Ford Auditorium coming down?

**CLAUDE G** · May-13-11, 02:34 AM

I was on the people mover yesterday and went by Hart Plaza and noticed a big Adamo sign on the Ford Auditorium.

Looks like its coming down soon...

On one hand, I never cared for the place, but all this senseless demolition in the city has got to stop!

**Malcove Magnesia** · May-13-11, 02:58 AM

Why call it senseless? Detroit needs to get rid of as many distinctive, historic buildings as possible so the future [[whenever they get around to building it) can be developed with generic steel & glass-clad buildings that would feel just as familiar as anything in Philly, San Jose or any other mid-size American city.

**Khartoum** · May-13-11, 07:09 AM

Originally Posted by Malcove Magnesia

Why call it senseless? Detroit needs to get rid of as many distinctive, historic buildings as possible so the future [[whenever they get around to building it) can be developed with generic steel & glass-clad buildings that would feel just as familiar as anything in Philly, San Jose or any other mid-size American city.

Hear hear!

**ResurgetCineribus** · May-13-11, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by Malcove Magnesia

Why call it senseless? Detroit needs to get rid of as many distinctive, historic buildings as possible so the future [[whenever they get around to building it) can be developed with generic steel & glass-clad buildings that would feel just as familiar as anything in Philly, San Jose or any other mid-size American city.

What about this one they cleverly designed to look l ike a shipping container?

**Cincinnati_Kid** · May-14-11, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by Malcove Magnesia

Why call it senseless? Detroit needs to get rid of as many distinctive, historic buildings as possible so the future [[whenever they get around to building it) can be developed with generic steel & glass-clad buildings that would feel just as familiar as anything in Philly, San Jose or any other mid-size American city.

Detroit is mid-sized as of the recent census, Philly and San Jose are not. Philly is still the nation's fifth largest city, barely holding off Phoenix.

**Lloyd** · May-22-11, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by Malcove Magnesia

Why call it senseless? Detroit needs to get rid of as many distinctive, historic buildings as possible so the future [[whenever they get around to building it) can be developed with generic steel & glass-clad buildings that would feel just as familiar as anything in Philly, San Jose or any other mid-size American city.

I think, or hope anyway, that this is sarcastic but, Philly? Really? Have you ever been to Philly? Here's a picture of their city hall from down the road.

**Gistok** · May-23-11, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by Lloyd

I think, or hope anyway, that this is sarcastic but, Philly? Really? Have you ever been to Philly? Here's a picture of their city hall from down the road.

Yes the City Hall [[and many colonial historic buildings) are either intact or [[in the case of the Old City Tavern) reconstructed. Their City Hall is like no other in America.

However Philiadelphia made the same mistake as Baltimore and Cincinnati... in that every one of their major downtown movie palaces has been destroyed. So you have shows like Lion King shown at the old 1857 built Academy of Music... a fine old classic building... but with poor sight lines for Broadway shows.

Perhaps what Macove was getting at was the 2 tallest office towers in Philly... the near twin [[why is that?) 900 ft. glass and steel "Chrysler Building wannabe's". They're less than inspiring for Post Modern architecture...

**Django** · May-13-11, 06:36 AM

http://detnews.com/article/20110317/...ord-Auditorium

**Whitehouse** · May-13-11, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by Django

http://detnews.com/article/20110317/...ord-Auditorium

Detroit OKs plans to raze Ford Auditorium

Darren A. Nichols / The Detroit News

Detroit —The Detroit City Council approved a plan Wednesday that will raze the historic Ford Auditorium, the onetime home of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra that's been largely vacant for two decades.
The council unanimously approved, by a 7-0 vote, a $754,000 demolition contract to Adamo Demolition of Detroit to tear down the facility that's been largely vacant for more than two decades.‪ Council members Kwame Kenyatta and JoAnn Watson, who questioned the plan, were absent.
The approval came despite some concerns over plans to replace it with an amphitheater. Some members are concerned the site will take the path of Tiger Stadium or the Hudson's department store and remain a vacant lot.
Council President Charles Pugh said it made sense to approve the demolition but ask what's going to happen next.
"It's been a long time coming," said Pugh, whose high school graduation in 1989 was held in the facility. "That's prime property and it's right on the riverfront. For what we want for that riverfront, which is family-friendly activity, and not an empty desolate empty space that's been sitting there for a generation literally, it's just time for this. It was the right thing to do."
Karla Henderson, a group executive who oversees planning, breathed a sign of relief after the vote.
"It is time to capitalize on all the promise of our riverfront and I applaud City Council for working with us toapprove the demolition ofFord Auditorium," Mayor Dave Bing said in a statement. "This represents an important step forward in eliminating blight and allowing us to utilize one of our greatest assets."
Bing wants to raze the auditorium, built in 1955, and construct a 5,000-seat amphitheater on Hart Plaza.
City officials say the plan has the blessing of the Ford family, who donated money for the auditorium that once was home to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
Councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins said today's vote is a boost for the city.
"It's an indication of what's to come," Jenkins said. "Ford Auditorium has been standing empty for over two decades. The fact we're now moving forward now means we're ready for new things in the city. This was a good step forward."
The facility has been largely vacant since the orchestra left in 1989.‪ Since its closure, plans for the auditorium's reuse have come and gone, including proposals for a Comerica bank headquarters, a Gospel Music Hall of Fame and an aquarium. The only reuse that stuck — for a year — was a homeless shelter in the mid-1990s.‪
"The symbolism of seeing cranes in Detroit, I don't think you can measure how good that makes people feel. That alone has measure to it," said Council President Pro Tem Gary Brown.
"I really didn't have a lot of doubt that it wasn't going to pass. People need to be patient and allow us to do our due diligence so that we get questions answered and we don't make a mistake. I'm glad to see it come down. Way back in Coleman Young's days, they tried to get the thing down and put up another structure, and it's been empty ever since."
‪‪
dnichols@detnews.com

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110317/...#ixzz1MG8k7Knj

It happens so much. A thread started and an artcle is linked to it, but after a white the article disappears into the mist of oblivion.... So I posted this tect here for eternity. [[Emphasis mine. That last part is not entirely the feeling I get seeing cranes....)

**laphoque** · May-13-11, 07:29 AM

I would agree with this sentiment if it weren't about an ugly riverfront auditorium with bad acoustics. Tear it down, but something that looks good there.

**Danny** · May-13-11, 08:08 AM

Adieu Ford Auditorium! Thanks for 50 years of service. This will ruin the skyline of Hart Plaza. The architect who designed Hart Plaza and the auditorium will be very upset!

**ghettopalmetto** · May-13-11, 08:13 AM

I'm not too broken up about the demolition of Ford Auditorium...

...but it always astounds me that no matter how dire the budget situation, the City of Detroit can, without fail, effortlessly find hundreds of thousands of dollars for demolition. That scares the shit out of me.

**iheartthed** · May-13-11, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

I'm not too broken up about the demolition of Ford Auditorium...

...but it always astounds me that no matter how dire the budget situation, the City of Detroit can, without fail, effortlessly find hundreds of thousands of dollars for demolition. That scares the shit out of me.

Yup. A few years back I found a list of the largest demolition contractors by revenue. Several were based in Detroit.

**mpow** · May-13-11, 12:25 PM

A very good article about why we should preserve the building:
http://onemorespoke.blogspot.com/201...ying-past.html

**wolverine** · July-04-11, 11:24 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

Adieu Ford Auditorium! Thanks for 50 years of service. This will ruin the skyline of Hart Plaza. The architect who designed Hart Plaza and the auditorium will be very upset!

LOL, and who cares. I've traveled to public spaces all over and Hart Plaza ranks as the worst. A city embarrassment. The fountain and sculptures are cool, but the rest is a disaster.

You have this gorgeous new riverwalk connecting to this 1960's/1950's brutalist dump. You already got a renovated Cobo coming soon. Time to improve the space in between. The only positive about Hart Plaza is its riot-proof architecture can take an intense beating during major events.

I actually think Ford Auditorium can be improved upon. I honestly like its cool modern architecture. But the city can't seem to make it work. Remove it, and replace it with something that does. And fix the mess around it. Get rid of those awful parking structures on the riverfront next to it. That's absolutely ridiculous the most valuable real-estate in the city is dedicated to parking!!!

**Planner3357** · May-13-11, 08:16 AM

That building needed to go...it had no architectural significance....kind of like the rest of the developments along the river front....

**Gistok** · May-13-11, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by Planner3357

That building needed to go...it had no architectural significance....kind of like the rest of the developments along the river front....

Your vision of today was the same one they had 50 years ago when they tore down Old City Hall, the Hammond and Majestic Buildings, ripped the guts out of the old Fisher and [[later) the Michigan Theatre... tore down the Romanesque Penn Station in New York, all "so we won't have to look at all that old [[or modern) stuff anymore"....

At some point in the future, when mid 20th century architecture once again becomes fashionable... cooler heads than us will be asking... "what the hell were they thinking when they tore down the better examples of mid 20th Century architecture"....

Maybe one day we will actually LEARN the mistakes of history... so that we stop repeating them...

agrahlma · May-13-11, 08:57 AM

Just think -- more room for the Hoedown next year -- yippie ki-yay!! Augh!!!!!

**401don** · May-13-11, 09:18 AM

The one redeeming feature of Ford Auditorium is that it blocked the view of the new terminal.

**April1982** · May-13-11, 12:55 PM

I'm not heartbroken over the demo of Ford Auditorium. It was an eyesore that was built in the 50's, anything built from the 50's to the 80's was built pretty butt ugly. Hart Plaza needs to be renovated badly and knocking down this building is a start.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · May-13-11, 01:34 PM

I am seldom on the "tear it down" side of things, even when its for "ugly" 50's or 60's buildings. After all, lots of what we now feel were ugly modernizations of beautiful early 20th century buildings took place because those old buildings were considered ugly at one point. Whose to say that the Ford will not be considered a gem in the future? But if there is no viable reuse for it, why leave it standing? I have mixed feelings.

**MSUguy** · May-13-11, 02:02 PM

How is senseless demolition? It might be the most sensible the city has ever done, why should auditorium with crappy acoustics be saved? Forget the architecture the building simply can not do the job it is designed for this should have happened the day DSO left.

**iheartthed** · May-13-11, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by MSUguy

How is senseless demolition? It might be the most sensible the city has ever done, why should auditorium with crappy acoustics be saved? Forget the architecture the building simply can not do the job it is designed for this should have happened the day DSO left.

Devil's Advocate: Does the building actually have to serve as an auditorium? Is it possible to repurpose the structure? Is there something physically limiting the building from becoming say a marketplace? Or maybe a visitors/tourist information center?

**ghettopalmetto** · May-13-11, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Devil's Advocate: Does the building actually have to serve as an auditorium? Is it possible to repurpose the structure? Is there something physically limiting the building from becoming say a marketplace? Or maybe a visitors/tourist information center?

You mean, other than the sloped interior floor, lack of windows, and physical footprint?

**esp1986** · May-13-11, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

You mean, other than the sloped interior floor, lack of windows, and physical footprint?

The building itself only has one real use due to these things, as an auditorium or some other sort of live performance venue. It is a unique building, but with multiple attempts and millions poured in over the years at correcting the [[still) poor acoustics it is hard to make a case at trying again, even with the technology available today. A lot of the circumstances surrounding the demolition [[i.e. the economy) are rather disappointing, but it is probably bound to fall eventually.