, 2, 3, 4).
Video of the elevator:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=smDZeArrmSY
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs8anoFvH6Y <--- Shock Cam!
