Carew Tower and its Dead Mall | Decayed Art Deco Perfection | ExLog 121

[@sal]

Marna got wasted and stole me a helicopter for my birthday tonight. Subscribe so I can pay her bail money. You should also subscribe to Kristin and watch her Carew Tower video. Love you all. kzbin.info/www/bejne/anPTd4VqbL-sjKssi=YyV11-H1OGJXtriy

[@arnoroorda3201]

Love ya 2!.....🥸

[@ItsaRomethingeveryday]

Absolutely Fantastic Sal ❤

[@rachelrivera91]

Thanks Sal for recommending us to watch Kristin's take on the Carew Tower. I recently clicked on the link and watched her video. I am glad I took your word for it. She has a very unique way of presenting her videos. I love a woman's perspective as well. She is a class of her own. I am getting hooked on the dead mall genre because like most everyone here, we all have a bit of nostalgia growing up and walking through these concourses. I still love mall shopping versus online shopping. There is no better way of shopping than trying on clothes, smelling the scents of perfume, looking at physical media forms like books and games, and actually eating inside a building with people around. All these vanished during the pandemic. Thank you Sal and to all of you who are trying to preserve some of the things we once cherish. That is the mall.

[@benb8407]

Happy Belated Birthday Sal, and Happy Easter.

[@bladerunner1b]

Cincinnati is one of the coolest cities in America. If you are of a certain age most of your cherished childhood memories originated from there in Kenner Toys (Star Wars). It also has a incredible zoo in the middle of a neighborhood. The oldest professional sports team in the Reds, a really interesting abandoned Subway story annd - I could go on and on about the wonderful Queen City.

[@landline00]

Wonderful compared to what? Are you also going to claim that it's a great FoodCity?

[@arc_4543]

@@landline00 It has some pretty good German food spots at least

[@joinsideke]

@@landline00 Compared to other cities in America, it's the first sentence my dude.

[@aaronwatkins8973]

​@@landline00 just don't come here.

[@curtisjackson1121]

I heard Charlie Manson is from there as well

[@Jabberwocky4k]

Prayers for Baltimore today.

[@memoryroom6388]

Prayers for Moscow today.

[@PalmBeachDog]

Prayers for Modesto

[@johnlondon5413]

This place is a gorgeous palace.. amazing! Such a shame so meany shuttered shops as it seems to be following the trend with other dieing and dead malls. Thanks for another fantastic masterpiece.Hope you had a great stolen helicopter B-day🎉🍷

[@sal]

I can report that the helicopter has since been returned to its owners. Marna is sleeping it off

[@ItsaRomethingeveryday]

Your style and take is unparalleled with these exlogs! Fullview always ❤

[@WhiteRaven___]

I could tell you filmed this video in 2021 haha. I used to work Security right along with the officer you met that night. Worked there from 2019-2022. I still remember the day they shut everything down for the pandemic. I worked all through it at that place. It's a shame you didnt get any footage of some of the Hiltons best ball rooms on the 3rd floor. The Hall of Mirrors being one of them.. also some of the floors on the Tower side had not been touched in over 40 years so going on those floors like the 40th floor was like a step back in time. There is still a 3rd building thats condemned by the city thats attached between Carew Tower and the Hilton that was almost hidden and nicknamed the "T- building". Never knew why lol there was even a racquetball court inside that building along with some very very old Victorian wheelchairs. In the LL on the Tower side where the office elevators are, there was a place called the Landmark room which was locked but it used to be a comedy room. Thats where a lot of the Asbestos and black mold was lol lots of little cool things about that building that not many people knew or will ever see. I ended up losing that job when Powers finally "sold" the building. Great building.. terrible ownership

[@jacobmeyer2781]

Shit I've probably served you beer before. I bartended in that area for ages.

[@leah4850]

This was great! So nostalgic for me, and informative. I spent a lot of time at Tower Place as a teen in it's heyday. I wish there was more footage available to show it at it's peak. It used to be packed with people every weekend. You did it justice, Sal! Happy belated birthday!

[@ProgRockGuy08]

Enjoyed the video, good memories visiting Carew Tower in 2010 and 2011, interesting to see the mix of the old foodcourt skylight with the new parking garage.

[@teresahardy9962]

Thank you for the great video.Cincinnati is my home but I have never been to the Carew Tower. Before I die I want to stay at the Netherland. Safe travels Sal.

[@smbc60647]

Happy Birthday, and thanks for posting this. I lodged at this hotel for work in downtown Cincinnati 7 years ago and it was an amazing stay. I opted for the bar's Manhattans (w/ Four Roses), which were superb, and like you, I would get a to-go glass to take back to the room. I wandered around the mezzanine, staircases and 3rd and 4th floor ballrooms gaping like a Muppet at the murals, the mirrors, the lighting and the all the other stunnning decorative fixtures. But I didn't know all of the history, of the site, beyond the bits curated and posted by Hilton in the wall display cases scattered around. so thanks again for the deep dive and detail! It is hard to capture the scale and ambience of a place like that in photos but you did a great job with your video. I hope that little diner in the below lobby arcade is still operating. It is (or was) a well preserved midcentury coffee shop, I got an early egg breakfast there a few times. Saks was still open when I went, as well as a Macy's across the street, but they were both nearly empty of shoppers any time I went in.

[@rachelrivera91]

That was epic!! Your video production is mind blowing. Thanks Sal for the tour and the amazing nostalgia brought to light. Love the building, the music, history, and the art. Just epic. I want more!!

[@sal]

Hey thank you so much for these kind words! I pour so much work into each episode, and it’s comments like this that make it all worth it.

[@rachelrivera91]

👍. I could tell you put a lot of heart into your work. I binge watch your videos when time permits. Just recently subscribed to your channel.

[@sal]

Thank you for the sub!

[@Vynsent]

Another exceptional work Sal, bravo!

[@mistymcintosh7683]

That mall was poppin in the 90s. You should check out the history of the open mall in the 90s called Swifton Commons. That mall was one of the first open, outdoor malls and it was all the rage! It had Elder Beerman and an anchor, shoes stores, a radio station, food court, a beauty school in the lower level, etc. Dig into that history if you can find anything. There’s nothing left of it now tho. 🤦🏾‍♀️

[@ernestallen5154]

I can picture Humphrey Bogart sitting in the Palm Court drinking his cocktail. I had dinner there back in the eighties. Beautiful interiors and the best Art Deco I have ever seen. That Palm Court would make a perfect movie setting for a thirties or forties inspired film.

[@patrick39432]

Honestly, the only mall doing well in Cincinnati is the Kenwood Towne Centre, in case you do a series on thriving malls.

[@nicolaa55]

Holy cats, being a Deco nerd, almost exactly four years ago today I had plans to stay in this hotel while attending a symphony concert. We all know how that went. But I've been thinking I need to resurrect that trip and all this footage has convinced me of that.

[@sal]

It’s a must see. Book it now.

[@shadjuice]

Great video. My father worked at the Carew Tower in the 60s and 70s and a janitorial supervisor. He has some wild stories. Used to ride on top of the elevators, sit outside on the roof edges during thunderstorms.

[@Hiphopasaurus]

I used to work downtown in the office tower in the Westin building, in the late 90's and early 2000s and spent a lot of time in and around Tower Place mall before moving away. I knew the mall had closed but had no idea that they actually turned the middle of it into a parking garage! That place used to be absolutely bustling during the day, so it's so strange to think of it as dead. We used to go to the food court for lunch some days and I can remember there used to be one of those Japanese stir-fry places that to this day, I remember as the yummiest of those ever. I can also specifically remember there was a Best Buy in the mall, where I bought a Sony VCR that I think I still have to this day. The Skywalk in Cincinnati used to connect nearly all of the buildings along Fourth and Fifth street (and used to go even further) above ground level so you could easily go from one shopping location to the next. I used to park several blocks away but since you could walk entirely on the Skywalk, I'd go through that lobby every day. Thanks for putting this together and sharing it! It's bittersweet to witness the demise of the former mall, but wonderful that the Carew Tower is still beautiful and well kept.

[@ZetaN7]

Especially the Skywalk. At one time you could shop just through the skywalk alone. Unfornately after 08 everything shut down in that area.

[@DARELion]

That bourbon chicken was really fkn good! There was so much food in that styrofoam container. It became a weekly meal for me and my dog back before i had a family.

[@njaneardude]

Opening shot of sweet sweet leaks? You hit it out of the park Sal!

[@sal]

You can’t make this stuff up!

[@BIMB0oinLIMB0o]

So, not abandoned, but my mom had to go to the ICU in Cinci about a month ago. She’s okay, bad reaction during a surgery. But we were in Christ Hospital in the middle of the night on the top of the Clifton hill over looking downtown and NO ONE was there. Super tall stories and huge sweeping windows, it was beautiful but felt REALLY liminal and familiar. Like I’d been there before but I definitely hadn’t. And it hit me: “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” was filmed there. And we were in the exact same spots and looking at the same sweeping vistas overlooking the city and in the same rooms so many of scenes were in. It still wasn’t full at all during the day. It was gorgeous and a nice distraction for a really scary time.

[@cooperationiskey]

Wow, what are the odds that the security guard is familiar with your channel? That's awesome. :D And a wholly great video. Really cool place.

[@herroausw]

I love your weird videos so I waited for this special thing. Great stuff! 👍

[@pony053]

First it was Mabley & Carew, then Pogue's, then Tower Place Mall. Going up to Cincy to see aunt Kate, my mom loved shopping there. must have been like going to New York Dad and I would go up to the "bridge" and get an ice cream soda. Muzak filled the air, and resounded off the marble walls. Car #5 elevator at Netherland Plaza, had corner seats with fringe, and 4 small crystal chandoliers. I called it the Luxury Liner.. Your video and documentary does due justice to this grand building. Unlike most, I've been down in the sub basement to see some truly amazing infrastructure. They provided steam for several blocks downtown at one time!

[@sal]

Beautiful memories! Thank you so much for sharing!

[@Ganondalf314]

I loved tower place mall when I was a child in the 90s. Even worked there in 2009-10.

[@kimnolen7644]

That was just beautiful. So glad it is being protected.

[@LisaBarnes-y3f]

Bloody fantastic Sal,well worth waiting for👍🏻🔥👏🏻hope you had a wonderful birthday

[@haylieg2780]

Another thing I have to say is that the last time I was in that mall in the late 90s it was going downhill at that point. There were not a lot of shops then.

[@jrriels963]

I LOVE Art Deco architecture, and Art Nouveau as well. Sal, I wonder if you'd have any interest in going to the old Bullocks building on Wilshire Blvd. In Los Angeles...not a dead mall per se, but a former shopping center, a historical landmark, and a architectural icon...also very Art Deco. I think you can only access it at certain times of year, and even then only parts, but if you explain to them what you do and your channel etc., it might segue into a more extensive tour or access. It would be a worthwhile episode, and I'd line up for it. Food for thought.

[@cwalk4599]

I looked forward to this all day! What a beautiful place. I owe myself a roadtrip up there to use some Hilton points. Sending some good vibes out to Baltimore as well

[@JulieAnne-7]

I ate a celebratory dinner at The Palm Court after our daughter had been born in the 80s. The swankiness oozed out of the place. The food was superb!!

[@davidchadwell6250]

I lived in Newport Kentucky when this became a mall. They would have different music groups and meet and greets. I remember The Heights they were on Beverly Hills 90210 the big song they had was How Do You Talk To An Angel. Me and a friend of mine were also in a movie called Airborne that was filmed in Newport, Believe Kentucky and Downtown Cincinnati. It had a very young Jack Black, Seth Green, Jacob Vargas, Edie McClurg, and Alanna Ubach just to name a few. We were the kids at the end jumping around at the end of the race. We got a tee shirt, pizza, and we got to meet everyone. Remember at this time none of the actors were huge except for Edie McClurg who was the school secretary in Ferris Buellers Day Off and her husband in the movie. The mall really didn't have anything for kids other than meeting famous people, and the food court. I remember they had a McAlpin's and a Lazarus. I loved the glass walks and the old architect. The handles and marble walls and the smell of old lol. At that time it was a pretty great time in Cincinnati. The Reds had just won the World Series, Sawyer Point was brand new with rubber ground so that when kids would fall they wouldn't get hurt. The Q102 One Earth Parties in the park. I remember seeing Duran Duran, Chris Isaak, and a few others with meet and greets at the mall. I also remember meeting New Kids On The Block, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, and Milli Vanilli. Yeah I'm old lol. But it was a great time to be a young teenager. Newport eventually changed like all big areas do. Now Covington is doing the same and not much has changed in Cincinnati other than the water area. They added a kids water park water fountain with water that shoots in the air and it lights up nice at night with the water going. They have added shops and restaurants. The area has definitely changed since the late 80s into the 2000s.

[@morriganwitch]

What a gem xxx

[@haylieg2780]

Funny, I remember that mall from when I was a kid. Quite well actually. My grandmother was president of the school board.

[@screamtheoryentertainment1526]

That British fella in the intro clip. He was in It’s A Mad MAd MAd Mad World! Awesome. Excellent video and worth the wait, as always.

[@sal]

One of my all time favorite movies. Terry Thomas was so funny

[@screamtheoryentertainment1526]

@@sal Truly a classic. One of my perennial go to’s. Every second of that movie is hilarious!

[@DOCDOCFLAMINGOS]

I live North of the Dayton Ohio area very close to Piqua ( pronounced like Pick-Wa ).... Lol None the less I have been to Cincinnati tons of times and had never heard, known about it or seen it!!??!!..... Kinda crazy!!

[@kilo-watt]

I DJed dozens of events at Netherland Plaza over the years. The valet guy, John, would always hook me up and park my car right in front. Love that hotel.

[@khunopie9159]

Great producto Sal! Ya know it's funny, every time Sal posts a new exlog, I start singing the chorus to Rock Me Amadeus by Falco. Such a great tune!

[@rgreed20081]

Downtown Cincinnati is one of the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky gems. Yet a lot of people in the area as well as outside continue to think that Downtown Cincinnati is not a good place to visit. Yet the geographic heart of the area is in Downtown, Fountain Square Plaza. Today the Fountain is looking towards the South. Oddly South is the location of the Riverfront. Oddly the Riverfront has help the region very well. The river is the region's blood. On the Sunday before Labor Day, there is Riverfest one of the nation's best Fireworks shows. Riverfest symbolizes the end of Summer in the region. While the region has its flaws, it is a good place to visit. One of the problems in the Region is the weather. Yet if anyone wants to visit the region, they need to plan very carefully. They have a great choice of hotels to select from. Also there are a variety of places to visit.

[@amandak.4246]

yeah...born and raised north of cincinnati: i hate going downtown, apart from the small area with the art museum and the playhouse. cincinnati has a way of making me feel anxious and uneasy like no other city has but paris

[@kevin-qj7dz]

My fav hotel in Cincinnati! Loved the video

[@JenniferinIllinois]

Will be at work unfortunately during the premiere. Happy birthday Sal and hopefully you can get Marna bailed out. 🤣🚁

[@_Thrackerzod]

I lived in Cincinnati for years in the 90s and had no idea there was a mall in this building. It looks incredible, now I'm sad I never got to visit it.

[@bruiser66]

Such a beautiful building. Thank you for the tour. It could only been better if I walked thru myself.

[@NickBaysingar]

Randomly got this video on my front page and I'm really digging it. You deserve more subs!

[@sal]

Hey thanks! Glad KZbin is still pushing my content out! If you dig this, I have tons more like it on the way!

[@cluesagi]

Came here several times as a kid, and most recently in 2016 when the observation deck was still open. The view from up there is incredible.

[@marcossolorio7954]

YOU AND DAN BELL ARE THE BEST IN DEAD MALL VIDEOS!! NORTHCOG IS GOOD TOO

[@TheCubeTube]

Unfortunately couldn’t make the premiere, but I can’t wait to watch it! Happy birthday Sal! 🎉

[@anarchytheangel346]

HBD Sal, the electro swing in the intro is ✨chef’s kiss ✨

[@natedietel4968]

I used to work at the Carew Tower in the restaurant (then called Orchids). Absolutely beautiful building.

[@ian_that_bourbon_guy]

Built by the emery family probably the most influential family in Cincinnati!

[@OrganNLou]

Marna made me laugh SO LOUDLY!!! GREAT JOB SAL!!!!

[@Abigail_Wyatt]

Walking around with your wine?😁 Decided to be a true character this day, love it🤣🫶🏻.

[@ellendeaton6093]

The most outstanding aspects of this hotel are there for all to see and the story behind the Art Deco designer could make an intriguing hour-ling story. The vantage points are captured by many people who visit there. I would love to see coverage on that and the architectural details of the dead mall as part of it. The hotel, by itself, is worthy of an in-depth narrative and professional video prospective. No hotel like it in the world ! That would be a great story!

[@amystephens513]

I worked in a few stores in the mall. It was great at one time; a nice mix of stores and so convenient.

[@Rfk1966]

Nicely written dialogue, Sal. Another great tour, thank you!

[@sal]

Thanks for the kind words! Make sure to check out my latest on the Miami Valley Centre Mall!

[@angeladelia7472]

The hotel Part is beautiful

[@BrianRoberson-k7g]

That place looks like "The Shining".

[@Suzicherie7777]

The Carew Tower is being converted into condos. It’s such an awesome building. In the 80s, the hotel was sold and renovations began. Under miles of paneling they found all the beautiful Art Deco.

[@seabee73]

I loved the Shakeys pizza commercial. Thanks for another great video.

[@Apostrophe65]

Happy Birthday Sal! Thanks for another great video!

[@BIMB0oinLIMB0o]

I LOVE that building so much.

[@jipsi0418]

33:25 This was the entrance to what was once a TJMaxx. I worked there as a teenager. 💛 Walking around this mall definitely gave you a regal, back-in-time kinda feeling.

[@amystephens513]

I loved that TJM!

[@josepherhardt164]

4:51 OMG, is that Joe E. Ross (late of _Car 54, Where Are You?_ and _It's About Time_ ?

[@karltork6040]

Yes it is!

[@cameronheidelauf9623]

That tower is so so beautiful from the inside and out of that building in America

[@leskobrandon6950]

Happy birthday, thanks for the vacation Sal. 🎉

[@turtlecatpurrz]

So, I am absolutely driven to distraction by that piece of music that was playing when you were talking about the drone and it was raining. It’s so familiar, but I can’t remember what it’s called., or what I know it from. Please help it’s breaking my brain.

[@sal]

Gimme a few minutes, I’ll check for you.

[@sal]

Around the 57 minute mark the music is Camille Saint Saens’ ‘Aquarium’ from Carnival of the Animals

[@turtlecatpurrz]

@@sal that’s it! Thank you so much!

[@ForestTekkenVideos]

Very nice video! As a 90s kid, whenever someone says the word "arcade," my attention perks up!

[@Azianiceboy]

Another fantastic video! Missed it on release date but watching it now. Cheers!

[@mockfish]

I recently completed an extensive pre-renovation environmental inspection on the Carew Tower. This building is about to be renovated top to bottom.

[@superdave3506]

I grew up in Cincinnati, but left in 2011, so I found this video fascinating…. I remember eating at the food court in tower place a few times…So weird they left the skylight in the parking garage? Sad to see it fall into decline

[@jeffmorrison579]

They killed that building and allot of stores when they took down the sky walk .

[@amandak.4246]

i've been to the pen store appointments in this building in the past couple years. honestly it feels like a creepy ghost town in this tower

[@stevemcgowen]

It's interesting how in America inner cities are decaying and generally worst places to live, while in most European countries the inner city is the nicest, most expensive place to live.

[@Rickydiculus]

That's because since the end of WW2 Americans have been moving out of the crowded cities into the suburbs surrounding the said cities, thanks in large part to the G.I. bill. Americans also paid for rebuilding of European cities. While Europe built trains, Americans built the interstate highway system and got rid of its interurban trains. America's downtowns had been deteriorating for 60 years or more until the late 1990s to about 2020 was a bit of new dawn for downtowns in major cities like NYC and LA. But have returned to their decades old levels of danger.

[@claudermiller]

Downtown Cincinnati is revitalized. Tons new business and housing.

[@landline00]

@@claudermillerDo you mean OTR? Downtown Cincinnati is dying since Covid.

[@flutterbyenterprises8452]

Derby in the UK had an Art Deco bus station it was destroyed and had a hotel and souless bus station in replacement.

[@cherylmann9772]

Exquisite building and excellent video worthy of the building.

[@brandonkellner2920]

I used to walk through the Carew Tower food court every day in late 2010 to early 2011. There wasn't much in there. I had no idea it's a parking garage now though.

[@brandonkellner2920]

Seeing the boarded off skywalk is kind of infuriating. Cincinnati just makes awful decisions.

[@sunsetrecords2548]

What an amazing video, great job sal!

[@kevinquist]

you play the violin? cool. my boy is huge into classical stringed instruments. he got to play a $1.5 MILLION dollar Stradivarius in a show. he said it was amazing.

[@295g295]

1:00:29 - Duke Energy Center is a sports and concert arena?

[@RREvilMonk]

I was the Night Manager of the Hotel for 9 months in 2022-2023. I have video of the basement turning into a swimming pool when the fire main broke. “Not our problem”, said the city. Incredible spot, featuring sub-mediocre ownership. Couldn’t keep staff to save our lives, couldn’t find anyone to care. Worst job I’ve ever had, and I was deployed to Iraq as Marine Infantry. Miserable experience. Very sad place for as far as it had fallen. Thanks for the memory trip!😅

[@sal]

I would love to see that footage! Any way you could share?

[@RREvilMonk]

@@sal I could send it along. How to contact?

[@lisafreeman4222]

AWESOME video

[@jenniferinsalaco5790]

Happy Birthday sal, hope it was exciting

[@sal]

Spent the day at my local thriving mall :)

[@stargazer3424]

Seeing a more modern mall refitted (somewhat) is surreal. I’m used to seeing much older structures refurbished (the Pearl in San Antonio comes to mind) or malls to just get completely destroyed. This place is in the Twilight Zone

[@ShakeCoola]

Happy bday bro🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@jacobmeyer2781]

I pass this every single day on my way to work. I remember going to the top of it as a child in the 90s but I don't think I or anyone I know has been there since that era.

[@NealCMH]

There have been several cities that had Downtown malls or arcades that are dead or dying. It might be interesting to do a video on their history. I can think of three that I have been to. Columbus City Center in Columbus, Circle Centre Mall in Indianapolis, and Tower City Center in Cleveland.

[@eicrusade6161]

I could picture wedding receptions in the center arched space.

[@mdeysenroth]

Thanks Sal.

[@10baileyb]

I love the Piqua mall🥰🥰🥹 that's my local mall unfortunately you just missed so much they have recently been putting up alottt of walls for maintenance😭😭😰

[@myatypicalworld]

This video looks like if Metropolis and The Shining had a baby

[@d.5600]

this video is soo well done

[@sal]

New video hopefully coming out tomorrow!

[@davidbowman9494]

More please!!

[@JamesDickerson-y2i]

I couldn't watch this because the music and sound effects gave me a migraine from hell!

[@claudermiller]

I worked at H&S Pogues in the 70s.

[@ReneMicheo]

We stoped going because it became dangerous and didn't feel safe, is a treasure for sure

[@DeadMallsOfTheWest]

Happy birthday!!

[@geowestfield]

Basically the same thing was done to Saint Louis Centre - turning the bones of a dead downtown mall into a parking garage.

[@elvisowens7137]

So crazy.. That hotel looks awesome. I spent all my time at Forest Fair Mall an Tri-county... So regret not going there to see that mall.. I was in Hamilton Only about 35 40 min away.... But I always hated driving in Cincinnati traffic waw always so bad.. But now when I make it back home going to have to go see it an grab a steak at Mortons..

[@amandak.4246]

forest fair was my childhood mall as well :)

[@Rudolph_Manor]

Tower Place Mall Has Been Shut Down Since 2012. 💯 I Used To Go There In The 90's & The 2000's. 💯

[@Natdidntdoit]

stayed here once and every time i entered a (fully operational btw) elevator, it got stuck between floors. i should also mention these were different elevators so it’s not like i was just hoping for better luck on the same faulty car 😂

[@kevinquist]

god. i love art deco

[@sal]

Same