<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-05-12</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000216039</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GRUBB &amp; ELLIS CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GBE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001029460</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KOJAIAN C MICHAEL</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O GRUBB &amp; ELLIS</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1551 N. TUSTIN AVE, STE 300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SANTA ANA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>92705</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001180835</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KOJAIAN VENTURES LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>39400 WOODWARD AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 250</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BLOOMFIELD HILLS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MI</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>48304</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001180834</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KOJAIAN VENTURES MM INC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>39400 WOODWARD AVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 250</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BLOOMFIELD HILLS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MI</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>48304</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-05-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>103400</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>5.35</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3163926</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Kojaian Holdings, LLC</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9455583</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Kojaian Ventures, LLC</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>8996</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">These shares are owned directly by Kojaian Holdings, LLC and indirectly by Kojaian Management Corporation, the sole member of Kojaian Holdings, LLC, C. Michael Kojaian, 50% shareholder of Kojaian Management Corporation, and Mike Kojaian, 50% shareholder of Kojaian Management Corporation.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">These shares are owned directly by Kojaian Ventures, L.L.C. and indirectly by Kojaian Ventures-MM, Inc., the managing member of Kojaian Ventures, L.L.C., and C. Michael Kojaian, the sole shareholder of Kojaian Ventures-MM, Inc.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents restricted shares of Gruub &amp; Ellis Company's Common Stock that were awarded to Mr. Kojaian pursuant to the Grubb &amp; Ellis Company 2006 Omnibus Equity Plan which will vest in equal 33 1/3 portions on each of the first, second, and third anniversaries of the grant date (December 10, 2007).</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ C. Michael Kojaian</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-05-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Kojaian Ventures, L.L.C.  By: Kojaian Ventures-MM, Inc., a Michigan Corporation, Managing Member /s/ C. Michael Kojaian, President</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-05-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Kojaian Ventures - MM, Inc. /s/ C. Michael Kojaian, President</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-05-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
