Comments on: Downtown Report: Luhrs Tower and Office Building http://derrickbostrom.com/bostrom/2008/12/30/downtown-report-luhrs-tower-and-office-building/ Trash, Treasure, Oddities, Obsessions and Obligations Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:10:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Derrick Bostrom http://derrickbostrom.com/bostrom/2008/12/30/downtown-report-luhrs-tower-and-office-building/comment-page-1/#comment-29544 Derrick Bostrom Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:44:05 +0000 http://derrickbostrom.com/bostrom/2008/12/30/downtown-report-luhrs-tower-and-office-building/#comment-29544 <p>I remember when they knocked that down. It received decent coverage in the media-- that there was gonna be a really cool explosion...</p> I remember when they knocked that down. It received decent coverage in the media– that there was gonna be a really cool explosion…

]]> By: John B. http://derrickbostrom.com/bostrom/2008/12/30/downtown-report-luhrs-tower-and-office-building/comment-page-1/#comment-29524 John B. Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:06:47 +0000 http://derrickbostrom.com/bostrom/2008/12/30/downtown-report-luhrs-tower-and-office-building/#comment-29524 <p>When I was 4 or so (in 1957), my mom & I dropped my Grandma off at the Luhrs Hotel for a meeting. I remember her waving to me from the front of the hotel. For some reason I got it in my head that I'd never see Grandma again, and I cried & cried as we drove back to Tempe. Then in 1981 when I was back in Phoenix for a visit I was having lunch with some friends at the Nogales restaurant at 2nd & Washington, right next to where the old Skaggs department store had been & across from the old JC Penneys. Of course, they're all gone now, along with The Fox Theatre, The Mandarin Inn on Skid Row and numerous other funky and wonderful places in downtown Phoenix. Afterwards we were walking through downtown & I saw that the Luhrs Hotel was in the process of being demolished. I asked my friend why this was happening and she replied "because it's beautiful, and they're going to put an ugly building in its place." What a heartbreaking moment this was for me. I left Phoenix in 1972 and I've never looked back. Phoenix is a plastic, fake place that has absolutely no appreciation for its history.</p> When I was 4 or so (in 1957), my mom & I dropped my Grandma off at the Luhrs Hotel for a meeting. I remember her waving to me from the front of the hotel. For some reason I got it in my head that I’d never see Grandma again, and I cried & cried as we drove back to Tempe. Then in 1981 when I was back in Phoenix for a visit I was having lunch with some friends at the Nogales restaurant at 2nd & Washington, right next to where the old Skaggs department store had been & across from the old JC Penneys. Of course, they’re all gone now, along with The Fox Theatre, The Mandarin Inn on Skid Row and numerous other funky and wonderful places in downtown Phoenix. Afterwards we were walking through downtown & I saw that the Luhrs Hotel was in the process of being demolished. I asked my friend why this was happening and she replied “because it’s beautiful, and they’re going to put an ugly building in its place.” What a heartbreaking moment this was for me. I left Phoenix in 1972 and I’ve never looked back. Phoenix is a plastic, fake place that has absolutely no appreciation for its history.

]]> By: Derrick Bostrom http://derrickbostrom.com/bostrom/2008/12/30/downtown-report-luhrs-tower-and-office-building/comment-page-1/#comment-26009 Derrick Bostrom Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:33:30 +0000 http://derrickbostrom.com/bostrom/2008/12/30/downtown-report-luhrs-tower-and-office-building/#comment-26009 <p>And now, the new owners have a site devoted to the renovation:</p> <p>http://www.luhrscitycenter.com/index.php</p> And now, the new owners have a site devoted to the renovation:

http://www.luhrscitycenter.com/index.php

]]> By: Derrick Bostrom http://derrickbostrom.com/bostrom/2008/12/30/downtown-report-luhrs-tower-and-office-building/comment-page-1/#comment-20497 Derrick Bostrom Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:17:21 +0000 http://derrickbostrom.com/bostrom/2008/12/30/downtown-report-luhrs-tower-and-office-building/#comment-20497 <p>Try this link, Trampers!</p> <p>http://www.twilightsw.com/luhrs/phoenix.html</p> Try this link, Trampers!

http://www.twilightsw.com/luhrs/phoenix.html

]]> By: Trampers http://derrickbostrom.com/bostrom/2008/12/30/downtown-report-luhrs-tower-and-office-building/comment-page-1/#comment-20496 Trampers Fri, 05 Jun 2009 23:07:01 +0000 http://derrickbostrom.com/bostrom/2008/12/30/downtown-report-luhrs-tower-and-office-building/#comment-20496 <p>Does anyone know when the Luhrs Hotel closed? Or when the hotel first opened? Would love to know as I have an old glass from hotel. It has red lettering, "Luhrs Hotel" on it with a senor & senorita dancing. Nothing special, but I like it.</p> Does anyone know when the Luhrs Hotel closed? Or when the hotel first opened? Would love to know as I have an old glass from hotel. It has red lettering, “Luhrs Hotel” on it with a senor & senorita dancing. Nothing special, but I like it.

]]> By: Derrick Bostrom http://derrickbostrom.com/bostrom/2008/12/30/downtown-report-luhrs-tower-and-office-building/comment-page-1/#comment-19123 Derrick Bostrom Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:28:35 +0000 http://derrickbostrom.com/bostrom/2008/12/30/downtown-report-luhrs-tower-and-office-building/#comment-19123 <p>I never have been up in that one. I'm just too late to the party for some of these beauties.</p> <p>I did notice the other day, however, that the old Hannys building has had its renovation completed is now open for business...as a restaurant/club.</p> I never have been up in that one. I’m just too late to the party for some of these beauties.

I did notice the other day, however, that the old Hannys building has had its renovation completed is now open for business…as a restaurant/club.

]]> By: Doc http://derrickbostrom.com/bostrom/2008/12/30/downtown-report-luhrs-tower-and-office-building/comment-page-1/#comment-19122 Doc Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:13:33 +0000 http://derrickbostrom.com/bostrom/2008/12/30/downtown-report-luhrs-tower-and-office-building/#comment-19122 <p>Nice shots, thanks for those. Phoenix just doesn't seem to be able to forget itself fast enough.</p> <p>I wonder whether you ever went inside the Security Building? A while back some friends and I had a chance to urban explore it during broad daylight. (It was being renovated--maybe still is, I don't know--and most of the workers were off eating and the ones that were there were dissuaded from asking us what the hell so long as we walked around nodding and observing thoughtfully.)</p> <p>Anyway, it has a lot of nice features, but my favorite definitely has to be the roof. The top floor used to be the penthouse home of (Valley National Bank's) Walter Bimson and he had a lawn planted on the roof, and it's still there. It was odd to see an old-school push mower sitting up there. I'd love to have the gardening concession there....</p> Nice shots, thanks for those. Phoenix just doesn’t seem to be able to forget itself fast enough.

I wonder whether you ever went inside the Security Building? A while back some friends and I had a chance to urban explore it during broad daylight. (It was being renovated–maybe still is, I don’t know–and most of the workers were off eating and the ones that were there were dissuaded from asking us what the hell so long as we walked around nodding and observing thoughtfully.)

Anyway, it has a lot of nice features, but my favorite definitely has to be the roof. The top floor used to be the penthouse home of (Valley National Bank’s) Walter Bimson and he had a lawn planted on the roof, and it’s still there. It was odd to see an old-school push mower sitting up there. I’d love to have the gardening concession there….

]]> By: GrannyJ http://derrickbostrom.com/bostrom/2008/12/30/downtown-report-luhrs-tower-and-office-building/comment-page-1/#comment-19121 GrannyJ Tue, 30 Dec 2008 22:58:51 +0000 http://derrickbostrom.com/bostrom/2008/12/30/downtown-report-luhrs-tower-and-office-building/#comment-19121 <p>In the aught-0s, when I was a little kidlet, one of my uncles (an attorney by trade) worked in the Luhrs Tower. Veddy, veddy upscale at the time. I have very vague memories of visiting him once. He used to be visited by the eccentric Hattie Moser .. famous quote from her: "There's nothing I like better than a good lawsuite."</p> In the aught-0s, when I was a little kidlet, one of my uncles (an attorney by trade) worked in the Luhrs Tower. Veddy, veddy upscale at the time. I have very vague memories of visiting him once. He used to be visited by the eccentric Hattie Moser .. famous quote from her: “There’s nothing I like better than a good lawsuite.”

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