How Much Time do the Book Building's Cherub Clock and caryatids have Left

[Lorax]

Returned to Miami today, and while in town, also noticed the white boxes sealing off the building, however, the top of the arch on the Book Building side was exposed, and there was a construction light on, illuminating the vaulted plaster ceiling, which has been exposed. Anyone know who really owns this building now? Could these be scrappers using a battery powered construction light? The cherub clock is blocked by the boards, or, is being hidden from view for easy removal.

[Lowell]

Interesting update on the Book Building restoration from Crain's. The famous nude female caryatids are being removed/replaced.

"The 6-foot-wide overhang atop the 13-story Book Building, which has been powerwashed along Washington, has been disassembled and removed, eventually to be rebuilt.

Every 16 feet of it weighs about 15,000 pounds, Olszewski said. The 12 steel-filled terra cotta caryatids — carvings of semi-nude female figures — with embedded steel support for the overhang have been deteriorating from rust for decades, posing a danger to passersby underneath.




Photo by Larry Peplin Brett Yuhasz, project manager for Bedrock Real Estate Services LLC, with a replica of one of the steel-filled terra cotta caryatids that have been deteriorating at the Book building.
"It was really in jeopardy of eventually falling off in pieces," Olszewski said.

So the Book Building caryatids have been removed and will be replaced with fiberglass exact replicas, one of which sits covered by a large drape on the first floor of the Book Tower next to one of the 10 corbels that have been removed, also to be restored and replaced."

Attachment 31572

Word for the day:
car·y·at·id
ˌkarēˈatid,ˈkarēəˌtid
noun ARCHITECTURE


A stone carving of a draped female figure, used as a pillar to support the entablature of a Greek or Greek-style building.

[Gistok]

Thanks Lowell.... not thrilled with the thought of Fiberglass... but they are extremely heavy. I guess we are fortunate that they survived the great "Detroit Cornice Purge" of the 1950s.

Are they in such bad shape that they will end up as landfill... or could a closer to the ground use for them be found? Such as perhaps attached to the overpass remnants [[sides only) of the Dequindre Cut, or some other park setting use? It would be a pity to see them as landfill.

[dtowncitylover]

Thanks Lowell.... not thrilled with the thought of Fiberglass... but they are extremely heavy. I guess we are fortunate that they survived the great "Detroit Cornice Purge" of the 1950s.

Are they in such bad shape that they will end up as landfill... or could a closer to the ground use for them be found? Such as perhaps attached to the overpass remnants [[sides only) of the Dequindre Cut, or some other park setting use? It would be a pity to see them as landfill.

I would hope to Historical Commission or the Museum steps in and saves them.

[bust]

Thanks Lowell.... not thrilled with the thought of Fiberglass... but they are extremely heavy. I guess we are fortunate that they survived the great "Detroit Cornice Purge" of the 1950s.

Are they in such bad shape that they will end up as landfill... or could a closer to the ground use for them be found? Such as perhaps attached to the overpass remnants [[sides only) of the Dequindre Cut, or some other park setting use? It would be a pity to see them as landfill.

I'd be surprised if Gilbert doesn't appreciate their value. I wonder where they'll end up, but I doubt it will be a landfill.

And I'm glad Gilbert owns them and not John Ashcroft.

[Gistok]

Also... the male version technical name for the female Caryatids... are known as "Atlantes"...

hehehe... as can be seen here....

[Lowell]

Ha ha Gistok.

I also wonder what became of the original limestone caryatids. They were always a frightening falling thought as the Book deteriorated. Although I'm not sure if the difference of getting hit by one of the fiberglass replacements from that height would matter much.

They would be fun in a ground level park setting. Maybe along the Dequindre cut?

[southen]

You could always put them in the median of Washington Blvd. I like the idea of the cut but it may be cooler to keep them near their original home. It would give the people taking their dogs out to crap something else to look at there.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

There is a nice pic of the cleaned up Book Building in the Crain's article.

[p69rrh51]

Taken in August.

[Zacha341]

They're probably looking aghast wondering why those girls are so skinny considering the time period these guys come from!

Also... the male version technical name for the female Caryatids... are known as "Atlantes"...

hehehe... as can be seen here....

[Gistok]

I like Southen's idea of preserving the Caryatids on Washington Blvd. even better. Maybe build some lighting pylons with one or two on each one.

Speaking of rust... the Book Tower exterior emergency exit is in dire need of replacement. It will be a challenge to get rid of it with interior modifications, since there is only 1 staircase inside the tower... right next to the exterior staircase in fact. Imagine trying to use these....

[One Shot]

Those stairs give me the chills just looking at them. Can't imagine using an exterior escape that high let alone one in that condition!

[archfan]

You could always put them in the median of Washington Blvd. I like the idea of the cut but it may be cooler to keep them near their original home. It would give the people taking their dogs out to crap something else to look at there.

It would be nice if they could be incorporated lower down in the building - interior or exterior.

[Malcove Magnesia]

Those stairs give me the chills just looking at them. Can't imagine using an exterior escape that high let alone one in that condition!

Seems like an easy thing to fix with some Rustoleum.

[Gistok]

Seems like an easy thing to fix with some Rustoleum.

Hehehe.... I don't know... they may need some duct tape to make it more secure....

[mwilbert]

I'd be surprised if Gilbert doesn't appreciate their value. I wonder where they'll end up, but I doubt it will be a landfill.

I expect Gilbert appreciates their value, but they weren't in good condition and you might be surprised at how much it costs to remove something like that intact. So I expect most of them will not be preserved, unless you want some fragments.