Firestone Tire and Rubber Co of Canada

The original portion of the Firestone building was built in 1919 by the Burdick Rubber Company, Firestone Tire and Rubber Co of Canada bought it in 1936 and gradually expanded the complex. At one point of over 50 products were manufactured at the site including fan belts, radiator hoses, military tank treads, a wringer mechanism for washing machines and employed over 1700 people. In 1988 the parent company...

Goodbye to the Lake Shore Motel Strip

Last year, on a rainy Sunday afternoon,  by chance the TLR CLub and I photographed what was left of Casa Mendoza, the Beach and Shore Breeze Motels on Lake Shore Blvd. It turns out it was the only weekend to photograph the motel strips' infamous Casa Mendoza because on the Monday it was literally gone. The Shore Breeze and Beach Motels were sealed up for another demolition day(s)...

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