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Folks,
I rode my bike past there on Friday and noticed 4-5 broken windows. Some on the first floor and some higher. Looks like classic scrappers breaking windows to be able to drop valuable inerds out of the windows so their pickups can haul them away during the night.
Any suggestions how I can get the Ford family's attention on this? Do they give a shit? Would the corporation give a shit?
It's historical property isn't it? I thought that would have meant giving it the sufficient amount of attention it needed. I guess not...
I would think if the Ford family gave a shat, the HP plant would not be in the condition it is today.
The windows have been broke for a while. Nothing but racks of records in there these days. Not much for scrap. The security there is "pretty good" to "fair" so I wouldn't worry too much. If anything the elements are a bigger danger than scrappers.
Ford sold the building years ago. If memory serves correctly, Hank the Deuce told the company to "get rid of the damn thing".Quote:
Originally Posted by mikefmich
I wouldn't mind getting my hands on those old records
the administration building and executive garage [[fronting Woodward) have been vacant for a long time and have several broken windows. the interior has already been scrapped and has extensive water damage.
the AA building [[taller building directly behond) is used and occupied by Ford for record storage. there is a full time staff and security to gaurd these records. this building is probably in the best shape of the entire complex. you cannot get in, get records, or really see anything as many records are current and hold personnel information.
The old factory building is, indeed, still very much in use as the Highland Industrial Center. It's owned by some company called Woodward-Manchester Corporation. It'd be good to know if this is some kind of real-estate arm of Ford in HP, or if it's not related to them, at all.
Woodward-Manchester is not directly or indirectly related to FOMOCO. It is owned by local investors who purchased the real estate from Ford many years ago and leased much of it back to Ford. They built the shopping center in front of the plant as well. A gutsy move at the time.
What a shame, the Ford Family didn't consider restoring a building that was part of their history. I guess greed has no boundaries.
That would take millions of dollars. Is it really worth it to spend that much money on restoring a building.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid
I think you're both wrong. Ford shouldn't feel any obligation to fix up a building they sold off 20-30, thought it'd be nice. This doesn't make them greedy. Greedy would be owning the building and letting it go to hell while waiting for a huge payout on it.
Also, that it'd take millions of dollars to renovate it isn't an excuse for someone not to renovate the place. Most buildings cost more than a million dollars to fix up, and Ford has spent millions deeloping over properties throughout Dearborn. This is not to mention how much of the cost of old buildings can be offset with incentives and such.
The problem, quite frankly, is that the building is in Highland Park. It's be nice if some modern company decided to invest in office space in HP, and while that's not completely impossible to see, it doesn't seem likely. Renovate it into lofts or condos? There is no demand in HP for such reuse. No one is going to pay $1,000 rent, or buy a place for $100,000 to live in HP no matter how nice the building.
Hopefully, the Woodward Light Rail changes that. Maybe, that might spur some people working down the avenue in New Center, Midtown or Downtown to choose HP as a commuter enclave because it won't be a jobs center, anymore. HP can't replicate what it once was, but it could reinvent itself as a liveable neighborhood.