Hotel Breakers may lose landmark status

Unfortunate that Cedar Point would choose to make such alterations that would endanger the status of the hotel, but perfectly reasonable from a business/economic perspective. I had wondered if something like this was going to happen when they began all the work on the hotel, and it is only appropriate that the national landmark status would be revoked. It's not as if Cedar Point relies on that for any of its tourism, and the long operating history of the park will give it enough charm and longevity. Just like old rides, it is sad when they must be demolished, but in the long run it is better for the profitability of the park.

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PO!NT OF VIEW - A Different Look at Roller Coasters
http://www.crosswinds.net/~justmayntz/thrills/
** Updated April 4, 2001 **
Isn't there any way that Cedar Point could have added on to the hotel without demolishing an entire wing? I know that the landmark status doesn't mean anything to Cedar Point's bottom line, but I can't believe that they couldn't have done something different to preserve the historic qualities of the hotel.
We are slowly starting to lose a lot of history at cedar point.
It was upsetting to see the breakers change so much over the last decade. The rotunda and the lobby are really the most important part. As long they stay, the landmark status should stay. The Breakers history does play a part in the marketing of the hotel.
Anyone who has stayed in the old parts of the Hotel Breakers will tell you it is long overdue for renovation. I agree with Cedar Point's decision to remove the old wings and replace them with new sections that take advantage of the lake view. CP has taken many measures in preservation of the heritage of the Rotunda, which I think is the most historically significant part of the hotel. It still has the original poof couches, Tiffany stained glass, chandeliers, and many of the old rooms have been converted to employee housing to preserve the building.

I have heard from several people that we can expect to say good-bye to the final wing--the Bon Air section--in 2002 or 2003 to make room for the Breakers West.

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CP Schroeder
CP Resorts Reservations '00, '01
I agree, the rotunda and the lobby are the most important parts to preserve the whole "Hotel Breakers" feel for guests that are returning for many years, but I don't think that will be enough to preserve the national landmark status. Maybe there is such a thing as an honorable mention that it could receive.

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PO!NT OF VIEW - A Different Look at Roller Coasters
http://www.crosswinds.net/~justmayntz/thrills/
** Updated April 4, 2001 **
I never thought I would say this but maybe it's time I make a reservation to stay in an old room.

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Live for FUN!

GO SHAMROCKS!
GO WOLVERINES!
I don't think Rotunda and lobby are the main thing, that makes it historic. The design and layout of that era is what makes the building historic. Although I love the rotunda (dislike it as the smoking area) I would have to say all of the building is considered historic. Although I think it still keeps the status because it still has at least a wing left! Which I hope they renovate by upgrading the wing not demolishing it!

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"Jesus will never let you go!!"
-BeanBag
-Whiplash
Jeff's avatar
I say bulldoze the Bon Aire wing as well. It smells like grandma's basement and it's in poor condition. I don't know what it would take to clean up that wing (removing the urine-stained wallpaper from the bathrooms would be a good start), but I imagine it would be expensive.

If I remember correctly, the wing they removed was being used for employee housing. (I'd be willing to bet big dollars that Cedars is next.)

The lobby and rotunda are historic and important, and I think it's safe to assume they won't trash that anytime soon. The old wings had to go. You can't expect the park to provide a sub-standard lodging experience when they want to become a resort destination. If Disney had rooms like that, you certainly wouldn't go there.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Guide to The Point
Futuristic bow-wow... do the dog catcher!
I live 45 min. away from the park and never stayed overnight at any of the resorts. Although, I feel that in past decades, CP could have done better to preserve Breakers a little better, and maybe even work with it so that the razing could have not occurred. I do see the Bon Aire next as well. When ever I go to the restaurants in the Breakers, I always enter through the Bon Aire wing, which does have all of the charm of a cheap roche motel that you would only get a room for an hour or two. Overall, CP is extremely careless in preserving it's overall historic nature. The Breakers cosmetically looks horrible now, and the Breakers Tower is an extremely ugly and out-of-place structure that does not fit in well with the rest of the hotel.
I've noted before, that if you look at the design of the new tower, it is laid out perfectly, to allow for more to be built along side it, without crimping the view from the existing windows.

I would have to visit again to regain the perspective, but I think they will likely add another tower in the future, maybe two if there is room. I'm not sure if they would tear down the old central building, but who knows.

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Nathan W.L. Boyle
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BGSU '97
Jeff: I couldn't agree with you more. I love the Grandma's basement comment.

Anyway, the only time I stayed there was in 1988. I thought the hotel was an overpriced dump. They remodeled it extensively over the years, but the fact is it was just old...low ceilings, smelly, small rooms, just outdated. There wasn't much they could do without it costing a fortune. I'm all for preserving old buildings if the building is nice, but CP made a good move to rebuild.
We are slowly starting to lose a lot of history at Cedar Point.

Western Cruise; Jungle Larry's; Fascination; Jumbo Jet; Mama Berardi; Coffelts; Etc.

I bet people said the same thing when the roll call was:

Eden Musee; Crystal Rock; French Frolics; Cedar Point Ballroom; The Miss Ohio Pageant

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Town Hall is a good place to spend an hour or so.

Tim Bretz
"Remember to pillage before you burn".
Pete's avatar
The charming thing about Breakers is the lobby and rotunda. The guest room wings were just very generic looking hallways as is typical of many hotels. They were old and musty, didn't have the fire resistant construction of newer structures (though sprinklers were added), didn't have elevators for handicapped or older guests, had very poor soundproofing, and just was not up to the standard that CP sets for it's resorts. The lobby and rotunda are beautiful, and will always make a stay at the Breakers familiar. But give me nice modern rooms and suites. It's good for the guests and for CP.
The only change I would ask for in the lobby/rotunda would be to add AIR CONDITIONING! ;)

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CP Schroeder
CP Resorts Reservations '00, '01
I don't know about this one...yeah, I realize that the Bon Aire wing is not like modern day hotels, but I think that was the beauty of it. I just loved the feeling of thinking of all the different people who stayed over there the last 75 years. I stayed there last year and it wasn’t that bad, and I think it looks nice with the rooms on the end, near the water.

I do agree, the new Breakers Tower is extremely ugly and doesn't belong in the architecture of the Breakers. Modern structures just don't have the uniqueness as they did before. Everything now is made of standardized things from windows to door handles. Things just are becoming all the same. No charm or uniqueness is evident in the new Breakers Tower; it looks like most plain towers found everywhere. I wish they would take some time to restore the Bon Aire wing in the inside and make it nicer looking in the rooms and hallways. I think the outside of the building looks well and it seems they have restored the exterior of the building well. I like the Bon Aire wing.

As for Cedar Point not caring for history, yeah, they tore a lot of things the last couple years, but they also are restoring the Cedar Point lighthouse in Lighthouse Point this year. Oh well, it’s a start.

Cedar Point-on-Lake Erie
http://cedarpoint.virtualave.net/
*** This post was edited by Cedar Point-on-Lake Erie on 4/9/2001. ***
Another historical building that is in jeopardy is the Coral Dinning Room. There is a lot of rumors out there that it will be razing for the "boardwalk project". Jeff said he would be willing to bet big dollars that Cedars is next, I say it will be the Coral Dinning Room out of any of the historical buildings. I tend to believe that if the "boardwalk project rumor" is true, you can add the Coliseum to the list of razed buildings with historical significance. CP probably will want to incorporate the existing Oceana midway into the main midway, and the Coliseum is in the way of that happening. The video games, and the park operations offices can be easily moved to new locations, and with all of the banquet space in all of the Cedar Fair owned hotels in the Sandusky area, the ballroom can be without.

Not very long ago I was against the razing of historic buildings at CP, but now I say raze them all and make the park as modern as possible. So much has already been lost they might as well finish what they have started.
I agree, the old part of the hotel has character. I like the classic look and feel of it, along with the history behind it. One of the reasons I stay at the breakers is not only because it is right inside the park, but because me and my family have been going there since before I was born and I have a lot of great memories of it. I have no problem with the condition of it. Also if they did remodel/tear it down, I'm sure the prices would skyrocket.
BTW, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that the lighthouse is still owned or controlled by the coast guard, which may be why it was not razed.

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