One Woodward Avenue

**Tunnelrat99** · January-12-13, 01:31 AM

I work downtown. Over the last five or six weeks, six floors of the Michigan Consolidated Gas Building, {Yes I am that old} have converted the lighting in the building to LED. These floors are now much more brighter than the other floors. These floors seem to float below the other floors. Are there any plans to convert all the floors in the building.

**Gannon** · January-12-13, 01:34 AM

I believe our latest megalomaniac is going to have to displace a few longtime lessors first...he is going to destroy that building. I think he has erotic fantasies about the Spirit statue...or the Joe Louis Fist. It seems that is where he wants to have his personal space...luckily, just across the street from the Scientologists. He might be able to trade out some mortgages for honorary Thetan status.

**Honky Tonk** · January-12-13, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by Gannon

I believe our latest megalomaniac is going to have to displace a few longtime lessors first...he is going to destroy that building. I think he has erotic fantasies about the Spirit statue...or the Joe Louis Fist. It seems that is where he wants to have his personal space...luckily, just across the street from the Scientologists. He might be able to trade out some mortgages for honorary Thetan status.

Maybe the Spirit Statue AND the Joe Louis fist...... I'll let you imagination run wild.........

**stasu1213** · January-12-13, 09:59 AM

I wish the person,Greg Jackson, wil be as dilligent in renovating Lafayette Towers as Dan Gilbert is in renovating his buildings. There are some residents in the Towers who wanted Dan Gilbert to buy them. He would had started work immediately instead of waiting around for 6 months.

**Gistok** · January-12-13, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by Gannon

I believe our latest megalomaniac is going to have to displace a few longtime lessors first...he is going to destroy that building. I think he has erotic fantasies about the Spirit statue...or the Joe Louis Fist. It seems that is where he wants to have his personal space...luckily, just across the street from the Scientologists. He might be able to trade out some mortgages for honorary Thetan status.

John... having a bad day?

**Gannon** · January-12-13, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

John... having a bad day?

While I appreciate the energy and increased buzz downtown, I cannot deny a negative gut feeling about this guy...and don't trust him. His design and leasing teams have some bizarre ideas that I think will cause this architecturally-famous building irreparable harm...and muck up the skyline.

He does want One Woodward as his playroom, it seems.

I threw that Scientology thing in there for fun...that old Raymond James building will be coming to life in a year or so, it looks like.

I wonder how he's going to react when he learns the twentieth floor of One Woodward is haunted. There might be another floor, too...but many of the cleaning staff and guards have had curious experiences on 20.

Cheers, anyways. Good on him.

**mikefmich** · January-13-13, 03:30 AM

Gannon, I used to work there, tell me about this haunting on 20 you speak of.

**Gistok** · January-13-13, 04:01 AM

John, I know someone who went to high school with him... and shares your feelings... [[but with no idea about the interior decorator part...)

**grumpyoldlady** · January-13-13, 04:30 AM

I worked there the better part of 20 years and never heard of any hauntings on 20... I've been on every floor of that building, from the basement and underground garage all the way up to the engineering floor and the roof.

**Gannon** · January-13-13, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by grumpyoldlady

I worked there the better part of 20 years and never heard of any hauntings on 20... I've been on every floor of that building, from the basement and underground garage all the way up to the engineering floor and the roof.

Darn, GOL, I was hoping for a confirmation from you, I remember you saying you worked there...it is common knowledge amongst one of the firms which's been there for a long time...and when it got brought up in conversation with one of the building employees, they began telling us stories.

There is supposed to be a wandering spectre on one of the other floors, too..but I cannot remember which, or if it was a more than one.

The presence on twenty is mischievious and brooding and unsettles people. I'll see if I can get any more information.

Cheers!

**ismoakrack** · January-13-13, 01:14 PM

What's going on with the old Raymond James building? I talked to some of the Scientology folks who were going to buy it circa 2008, but I'd be shocked if that plan is still on the table...

**Gannon** · January-13-13, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by ismoakrack

What's going on with the old Raymond James building? I talked to some of the Scientology folks who were going to buy it circa 2008, but I'd be shocked if that plan is still on the table...

Oh, they bought it...then sat on it for five years. It's going ahead, as far as I know. I'm sure they are happy to need new window coverings now that Mr. LED has moved in next door!

**stasu1213** · January-13-13, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by Gannon

While I appreciate the energy and increased buzz downtown, I cannot deny a negative gut feeling about this guy...and don't trust him. His design and leasing teams have some bizarre ideas that I think will cause this architecturally-famous building irreparable harm...and muck up the skyline.

He does want One Woodward as his playroom, it seems.

I threw that Scientology thing in there for fun...that old Raymond James building will be coming to life in a year or so, it looks like.

I wonder how he's going to react when he learns the twentieth floor of One Woodward is haunted. There might be another floor, too...but many of the cleaning staff and guards have had curious experiences on 20.

Cheers, anyways. Good on him.

What are the plans for the Raymond James building? What are some of the occurences had the guards and cleaning people observed on the 20th floor

**Gannon** · January-13-13, 07:40 PM

It is to be some kinda Scientology center, I don't know what they do in their offices. I've heard rumor when researching Scientology many years ago that every center has an office for L. Ron Hubbard, for when he returns. That is kinda freaky...

I wish I had listened more to the stories, but I tend to shut off when hearing spooky details. I'll see what I can find out and get back with you.

Cheers

**grumpyoldlady** · January-14-13, 07:54 AM

Gannon....I worked there from 1971 until 1991 with some in between stints in the Guardian Bldg and Ren Cen. When I worked at One Woodward, there were only a few tenants...Mich Con, Michigan Wisconsin Pipe Line [[later to be ANR Pipeline) and related ANR companies, and Marsh & McClellan. On 20 was the 24-hour pipeline dispatch center. Only other 24-hour offices were on 6 where the computer center was and I believe on 13 where the MichCon switchboard and maybe their customer service was....can't remember about that. I knew people in all those departments and never heard anything about a haunting, so I'm wondering if this has developed after 1991. There was a manager that died in the men's room on 19 back in '71, but doubt he'd be the type to haunt, lol. Let me know what else you find out and I'll get in touch with some old occupants of the 20th floor and see if they have any info.

**jcole** · January-14-13, 10:20 AM

I did some work on 20 relatively recently [[within the last 3 years) as well as in the engineer's room on the roof level and in the basement. Never ran into any spectres nor heard any tales from the engineering staff or management. Wandered around pretty freely too. I will say that they could have filmed Mad Men on 20 without too many changes to the decor, but it's not set up very well for modern computer equipment or networking. But the view over Jefferson is amazing.

**GPCharles** · January-14-13, 10:56 AM

I was in ANR from 1989 until the mid-90s. The lighting in the building was ancient. My office had at least 18 36" flourescent tubes in it and my office wasn't that big.

**Gannon** · January-14-13, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by jcole

I did some work on 20 relatively recently [[within the last 3 years) as well as in the engineer's room on the roof level and in the basement. Never ran into any spectres nor heard any tales from the engineering staff or management. Wandered around pretty freely too. I will say that they could have filmed Mad Men on 20 without too many changes to the decor, but it's not set up very well for modern computer equipment or networking. But the view over Jefferson is amazing.

That is pretty funny, you EXPECTED some strangers, on a jobsite you are just walking onto, to start telling ghost stories. As if management would ever utter a peep, that would be against policy at least. Indeed, the reason I'm being coy about my sources is to keep them from getting into trouble.

I could tell you one story about 20...but the person is still employed by the building, or a contractor working within it.

I wonder about the range of sensitivity to etheric weirdness, too. Some people are just immune to gut feelings.

All I know is I've been around that building for years, and have met a few of the cleaning staff and guards. More than one have had stories, but they will not tell them openly. In all cases, it took getting to know them for a while. I did not prompt the stories, but someone in our party asked the open question if they'd met the rumored ghosts in the building.

The common reply always included the 20th floor, and I believe also 16...but am not certain. Not everybody confirmed it, though, so it was not 100% either. I believe that is the nature of these things...I don't watch ghostchasers or any of those tv shows, but it seems they are not always unsuccessful...or there'd BE no show.

Maybe if you went back, now that they know you, and asked that...who knows?! But with the new ownership, there might be some shakeups in personnel...

Cheers!

**gnome** · January-14-13, 11:04 AM

John you talking about the Olde Building? Isn't that the place where the Olde son hung himself in the elevator shaft after his father's Ponzi scheme was exposed?

**Gannon** · January-14-13, 11:16 AM

No, the old Gas Building at One Woodward.

The other ghost story I've heard is downstairs in the Law Library at UDM downtown.

Grumpyoldlady said one fellow was not likely "the type to haunt". I'm not sure there ARE any who choose to be ghosts, from all reports, they are wandering aimlessly, unsure of why their surroundings are different...but unwilling to "go into the light". I'm not sure people can choose to be ghosts...but dying suddenly at work, especially in the Men's Room, might just toss one into fierce confusion.

**Gannon** · January-14-13, 11:17 AM

Although, he died on 19, and if anything I'd guess 21 since in all cases the sounds and other odd feelings caused those affected to look UP to the ceiling, and then get the heck out to never return willingly. This was another commonality in stories that stuck me as odd.

**jiminnm** · January-14-13, 11:22 AM

Like a few others, Gannon, I worked many years in that building and also in the Guardian. I worked on the 8th, 9th, 10th and 15th floors in 1 Woodward, but don't recall working on 20. Like many, many others I spent a lot of time in the 14th floor cafeteria and the 26th floor Top of the Flame [[and when it was converted to offices). In 31 years in those buildings [[with a short exile to the Buhl), I never heard any stories of any hauntings anywhere in 1 Woodward.

**jcole** · January-14-13, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by Gannon

That is pretty funny, you EXPECTED some strangers, on a jobsite you are just walking onto, to start telling ghost stories. As if management would ever utter a peep, that would be against policy at least. Indeed, the reason I'm being coy about my sources is to keep them from getting into trouble.

I could tell you one story about 20...but the person is still employed by the building, or a contractor working within it.

I wonder about the range of sensitivity to etheric weirdness, too. Some people are just immune to gut feelings.

All I know is I've been around that building for years, and have met a few of the cleaning staff and guards. More than one have had stories, but they will not tell them openly. In all cases, it took getting to know them for a while. I did not prompt the stories, but someone in our party asked the open question if they'd met the rumored ghosts in the building.

The common reply always included the 20th floor, and I believe also 16...but am not certain. Not everybody confirmed it, though, so it was not 100% either. I believe that is the nature of these things...I don't watch ghostchasers or any of those tv shows, but it seems they are not always unsuccessful...or there'd BE no show.

Maybe if you went back, now that they know you, and asked that...who knows?! But with the new ownership, there might be some shakeups in personnel...

Cheers!

I don't believe I ever said they were strangers nor did I say I never worked there again. But, as usual, you have assumed to know things about me without knowing me at all.

**Gistok** · January-14-13, 12:10 PM

Also.... [[and I don't deny that some form of paranormal activity doesn't exist).. those ghost shows can be so lame. I remember one team of US ghosts hunters going into an Austrian haunted castle, and they were trying to talk to the spirits in English. I thought to myself... "you idiots... medieval ghosts don't have Google Translate, so if you want to talk to them... it better be in German!"

**grumpyoldlady** · January-16-13, 04:33 AM

As for the old lighting in the building, each group of lights was in what was referred to as a "tub". At the company I worked for office size and the corresponding number of "tubs" you had generally corresponded to your "grade" level and when a floor was reorganized and people changed offices, everyone was counting and comparing the number of light tubs they had....at least on a couple of the reorganization moves that I was part of. It was funny...you'd see all these people walking in to each other's offices and instead of looking at the occupant, they were looking up nonchalantly and counting! When the fluorescent ballast in a tub would start to go bad, boy did it stink!Another thing about my days at One Woodward....Partly because of MichCon being in the building, and partly because some people are just trying to stir up trouble, there were sometimes bomb threats. Each floor had designated people who were called "searchers" who had to go open every closet and look under every desk for anything suspicious. There were other people designated [[can't remember their title), to make sure EVERYONE left their desk and either went to the elevator area or down to the main floor, I can't recall exactly. I always thought that the company was wrong to have employees do the searching, but I guess with the frequency of false threats, it made more sense to them to do that than evacuate for hours for nothing. I also noticed it was usually the newest and youngest employees who were "searchers". Shows how much they thought we were worth, lol. I don't know when that practice was discontinued, but when I started there in 1971 it was in effect.