I like old buildings, they have soul and a sense of history. I can go into a building and feel like I'm not alone, some give me the creeps and others a sense like something happened here that I can relate to. For me, it is sad to see an old building in disrepair or worse, torn down for some glass box to take it's place. When I look at these pictures I can smell the building back in the day, that oil and concrete smell, I can hear the tools and work going on, I can hear engines throughout the decades, but they are all ghosts. I was a parts guy at a Chevy/Pontiac dealership in the 80's, so they are familiar to me and a point of interest. I have to say I'd love to be able to own a building like that and restore it, and live in it. Does anyone know if this building still exists? How about pics from back in the day? These pictures were taken in 1991.
Gone. Sorry. Google maps shows a lovely field of grass at that address. There's a lot more like it back here, though. You're right, walking through those old places...you can feel the history.
I've seen a few of the old "middle of main street" type dealership buildings that have the 2nd floor workspace. It may have also been used as "showroom" too.
Actually seen that a few times back here. There is a old IH dealership building here in town with an elevator big enough to lift full size trucks up to the second floor (doesn't work anymore, tho). Coming from sunny CA, the way a lot of the industrial buildings are laid out back here blows my mind. They used EVERY inch of space from the basement floor right to the roof peak. There's an awesome looking Mfr's Rep building here as well. Full of old cars inside. I'll post some pics for you sometime if I can remember to stop by there.
I worked at Gourley Chevrolet in Seweckley Pa. Been A while cause I was a line mechanic, and did a raft of Corvairs. They had a second floor. New car prep and I forget what all. Must have been 65-66, but I was still driving my trusty 30 Coupe.
Being from Pittsburgh and a historical renovator by trade I can understand where you're coming from. I have a connection to almost any old building or house I go in built from about 1950 and back. That building is great. Just think about all it's history. Great post. Thank you! BloodyKnuckles
There are 2 old dealerships in our town that have those concrete ramps going up to the second floor.One has been renovated into offices,and the other is still being used as a service garage.For many years you could drive by on the main street in town and see the roof of a model A coupe in the upstairs window.
I grew up down the river in Clairton. Those old mill towns have lots of stories to tell : the men who worked in the steel mills, the cars and homes those paychecks bought, and all the kids growing up in neighborhoods...NOT subdivisions. One of our neighbors bought their first car...a 1954 Chevy... brand new. His wife wouldn't let him drive it to work, so he still walked (!) to the mill. They still had it when they bought a new 1967 Chevelle. Several of those old dealerships sat empty in Clairton for many years. Like so much of the Rustbelt, the city center died when all the business moved to the Suburbs and malls. What a waste of great old buildings. Thanks for the pics Gary
I grew up in Bentleyville, PA which is about 10 miles away from Monongahela. Sadly, with the demise of the MonValley steel mills decades ago, there are quite a lot of buildings like this there now. Across the river in the town of Webster was an Oldsmobile dealership which still stands. It was a two floor affair with service done on the upper level. There was an outdoor concrete ramp that was at about a 30 degree angle used to bring cars up and down... Imaging bringing a new Olds down that in February! By the way; Vaughn and the dark building to the right were torn down approximately 8 years ago. A Sheetz gas station/snack shack stands there now. Actually it's very nice and a huge improvement for the community.
I grew up in Cooperstown NY and on Main Street there was a Dodge dealership that had a concrete ramp to the second floor where the owner kept cars for stock. He also had lots of parts up there too and it wasn't until the early 80's that the parts got sold. They went back to the very early 30's up through the 50's I think. Oil soaked wood floor and huge parts bins and you could still see the tire marks from where the cars had been spinning up the ramp and still had tire marks on and in the wood floor.
I live in the Pittsburgh suburbs, If my memory is correct wasn't that Vickers Chevrolet later? anyway there is still an old Vickers Chevy building in Finleyville Pa. on the same RT.88. and also a little farther up the river from Mon city Pa. in Donora is or was( havent been there lately) was Cerini"s original Harley Davidson dealership, Oldest HD east of the Mississippi. I went there in the late 60s to buy parts. I remember the old man and family, The family lived upstairs. now it moved onto a main highway RT. 51 and run buy the grandson. Ago
Great thread and purpose....thanks for sharing. Reminds me of MY local dealership....Gaston Chevrolet (later Dehart Chevrolet)....the only dealership in our town of 300...I used to go there and literally SMELL the place...damn I miss that place....
That was a cool place!! I looked at this. Unfortunately it had a ctract on it and it went through. Was a Dodge dealership in the 20's. The showroom was still pretty much the same as it was. The building was built into a hill and the second floor was accessed from the alley behind the building. Clark
These old buildings are simply amazing!! From a time when even the factories and dealerships were attractive structures with character.
Yeh...that was only a year or two ago. Not sure what the building is used for now. The tile floor and the woodwork in the showroom was amazing. Clark
I've always had a desire to live in an old firehouse......no I ain't a firefighter.....But the thouht of a cool home upstairs and all you could want for a "play room " in your downstairs garage would be too cool!!!!!
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