Alas!! Another Landmark's Demise

[Peter J.Heizmann]

Hi, folks...

Channel 69 News here in PA, reported that the defunct Garden State Tanning Building, Fleetwood, PA, burned today. They reported a good 1/2+ of the building was gutted. It was so severe that the town's water supply was heavily depleted and resident's either do not have water service, or, are asked to conserve.

This building housed part of the Fleetwood Body Works complex, (namesake of the Cadillac Fleetwood). Made custom coach bodies for celebrities, Rudy Valentino was one of note, and, the well to-do.

Do yourself a favor and visit www.fleetwoodpa.org for their historical society's excellent website. Scroll down on the left column to the Fleetwood Metal Body Company icon.

Peter J. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

[Guest HeyPop]

And yet another will bite the dust in a less glorious manner. Here in York sitting along the Cocorus Creek, is the building that once housed the Sphinx Motor Company (started by former Pullman employees/management). Before the Sphinx group purchased it, the Hart-Kraft Motor Company had occupied the building. Over the years it became a warehouse of many uses because the only "iron horse" anyone really hears about in York County is the Pullman. There were in fact 9 auto manufacturer's in York County during the inception of the horseless carriage era. All and more were mentioned in a book done by Freed and Rosenmiller back in 1977. It along with many historic sites that don't interest the local historical group are victims of "progress". York's infamous baseball diamond will cause the demise of this historic building in the near future if the whole fiasco materializes. The city cries "we're over budget and have no money" and yet keeps pursuing rediculous projects like ball diamonds and parks that take away historic buildings and properties that wiil be lost forever. It's actions like this and the latest uses for "eminent domain" that really taxes the patience of the public.

[Restorer32]

We had the pleasure (agony?) of restoring a 1908 Pullman, a 1910 Pullman as well as a 1917 Bell automobile, all built is York, and were pleased to see the conversion of the Pullman factory building into subsidized housing for the elderly. In the late 70's we considered purchasing the Pullman factory for our restoration shop (it was cheap) but backed out over concerns with inner city security and the endless inspections and tax increases that make locating a business in the city so frustrating.

[Guest imported_jmarsicano]

Heypop-

I know the old Snyder Auto building that sits on the Codorus is now an apartment building. The corner stone is still there. Its on Grant Street.

Joe

[Restorer32]

Snyder Auto just went out of business last year after about 100 years. We looked at a '08 Reo that they had sold new and had taken in trade sometime in the past. Still had their sticker on the windshield. They sold it at auction. They were one of the real old timers in the auto and truck business in the US.

[Guest imported_jmarsicano]

Restorer... Where was Snyder located? Other then the apartment building that I know of...

[Restorer32]

They had a multi million $ facility at the intersection of I83 and Route 74. We stored a 1928 Autocar that we restored for Pfaltzgraff Pottery in their showroom for the last few years, had to move it when they closed up. Building was recently sold to a truck repair outfit (The Truck Stop?). They closed up when they lost their franchise. Not to worry, the Snyder family did very well for themselves over the years with real estate, etc.