The Demolition of 139 Bagley [AAA Building]

[Lowell]

The former AAA Building at 139 Bagley will be demolished supposedly beginning this week. The AAA Building was severely damaged from a fire started by acetylene torch sparks from the cutting of steel beams during the demolition of the Statler Hotel which surrounded the AAA on two sides. Legal disputes kept the property in limbo in the eight years since.

Removal the AAA is seen as a precursor to the construction of Village Green's planned Statler City Apartments which would be built on the block where the Statler Hotel stood and the AAA still stands. Village Green has been given the city-owned portion of the block for one dollar and is in negotiations to obtain the AAA site.


Adamo^ the destroyer awaits...

[Mackinaw]

We better receive news of shovels in ground on the current proposed development, or a new RFP for another better development, within a few months of this tear-down. Let this be the end to demolition for demolition's sake, and a model for how things are supposed to get done.

Let this also stand in stark contrast to the proposed demo of the Park Ave. Building, an architectural gem of great significance and stature, quite unlike the AAA building [[which in some contexts might itself be a valuable asset, but not so much in its current context of hanging out in the middle of an empty, development-ready parcel).

[mikeg19]

I think we can all collective say "tear that bitch down".

We just need to all hope that what Mackinaw's sentiments echo actually happen: shovels in the ground on the green lit development before years end or a new RFP for the site very soon.

[Just_Some_Detroiter]

Another blighted building is coming down!! I would love to see some apartments in it's place, rather than another parking lot, but we'll just have to see how negotiations go.

[PeachLaser]

A bit off topic... I was looking at Google Maps and the location of the AAA and saw some interesting parks on and near Bagley several blocks up from the AAA. One consists of a block with circles and the other looks like a descending spiral. Anyone have a link with more info on these? I'm not sure how dramatic these are at street level but they sure look cool from satellite view.

[Danny]

It's about time!

[dtowncitylover]

A bit off topic... I was looking at Google Maps and the location of the AAA and saw some interesting parks on and near Bagley several blocks up from the AAA. One consists of a block with circles and the other looks like a descending spiral. Anyone have a link with more info on these? I'm not sure how dramatic these are at street level but they sure look cool from satellite view.

That's the DTE HQ campus. I don't think it's open to the public.

[animatedmartian]

A bit off topic... I was looking at Google Maps and the location of the AAA and saw some interesting parks on and near Bagley several blocks up from the AAA. One consists of a block with circles and the other looks like a descending spiral. Anyone have a link with more info on these? I'm not sure how dramatic these are at street level but they sure look cool from satellite view.

That's apart of DTE's campus [[as already mentioned above). The parks may or may not be reserved for possible future development by the company.

[emu steve]

That's apart of DTE's campus [[as already mentioned above). The parks may or may not be reserved for possible future development by the company.

I hope that is the model for some of the 'Behind the Fox' parcels where some of the land which is now used as surface parking could be converted to park land after a few parking garages are built.

Then in say 10 years the park could be re-developed into commercial development as market conditions warrant.

p.s. Didn't the Ilitch plan suggest park[[s) would be back there?

[DetroitPlanner]

That's apart of DTE's campus [[as already mentioned above). The parks may or may not be reserved for possible future development by the company.

I doubt it. DTE already has Michcon in the building and owns quite a few uglier parcels surrounding the place. MGM gave them the opportunity to co-construct the garage which freed up quite a bit of land previously used for parking.

I won't miss that part of the AAA building. I do miss the old Stouffer's that was their business office though.

Ilitch did not propose parks, though there was one by DTE proposed last year for the block across from the GAR. They seem to be dragging their feet on it.

[Mackinaw]

Parks are mentioned in the Arena area plan literally just because it sounds good and looks good in print. Who the hell knows. When Illitch says parks he probably means landscaped parking lots. Nothing to get excited about at this point, without any concrete plans.

Does anyone know for certain the current approval/permit status of the Village Green development proposal for this block?

[PeachLaser]

That's the DTE HQ campus. I don't think it's open to the public.

I understand, HQ, but what is 'DTE'?

And, why it is not open to the public?

Everyone else in the world can visit by Google, why isn't it open to the public? Maybe, by reservation? I would like to hear the background.

[Spartan]

I understand, HQ, but what is 'DTE'?

And, why it is not open to the public?

Everyone else in the world can visit by Google, why isn't it open to the public? Maybe, by reservation? I would like to hear the background.

It's the main energy provider in SEMi
www.dteenergy.com

It's just a park for their employees

[PeachLaser]

It's the main energy provider in SEMi
www.dteenergy.com

It's just a park for their employees

It's a lot more than that!

[animatedmartian]

I understand, HQ, but what is 'DTE'?

And, why it is not open to the public?

Everyone else in the world can visit by Google, why isn't it open to the public? Maybe, by reservation? I would like to hear the background.

Mostly because private companies can decide whether to open up their property or not. It's also up to them what they do with that property.

The only reason I mention that they might be reserving it for future development [[whatever development that may be in some undetermined time frame) was because last year they bought property along Grand River to create a public park. Obviously, it seems odd for them to create a public park outside their campus when they have a huge park area already within their campus that could be opened up.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...ntown-park.php

[PeachLaser]

Mostly because private companies can decide whether to open up their property or not. It's also up to them what they do with that property.

Thanks for the information and the link. Yes, private companies can do what they want. I just find the 'Earth Art' fascinating. It is visible from the air and from the satellites but you don't see that dimension from the street. I'm fascinated also because I worked on Roden Crater, another 'Earth Art' project, that it is not open to the public unless you want to visit a number of Turrell's projects around the world first... http://blogs.artinfo.com/artintheair...ur-de-turrell/

Interested in the Bagley Street developments also because of both Henry Ford's discoveries down the street and the discovery of Applied Kinesiology by Dr. George Goodheart in the Michigan Building. Interesting seeing the artwork/park just down the street from the site of this discovery. The design of the spiral in the park is very similar to the entrance in Roden Crater.

Is there an artist associated with the park designs?

[animatedmartian]

Is there an artist associated with the park designs?

It was done by a local architecture firm.

http://www.neumannsmith.com/projects...2_DTE/002.html

And actually, the 2nd photo on that page shows that there are little mounds within the circles. So maybe that area isn't reserved for development and will always be like that. I dunno.

[PeachLaser]

It was done by a local architecture firm.

http://www.neumannsmith.com/projects...2_DTE/002.html

And actually, the 2nd photo on that page shows that there are little mounds within the circles. So maybe that area isn't reserved for development and will always be like that. I dunno.

Thank you. This thread started on the topic of destruction of another building. Hope I'm not highjacking this thread, but seeing something like the beauty and art of the DTE campus just a couple of blocks away indicates a brighter part of Detroit that I have never seen. Saw them on Google Earth when looking at the location of the AAA Building.

[animatedmartian]

Yea, to get back on topic, the AAA building is being torn down right now.



http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...-right-now.php

[Mackinaw]

Well at least it's going faster than the Brewster towers...

Was it fire damaged inside?

[etbusch]

It caught fire as the Statler Hotel was being demolished in 2005, and has been sitting ever since.

[Mackinaw]

Good memory, that's right.

[etbusch]

Here's a video of the west wall coming down that I shot a few minutes ago.

[mikeg19]

That is one efficient demo crew. Thing will be gone in less than an 8 hour shift.

[56packman]

It's pretty burned out inside, so she isn't putting up much of a fight. Just think, more square footage to do parking lot scams during foo-ball season.