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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-03-12</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001446936</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Rispoli Michael J.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O GRUBB &amp; ELLIS COMPANY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1551 N. TUSTIN AVENUE, SUITE 300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SANTA ANA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>92705</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP and CFO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $0.01</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-03-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1390</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.01</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>69014</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.01</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock, par value $0.01</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>250</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents 1,390 restricted shares of common stock of Grubb &amp; Ellis Company (the &quot;Company&quot;) that were withheld upon vesting to satisfy Mr. Rispoli's tax withholding obligation in connection with the vesting of a total of 3,333 restricted shares of the Company's common stock that were previously awarded to Mr. Rispoli.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">On March 11, 2011, the effective date for determination of tax withholding requirements related to Mr. Rispoli's vested restricted shares of the Company's common stock, the closing price for the Company's common stock was $1.01.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Beneficially owned shares include 50,000 restricted shares of the Company's common stock that were granted to Mr. Rispoli on February 4, 2009 pursuant to the Company's 2006 Omnibus Equity Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Beneficially owned shares also include (i) 7,873 shares of the Company's common stock, with 1,943 of such shares representing the balance of the 3,333 restricted shares that vested on March 12, 2011 minus the 1,390 shares that were withheld to satisfy Mr. Rispoli's tax withholding obligation and (ii) 3,333 restricted shares of the Company's common stock that were granted to Mr. Rispoli on March 12, 2008 pursuant to the Company's 2006 Omnibus Equity Plan and which will vest on the third anniversary of the grant date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Beneficially owned shares also include 7,808 shares of the Company's phantom stock that were granted to Mr. Rispoli on March 12, 2008 pursuant to the Company's Deferred Compensation Plan and all such shares will vest on the fourth anniversary of the grant date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">The full title of the deriviative security is 12% Cumulative Participating Perpetual Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share (the &quot;Preferred Stock&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">Each share of Preferred Stock is convertible into 60.606 shares of the Company's common stock, which represents a conversion price of approximately $1.65 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">The Preferred Stock is convertible, in whole or in part, into common stock at any time at Mr. Rispoli's option and has no expiration date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Michael J. Rispoli</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-03-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
