Saturday, October 1, 2016

Abandoned

In the 1980s, The Comet was one of Hartford's busiest and most popular restaurants and bars.
Known at other times as the Aetna Diner, or the Oasis, or Hog River Grille or Dishes, the diner has fallen on hard times (like the neighborhood around it) and has been vacant and decaying for a decade.


The owner wanted to tear it down, but some folks fought to preserve it.  The owner withdrew her application for authority to demolish The Comet, and negotiations are underway to find a
way to revive it.  I am skeptical, but good luck to them.

Want to see other photographers' interpretations of "abandoned"?  Look here.

21 comments:

Andy said...

Good luck to the owner.

Kate said...

Old diners are wonderful short order restaurants when they are restored. This one has a long history and I hope that someone restores it and runs a successful business.

SRQ said...

It's in relatively good shape for being abandoned for so long. Interesting that others want to save it. I too am skeptical about preservation projects like that.

Jim said...

Good theme day post.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

A few more years and you'll have a historic building worth preserving.

Michelle said...

Hopefully it will find another life.

Bill said...

That's too nice of a diner to not get restored and revived as something else or as a diner again. Hopefully it will find new owners who wish to invest in it.

Tamera said...

Very cool! Is it legitimately from the golden age of diners, or a reproduction built in the 1980s? I love the curved edges and glass brick. But then again I'm a sucker for Art Déco :^)

Taken For Granted said...

These old diners are rapidly disappearing. I know of one in Sioux Falls and another in St. Paul, and that's it.

jennyfreckles said...

I'm sure it could look much better revived - but maybe a new building on the site would be more useable.

RedPat said...

It is wonderful, Jack! I hope someone fixes it up!

Charlestonjoan said...

We have one that looks almost exactly like this. It is thriving and alive. Hopefully someone will save this one.

Kay said...

Diners like this have been, at times, uber hip. This one looks like it had good bones. (Structure, not barbecue...)

Linda said...

Nice shot! We've lost a number of diners here over the years. They weren't really built for the ages.

MurciaDailyPhoto said...

I wish they can keep this shape for a new business.
Good choice for the theme day.

Tanya Breese said...

i would have hated to see it torn down...hopefully it will get a chance to a second life!

William Kendall said...

Hopefully some good comes of it.

Bob Crowe said...

I like this one a lot. Decaying but still vibrant.

I completely forgot about theme day - sort of overwhelmed at work since we got back. Also trying to return to more regular comments.

PerthDailyPhoto said...

Sad to see Jack but let's be positive and hope for the best, it must have been saved for a reason oui!

Stefan Jansson said...

Looks like a great place.

Karl said...

Very sad that it is abandoned, let us hope...
Great choice for the theme, Jack !