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| FRAME 1
PARADISE DINER 112 Bridge Street The land on which this diner sits once sloped down to the Eastern Canal. In 1926, the south wall of the canal was raised, creating a level plot of land. The Paradise Diner was constructed here by 1936, taking advatange of the site's frontage on busy Bridge Street. The diner was one of many that could be found in Lowell in the early 20th century. Usually open 24 hours, diners were often located adjacent to the mills to serve the workers whose shifts ran around the clock By 1939, a stone-faced, concrete-block kitchen had been added to the Paradise Diner. The diner displayed several features common to most diners - Old English car lettering, coach lamp light fixtures, and a neon sign. By the late 1980s, the diner was rapidly deteriorating. The paint that covered the original sheet metal paneling was badly peeling. Around the diner, rehabilitation work, such as that at the Boott Mills and the Massachusetts Mills, was taking place. In 1990, the exterior of the diner was rehabilitated. The trim, paneling, doors, and windows were repaired and repainted. New roof signs were added, and the car body was relettered in a type style similar to the original. FRAME 2
The curved corner of this red brick building was a common feature on Merrimack Street's non-square corners. The building's terra cotta panels and granite banding continue around the corner, creating a flow that links one street facade to the next. In the mid-twentieth century, metal panels were added to the facade of the building in an attempt to modernize it. While the wooden storefronts were removed at this time, most of the masonry was retained. During the building's rehabilitation in 1981, the metal paneling was removed and a return was made to wooden storefronts. FRAME 3
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