Worcester: Montgomery HIGHdraulic Elevator [RED #1] @ City Square (RIP 2011)

[NewEnglandElevators]

This might be a little late, but it's sorta strange watching this video, considering this elevator no longer exists (as of July 25). It's soon going to be like that for the rest of the garage that they are going to wreck (and all the other elevators here).

[georgef551]

@NewEnglandElevators

Actually, for the most part, the garage that was still standing, will remain, and be retrofitted with stabilizing structures (not that it needs them, really). If any more is being demolished, it'll be a small piece of the Red Section. From what I could see, Red#2 is still there, so the Blue one should also still be there.

[nospeakamericano97]

Is that clicking sound the sensor?

[georgef551]

@nospeakamericano97

I believe it's the clutch and pickup rollers. I've herd Otis elevators make the same noises.

[nospeakamericano97]

@georgef551 Hmmm... okay. 

[nospeakamericano97]

So the mall is completely abandoned yet the elevators are still running?

[georgef551]

@nospeakamericano97

This garage closed November 2010. It was still open, because it still made money. 99% of the Red Section will be demolished (as well as this elevator), and the Blue Section, modified to meet today's building codes, will reopen in the future. Not sure if "Red#2", or the Blue lifts, will remain, get modded, or replaced altogether.

[nospeakamericano97]

@georgef551 Ohhhh alrighty! Yeah I saw cars in one of ur videos and i was wondering why they were still there even though the mall wasnt open anymore. Good video too! :)

[georgef551]

@nospeakamericano97

Apperently, the mall was still accessable untile April 2009.

Missed. :)

[thyssenelevator95]

(Continued from last..) And I remember sitting in the atrium and watching it go. It was inground hydraulic, and you could see the shaft. As a decoration, they even hung a piece of tapestry from the lift car to cover the piston.

Oh those were fond memories and good times.......

I LOVED that elevator, and is still one of my favorite elevators to this day.

[georgef551]

That sound nice. Love the idea of a tapistry to cover the piston, wakka-wakka. :)

The Glass one in the mall itself changed my view of elevators being scary, to being fun, and I wish I could still ride it today.

Sadly, when Downtown Worcester gets revamped, the mall, and the Red Section of this parking garage, will be no more. This, and the Death Trap will be nothing but a (YouTube) memory. Don't know when, though. Suposed to have been 2004.

[thyssenelevator95]

Oh my gosh!! This elevator has the EXACT SAME BELL that was on another Montgomery elevator here in teh area that got me fascinated with elevators! It is in an apartment complex that my grandma used to live in (it is now a run down complex ever since it was taken over a few years back, which was several years after she moved out, and when she lived there it was a very nice complex)!

It was a Montgomery Twinkie-M with vector fixtures. It was also SCENIC! (continued in next comment..)

[revo8778]

Not only is it montgomery, but it has Innovation "Brusier" fixtures.

[georgef551]

Confirmation is good.......

Thanks!

[CaptainElevator42189]

It could also be a Montgomery elevator on the other hand.

[georgef551]

well, that makes it unknown again, doesn't it?

[CaptainElevator42189]

I guess so.

[georgef551]

Oh, well. Some things are not meant to be discovered....

[CaptainElevator42189]

I think this is a Montgomery elevator, and I mean that 100%.

[georgef551]

Now that you're sure.....another title change. Hopefully, final. Thanks!

[CaptainElevator42189]

Thank you so much, and this is indeed final.

[georgef551]

Good.

Now if the owner would fix the thing.....

I couldn't imagine how many more elevators I could've ridden there, but the attached mall is long abandoned. There were a lot of them, including one store with a bank of 6 (3 per side), and a "Glass Elevator", which I loved riding when I was a kid. If I only could ride them one more time....

[ElevatingBoston]

The Galleria failed because Worcester wasnt (and never will be) ready for an upscale shopping mecca. The most notable anchor of the mall was Jordan Marsh, which had the bank of 6 elevators. Physically, JM was plopped in the exact center of the mall, but had awkward side hall access rather than direct.

Also, when this parking garage was finished, it was the largest parking garage in the world.

I always wondered what the elevators were like inside, so thanks for getting the parking garage one!

[georgef551]

I remember the bank of 6 elevators, just not the store. I also remember the "Glass Elevator". I used to ride that one for fun.

That garage was once the World's largest?! Wow! I didn't know that! Funny how rinky-dink Greendale is doing well, yet the Galleria, then Outlets, failed.

Actually, there's several elevators in that garage. There were 2 in the Red Zone, and I think there were three in the Blu, two side-by-side. They're pretty much the same, except the 1'st one I tried didn't work.

[ElevatingBoston]

In 1971, a parking garage with 4300+ spaces was considered a behemoth. Now we've got malls like Providence Place that boast garages with 5000+ spaces. The Galleria was one heck of a big deal though. It was a prototype mall for the future and was hailed as the best mall in the US by numerous architects.

Greendale was half of the reason why the mall failed. The other half was the Auburn Mall. Both offered much more affordable stores, which fit much nicer into Worcester's demographic.

[georgef551]

I was going to say, it had to have failed for another reason, but you hit it on that response. It was a great mall, as I've been there (as the Galleria) many times, and as the Outlets only once. I guess the attempt of affodable stores (Outlets) didn't work, because of the image of these places selling junk, seconds, and low quality goods, because at first, it was very popular. When I went, it was almost dead. Should've taken that last fun ride in the Glass Elevator when I had the chance.

[ElevatingBoston]

Do you remember anything about the glass elevator in terms of it's brand, fixtures, or even location? I've always wondered.

[georgef551]

I plan on doing a whiteboard animation of what was the Glass Elevator, but it's been about 25 years ago since I've last been on it. I do remember some aspects, but can't say I'll get the fixtures or indicators right. It was a 2-panel door (left and right, open opposite ways), and overlooked a courtyard and parking garage.

It won't be perfect, I'm absolutely sure of. :(

[TechyWatcher]

This is a death trap!

[georgef551]

Close, but not quite. What's lost in video translation, is that the ride is actually glass smooth, and consistant, except a tiny shock at 3. Other that that, it's just a noise-maker. Red#2, on the other hand, =IS= a Death Trap. I even did a Shock Cam on it.

[TheHabboWay1]

I hate momtgomery elevators , but it is alright

[georgef551]

These were pretty good in the day. This one runs well, but when I went back, it ran awful. Then again, most elevators don't like 10 degree weather. :)

[jack9547]

thanks for the video response!

[georgef551]

No problem.

Thought you'denjoy a run-down death trap(?).

[georgef551]

Really?

Thanks for the info!

[patricknedz]

Its a dover I can tell its dover by the way the motor is and the bell it sounds like dover and the buttons are innovation

[dieselducy]

It has innovation fixtures.

[georgef551]

Thanks for the information!

It was a scary ride, especially not knowing it had a park feature. Realized it later ("...homing itself").

[DuckReconMajor]

idk lol hahaha