Centurion Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 I was speaking yesterday with Gary Klecka in Alaska, and we were talking about some of the old Buick dealerships in the Chicago area during his childhood.Gary mentioned that he attended the very first BCA National Meet in Flint, 1971. He was seventeen, and drove his '55 Roadmaster 76R, which is the same Buick he drove to Flint for the Centennial in 2003.At the 1971 meet, members of the Chicagoland Chapter evidently stored their Buicks inside the old Buick Factory Store, which had recently been closed. Gary recalls many old signs, and there was an enormous pile of NOS Buick floor mats left in one room. The Chicagoland people stayed at the nearby Durant Hotel.Gary wonders whether the structure that housed the Buick Factory Store still stands. He has heard that the Durant Hotel has been demolished, but wonders about the dealership building itself. I hope that some of you Flint folks can provide an answer. If the building still stands, it would be great to see a current photo of the building. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest norb Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Both Buick factory retail store buildings remain but are used by other businesses. The Durant hotel is still standing but empty. I think Billy Durant,s spirit still hangs out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BJM Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 norb,What's the history, in brief, on the Durant Hotel. I am somewhat fascinated by the early 20th century hotels in Michigan, that booned becauseof the auto trade, such as the Book-Cadillac and others in Detroit. What's the story on the Durant, if you know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted February 18, 2008 Author Share Posted February 18, 2008 Norb, thanks for providing the answers I was looking for.I'm curious whether anyone might have old photos of the buildings from the days of the Buick Factory Store. I've met a few people through the years who had traveled to Flint to take delivery of their new Buicks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUICK RACER Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Here's a link from the Flint Journal from last fall, on the fate of the Durant Hotel, unfortunately there as been no new news on this project, that I know of since! Click Here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted February 18, 2008 Author Share Posted February 18, 2008 Thanks for the link, Roberta! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Guy Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 In the Durant hotel there was a bar called the "Wheel room" It had divider made from 37 Buick wheels with white wall tires mounted on them and the chandlier looked like a big 37 Buick steering wheel. The tables were made of 3/4 inch plate glass about three feet in diameter.The glass had 4 antique Buick sillouettes etched in the bottom of the glass. I was fortunate enough to find one, and though I haven't decided what to do with it yet, I am pleased to have that piece of Flint history Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest norb Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Durant Hotel over the hood of my car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BJM Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Thanks Roberta, very interesting. 1st I noticed that the building has been empty since 1973. Wow, that's 35 years! Next, $23 million to renovate. I wonder what a new Holiday Inn or a new Days Inn or whatever costs? $23 million? Not sure. We have two hotels going in a ritzy part of West Des Moines, a Drury Inn and a Holiday Inn but are they costing $23 million, I doubt it but I'm no expert. I think these historical building developers have big ideas but when it comes time to do the hard work of renovation, there is always hesitation. Sorry to use Des Moines as a backdrop to this topic, but we have two downtown turn-of-the-century hotels very similar to the Durant, that have been restored and are functioning well, profitable and classy (The Hotel Fort Des Moines and The Savery Hotel)Both have been restored and functioning for years and I believe are owned by ownership groups that own modern hotel facilities. In my mom's town of Sedalia Missouri, there is the Hotel Bothwell. Sedalia is a railroad town and the Bothwell was restored and is operational, again run by a group that owns several motels. I have stayed int he Bothwell, and it's neat to step back in time.The Buick National meet in 2006 was in Rochester, and the host hotel was historical, name escapes me. But Des Moines and Rochester have money in their downtowns, not sure about Flint. A thriving business need or non-competition (in the case of the Hotel Bothwell in Sedalia) is essential to having these hotels survive long term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted February 19, 2008 Author Share Posted February 19, 2008 Norb, thanks for sharing that photo of the Durant Hotel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest norb Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 This is a Flint paper covering the opening of the new Buick Factory dealership.My first day with Buick.Later I transfered to the Experimental Lab & retired 37 years later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted February 19, 2008 Author Share Posted February 19, 2008 Great stuff, Norb! I was really counting on you to respond to this topic, and your photo of the old newspaper is terrific.I don't see what year it was that this store opened. What year was this?So, am I correct in understanding that there was this Buick store on the Dort Highway and another Buick factory store that was located downtown? Were they both closed in about 1970? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reatta Man Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Unfortunately, the sentimentality of old buildings has run into the EPA and a list of laws, regulations and requirements that would make Ebineezer Scrooge envious. The biggies are (not necessarily in this order) Mold, Asbestos and Lead. Sprinkle in a few other contaminants for good measure, and you have a project that can cost double, triple or more of the cost of a new hotel. Add to that the fact that when you do extensive renovations, you MUST make everything ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant. That means wider doors, ramps, lifts, elevators, special handles, fixtures, etc., etc., etc. Of course, the entire facility also has to totally be brought up to code; pressurized wet-pipe fire sprinkler systems, fire suppression systems in the kitchen, and so on. And, oh, lets not forget; it IS Detroit; gotta grease a few dozen palms down at city hall if you want things to go as planned..... CA-CHING$$$$And, heaven help you if your Environmental Impact Study shows that you are going to contaminate ground water, ever stored hazmat on the site, spilled anything into the ground, or have PCBs on the site. Now get the idea as to why it probably has been empty for 35 years? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest norb Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 The new Buick branch opened in 1952 & they closed in mid to late 70,s. They closed because other dealers complained to GM about competion. The biggest was Circle Buick in NYC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted February 20, 2008 Author Share Posted February 20, 2008 Norb, let me make sure I'm clear.It sounds like there were two Buick Factory Retail Stores in Flint, right?I'm guessing that it was the earlier store that closed in about 1970. Does this sound right? Was that earlier store located in downtown Flint, near the Durant Hotel?Thanks for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest norb Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 On the right side of the photo ,behind the hotel,is a light building with three windows .that was downtown Buick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUICK RACER Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Another story for a new Hampton Inn proposed in Flint for this year. Click here Only $10 Million! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_MrEarl Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I found this in my cigar box of old postcards I'm curious, does that old tree still stand and what is the memorial and is it still there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted February 20, 2008 Author Share Posted February 20, 2008 Lamar, that's a great postcard. If you look at Norb's recent photo of the hotel, it looks like it was shot from a similar angle. It appears that the single tree by the memorial is now gone, but several younger trees have been planted.Lamar, is there a big, vertical sign at the Buick Factory Retail store (beyond and to the right of the hotel) in your postcard, spelling out B-U-I-C-K ? It looks like it to me, but maybe you can confirm with a magnifying glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_MrEarl Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 That's affirmative...BUICK on a blue and yellow/gold bordered signI brought Norbs picture down to make it easier to compare. You're right I see the memorial is still there but the tree is gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reatta Man Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I sure wish there was enough demand for new Buicks that GM had to 'warehouse' them in major markets just to keep up with demand!Oh for the good ol' days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BUICK RACER Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 There is a major demand for the Buick Enclave, they can't make enough, and they are getting list price in alot of cases, I can't even order one as a Drive and Buy company car, cause the public gets them first, cause they get big money, and if was to get would be somewhat discounted, this is a great deal for Buick.More news today, Rear wheel drive replacement for the Lucerne looks like it may happen, per The Car Connection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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