Remember this Windsor Holiday Inn?

[narnarnar]

My family used to stay here to watch the fireworks on the river in the 70s. Any idea what stands on the site now?

[cmubryan]

Yes, I remember it from years ago. It became a Ramada Inn then of course became somewhat rundown, went out of business and was torn down maybe 12 years ago or so?

[Detroitej72]

Didn't it burn down about 12 or 15 years ago?

[preserve]

It did burn down. Living in Corktown we could see the smoke and hear the fire engines and didn't know where the fire was.
Walked down Trumbull to see if something in the area was burning and learned that it was the Holiday Inn in Windsor.
We used to enjoy stopping in there for drinks once in awhile just to view the Detroit skyline.

[One Shot]

I remember the place and always thought the location was cool. I think its a park area now?
Anyone have anymore pics???

[fastcarsandfreedom]

Will dig around and see what I have in the way of photos. The bar and restaurant were located "longitudinally" on the main floor along the river--the restaurant was called Maxwell's On The River and the bar was called the Fore & Aft Lounge. Aside from the rebranding around 1993 to Ramada not much changed--it kept it's decor from what I would guess would be a mid 1980s reno--smoked mirrors, pastel colors, etc. All-in-all not a bad place--it was neglected somewhat but never really became seedy or rundown. The City desperately wanted it out of the way to complete the uninterupted riverfront park...deals were made, etc, that resulted in a developer buying the hotel from it's owner and original developer [[Commonwealth Hospitality) with the intent of renovation and reopening of the former Odeon Theater as a dinner theater operation--another deal was quickly brokered in which the developer sold the entire property to the City. The Ramada Inn closed in October 1998. The following spring the fire mentioned above consumed the majority of the building, with DFD assisting the firefighting efforts by way of boat.

The Odeon was one of the unique aspects of the building. The single screen was closed by Cineplex in the early 1990s--it retained it's original 1968 decor of red carpet, gold colored fixtures, etc--the lobby had a floor-to-ceiling glass view of the river. Offices were located in this part of the building as well--including those for the Windsor Port Authority/Harbor Commission.

[narnarnar]

Thinking back I think it must have stood just south/west of where the Hilton and the Windsor Art Gallery are today.

[Gary]

I always thought this was a nice place. I stayed there a couple of times, the last time being New Year's Eve '95-'96. The room we had that night was on the ground floor facing the river, we had a great view. The balcony was only a few feet higher than the water below and you could really watch that icy Detroit River current up close and personal. Too bad the place had to close down.

[swingline]

A huge fire consumed this place in the late 90s. The motel section of the building was wood frame construction and it burned easily. From the flat farmlands of Essex County you could see the smoke for 15 miles. For a while they thought the whole place was going to collapse into the river.

[YouDummy]

It burned in '99. Here's a story about it - http://web.archive.org/web/200104131...09/581533.html

Also a bit of history from the Classic CKLW page - http://www.thebig8.net/tower.html

[goggomobil]

My wife and I stayed there in the early 80s. Asked for a riverside room and got a parking lot view even though the hotel was empty. It was known as the Plywood Palace then, I think.

Found pictures from the Windsor FD:

http://www.windsorfire.com/ecom.asp?pg=gallery&mode=52

[1KielsonDrive]

Didn't it burn down about 12 or 15 years ago?

It did burn. I don't think it was 12 or 15 years ago. I could be wrong, at my age time is flying by as we speak.

[Magnatomicflux]

"Thinking back I think it must have stood just south/west of where the Hilton and the Windsor Art Gallery are today."

Close, it was north/west. If you look at google maps it's eastern wall would have been even with Church St.

I remember this fire very well. I stood on the hill at it's eastern side watching thru a fence overlooking the below grade parking lot.

[GOAT]

It is nice parkland now. This was one of Windsor's greatest folly's and earned the nick-name "the Plywood Palace"..rightfully so.

Before it's demise a barge had crashed into the pier built into the hotel, about a couple of years before it "burned" down [[quite suspiciously some say).

[fastcarsandfreedom]

The fire was indeed suspicious--the structural damage so great that it was impossible to determine a specific source or cause. While much is made of the "risk" of the wood frame constuction of the hotel--it was fully sprinkled. The fire occurred within a few days of the sprinker system being taken offline.

[daddeeo]

You can spot the location by where the driveway was. It sort of ends abruptly now
that there is a park where it used to be on the river.

[txlady]

A few years ago I was visiting family and went over to Windsor to reminisce. Went thru the tunnel and came back on the Bridge. The Customs guy asked me questions and I answered honestly, 'how long have you been in Canada', 'about 30 minutes', I thought I was going to get the delux search treatment. I did manage to convince him I was legit, but I miss the old place. If I thought I could get a job I'd move back in a heartbeat.

[the rock]

I knew a couple who spent their wedding night at the place. They awoke the next morning, she opened up the drapes to view the magnificent Detroit River and was met by two beedy-eyed rats who were looking in through the plate glass window. You could hear her scream for 200 miles , but, fortunately, the marriage is still intact.

[12468_laing]

I remember this place very well. My family used to eat breakfast there every so often. I remember back in the 70's when gas was at a shortage, we had to tell the guard at the bridge why we were going to Canada. Dad told him that we were going to eat, and he said, "First you are out of gas, and now you are out of food!" Will never forget that.

[fastcarsandfreedom]

Rats were an issue in the general area thanks to the proximity to the river, etc...and the fact that there was no basement--the hotel was built on top of what had been the Government Dock--just set right on top of the concrete. The gates to Dieppe Gardens were almost always locked--Holiday Inn management claimed at one point that prostitutes were prying their trade on the waterside promenade which passed not only the restaurant and bar--but also dozens of rooms. It was an interesting place though--fairly big at over 200 rooms, and with that great roofline thanks to the 4th floor rooms which were bi-level "lofts".

[cmubryan]

http://communities.canada.com/windso...liday-inn.aspx

[kathy2trips]

Now you know why East Siders have an affinity for cats! Look out for them, help them when they're in trouble, and you'll be blissfully rodent free. "Here, kitty kitty!"

[Magnatomicflux]

lol

I have three cats and my building apparently is pretty bad for mice and things........can't say I've seen any in my place

[fastcarsandfreedom]

Great shot of the old Holiday Inn "Great Sign" with the Who Shot JR? reference. The old Holiday Inn script logo is badass, and sadly, in the process of disappearing.

[Rocko]

I've heard stories about work tugs going awfully close after dark to the Canadian shore and to get views of all kinds of things going on in the riverfront rooms.....with the curtains wide open.