Lafayette Building Demolition

**Whitehouse** · March-08-10, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by buildingsofdetroit

All that remains. Photo taken about 3 p.m. March 5:

http://www.buildingsofdetroit.com/si...-lafayette.jpg

Well....

At least now you can take great pictures of the Book Cadillac Hotel.....

Snark...

**Gistok** · March-08-10, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by Retroit

One unexpected result [[for me, anyway) is that the view of existing buildings has improved. One thing I don't like about tall buildings is that it is often hard to appreciate them because you can't really get a good overall view of them since they are usually surrounded by other tall buildings. This drives me nuts when I'm taking pictures.

You better avoid New York then... you'd never get a good pic of the Empire State Building.

**Danny** · March-08-10, 01:05 PM

The LaFayette Building is gone and so is the rest of Downtown Detroit's skyline. Did we create a bad place to live or what?

Let's thank those who did the devil's work. YAY [[ clap, clap, clap.)

**ghettopalmetto** · March-08-10, 01:14 PM

Well, now that that's done and over with, what's the next "structurally unsound" building to be leveled for a parking lot, er, "park"?

Come on, people! The folks at Adamo Demolition have mortgage payments and families to feed!

**buildingsofdetroit** · March-08-10, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

Well, now that that's done and over with, what's the next "structurally unsound" building to be leveled for a parking lot, er, "park"?

Come on, people! The folks at Adamo Demolition have mortgage payments and families to feed!

I'd like to nominate the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center.

**stromberg2** · March-08-10, 03:10 PM

I'll second that!

Stromberg2

**izzyindetroit** · March-08-10, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

Well, now that that's done and over with, what's the next "structurally unsound" building to be leveled for a parking lot, er, "park"?

Come on, people! The folks at Adamo Demolition have mortgage payments and families to feed!

I vote the Guardian, the width of the building blocks all of my picture taking opportunities.

**leland_palmer** · March-08-10, 09:17 PM

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning

**ghettopalmetto** · March-08-10, 09:37 PM

Originally Posted by izzyindetroit

I vote the Guardian, the width of the building blocks all of my picture taking opportunities.

Sure, why not? I mean, it's an old, obsolete building, what with its kitschy Pewabic tiles and masonry work. No one wants to lease space in such a piece of crap. It's not like it's a world-famous work of architecture or anything. We could put a new Frank Gehry building there instead! Or a landscaped park!!!

Since Wayne County already owns the building, we just need George Jackson to walk one hand-picked developer through the building, then declare it structurally unsound. Piece of cake!

**mikeg19** · March-08-10, 11:08 PM

Shouldn't be long now until it's a bustling park!

**LeannaM** · March-08-10, 11:23 PM

I noticed that the 3-story brick building that abutted the Lafayette had windows facing the Lafayette. Was that small building there before the Lafayette was built? Otherwise, I don't see any reason for windows facing the building right up against it.

**Gistok** · March-08-10, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by LeannaM

I noticed that the 3-story brick building that abutted the Lafayette had windows facing the Lafayette. Was that small building there before the Lafayette was built? Otherwise, I don't see any reason for windows facing the building right up against it.

LeannaM, that was likely the case. Under all those modern metal facades of much of the block are all buildings much older than the Lafayette Building was.

Many downtown buildings built later had blank walls on some sides [[as did the Lafayette) in anticipation of future tall buildings abutting the earlier ones.

Here is a pic of the United Artists Building from Grand Circus Park. It has a blank northeast wall, in anticipation of something built between it and the Tuller Hotel, but nothing was ever built on that site. So eventually they punched windows on that side of the UA Building... more modern ones... which explains why that side of the UA Building looks different. Also note the magnificent street wall, now ruined [[with the demise of the Statler and Tuller), that Bagley Ave. once had.

**staticstate** · March-16-10, 12:39 PM

how's the pile of rubble? did they scoop it up yet?

**mcsdetroitfriend** · March-16-10, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by staticstate

how's the pile of rubble? did they scoop it up yet?

Just drove by it five minutes ago - having lunch at Hockeytown - the pile is quite compacted and about 15 or so feet high, but that was just glancing, I had an unmarked police card driving behind me ha!

**buildingsofdetroit** · March-19-10, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by staticstate

how's the pile of rubble? did they scoop it up yet?

Photos from today:
http://www.buildingsofdetroit.com/si...s/IMG_0042.jpg

http://www.buildingsofdetroit.com/si...s/IMG_0035.jpg

**wolverine** · March-20-10, 02:56 AM

I still can't get over how ugly that Book Cadillac garage is. You think they'd try to actually build something nice that would compliment the hotel.

**davewindsor** · March-20-10, 06:39 AM

Originally Posted by wolverine

I still can't get over how ugly that Book Cadillac garage is. You think they'd try to actually build something nice that would compliment the hotel.

And how should they build it? Like the parking garage on the other side of the Lafayette? A parking garage is what it is.

**French777** · March-20-10, 06:44 AM

I thought I heard that they built the garage extra reinforced so It could one day handle the weight of condo's being built on top.

**gumby** · March-20-10, 07:21 AM

Originally Posted by French777

I thought I heard that they built the garage extra reinforced so It could one day handle the weight of condo's being built on top.

Yeah, remember the failed Griswald project that was supposed to go on top before the economic collapse?

Retroit · March-20-10, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by wolverine

I still can't get over how ugly that Book Cadillac garage is. You think they'd try to actually build something nice that would compliment the hotel.

True. And it makes me wonder if anyone would want to build another building there [[in Lafayette's place) with views of ugly parking garages off either side.

**cman710** · March-20-10, 12:16 PM

As far as parking garages go, I actually do not think that the Book-Cadillac garage is too bad. I think it is much better looking than most garages, but everyone has their own personal states.

**Whitehouse** · March-20-10, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by buildingsofdetroit

Photos from today:
http://www.buildingsofdetroit.com/si...s/IMG_0042.jpg

http://www.buildingsofdetroit.com/si...s/IMG_0035.jpg

Can't help but thinking that Book-Cadillac is saying: "haha! In your face, Lafayette!" Bit too much attitude....

[[I must be drunk or something...)

Chuck_MI · April-04-10, 03:03 AM

April 4, 2010 update from the Detroit News.:
http://detroitnews.com/article/20100...a-slow-process

**casscorridor** · April-04-10, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by Chuck_MI

April 4, 2010 update from the Detroit News.:
http://detroitnews.com/article/20100...a-slow-process

Do we really need another fucking park? So stupid. Now there are empty lots all the way from the edge of Downtown into the center, a block away from Campus Martius. There is a park a block north [[Capitol Park) and a block east [[Campus Martius). The last thing we need is another park. We need buildings filling those lots. Of course a park is improvement from rubble, but not from a beautiful historic structure!!!

I'm going to be planting bamboo and cannabis on whatever "park" they create.

**bailey** · April-04-10, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by casscorridor

Do we really need another fucking park? So stupid. Now there are empty lots all the way from the edge of Downtown into the center, a block away from Campus Martius. There is a park a block north [[Capitol Park) and a block east [[Campus Martius). The last thing we need is another park. We need buildings filling those lots. Of course a park is improvement from rubble, but not from a beautiful historic structure!!!

I'm going to be planting bamboo and cannabis on whatever "park" they create.

The building hasn't had a tenant and has been a ward of the city for 15 years. As has been discussed ad nausem here, there was about zero likelihood that there would be any renovation at any time. The debate is not "park vs. building" it's "park/build-able lot vs. derelict building". how many more decades should it have sat empty before it would be ok to tear it down?