Good morning Blue
I have an area on the layout that needs a building. I remember a building in my hometown that was U shaped. It housed a skating rink and the VFW on the top floor, which was actually street level at the rear wall. The lower level had a car dealership and there was also a GMC/Reo truck dealer there. There was even a plate glass dealer in the lower level. I am not an artist and it is a shame because for some stupid reason I can picture the building side from the lower level like I was standing there now, even down to the railroad track and the huge water puddle. I could find a poor aerial picture that showed it but nothing that was helpful. It was next door to the Enterprise Coal Company, a dealer in house coal (another thing of the past).
2 years ago while in Ollie's, a bargain store, I found some IHC kits for sale cheap, and I bought some. One of these was the Novelty Iron Works.
I kitbashed it into a long narrow warehouse building to use on one section of the layout.
There are a lot of windows and trim that come with this kit, making it a Kitbashing beauty. I was lucky to find a few more kits by searching other Ollie stores, so this is what I am using to make this building.
It is taking 2 kits, but for less than 20 bucks I will have a representation of the building I remember. It still will be about 100 feet shy of the full width that I remember, but when you don't have room you do your best.
Here it is set in location temporarily.
I had to make the floor and I have the roof made. I still need to cut floors for between the stories. (this evenings project.)
Though far from the original, some signage will suffice to bring back the memories.
Thanks for looking.
Charlie