Lafayette Building Demolition

**rjlj** · August-13-09, 10:06 PM

What a wonderful Detroit day. A 21 year old is found dead in an abandoned bombed out house but it is money better spent on tearing down what a select few call an eye sore. In the future, expect more systematic destruction [[aka creating more parks) of this city by the very people who are paid to revive it. Expect more bomded out homes to be incubators of crime. Doing things Detroit style is what Detroit does best.

http://www.100abandonedhouses.com/

**buildingsofdetroit** · August-13-09, 10:15 PM

In a city $350 million in debt with not enough cops and rampant crime, I could think of a few better ways to spend more than a million dollars.

**stasu1213** · August-13-09, 08:00 PM

It could be a park where entertainment could be held corresponding with the entertainment a Campus Martius and Hart Plaza. That will increase the pedestrial traffic in that small spot. Then stores might be constructed at the bottom level of the parking structure that sit next to BC.

**ghettopalmetto** · August-13-09, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

It could be a park where entertainment could be held corresponding with the entertainment a Campus Martius and Hart Plaza. That will increase the pedestrial traffic in that small spot. Then stores might be constructed at the bottom level of the parking structure that sit next to BC.

Sure! Why not have three public plazas all competing for the same programming? It's paramount that the City of Detroit spend $2 million [[give or take) to increase pedestrian traffic on one particular block. Wholesale change is just too difficult and complicated, and would require foresight and thinking, so this is the best option.

You might as well demolish the coney islands as well, so people have somewhere to stow their cars when they use the new "park".

**buildingsofdetroit** · August-13-09, 08:35 PM

There also is a piece of heavy machinery sitting out front of it. It would appear that they could start pummeling it as early as tomorrow, though I would think they'd have to tear it down from top to bottom, like they did the Statler. Somewhere, C. Howard Crane is rolling in his grave.

**reddog289** · August-13-09, 09:42 PM

Call up Detroitdad and tell him to get the grill ready for his urban cookout tour.

**wolverine** · August-13-09, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

It could be a park where entertainment could be held corresponding with the entertainment a Campus Martius and Hart Plaza. That will increase the pedestrial traffic in that small spot. Then stores might be constructed at the bottom level of the parking structure that sit next to BC.

This reminds me of the dreamy renderings architectural firms put out with tons of people walking around in an area that is blank and empty 1 year after the project is constructed.

Not to say it couldn't be an effective park, but you are asking WAY too much from the immediate area with a lousy built environment [[except for the BC). Your only contributing building are two hotels which typically fail to produce "park patrons"...the rest is all garages or abandoned. 90% of your pedestrians in that 1 block area are waiting for the bus by the sidewalk.

MIRepublic · August-13-09, 10:44 PM

Has anyone confirmed that this will be a park? Will it be a private park, public park, managed by Parks & Rec or some private/non-profit, etc? Is this an actual park or simply greenspace a la the Statler Block? I'd heard nothing of this. I guess they realized that the site would be a rather strangely shapped parking lot if this is true.

**royce** · August-13-09, 11:20 PM

For those of you old enough to remember, the Kern Block was turned into green space. That consisted of grass and a diagonal walkway. Before the Compuware building was build, the Kern Block green space was mostly asphalt. This "Lafayette Park II" will probably start out as just grass, a few shrubs, and a few park benches. In a few years, it will have little grass and mostly dominated by bums and trash.

BTW, if there are signs that the Lafayette Building is about to be torn down, then did the Boydell guy have his two weeks to inspect the building?

**ASR89** · August-13-09, 11:47 PM

It's a little far away from the Lafayette Building, but is there any way we can damage the People Mover tracks for old time's sake? In all seriousness, I'm disappointed. Oh well.

**buildingsofdetroit** · August-14-09, 09:44 AM

Death fence going up now.

**Detroitnerd** · August-14-09, 09:49 AM

George Jackson is eating a hearty breakfast somewhere.

**Fnemecek** · August-14-09, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

George Jackson is eating a hearty breakfast somewhere.

And the demo contractors are probably paying for that breakfast, right after handing him an envelope filled with cash.

**Detroitnerd** · August-14-09, 10:01 AM

I think you're on to something. It's all part of a plan for downtown redevelopment.

A few demolitions a year means several breakfasts with George Jackson, all paid for by demo contractors.

And then that keeps places like Sweet Georgia Brown in business.

Unfortunately, we haven't demolished enough buildings, which helps explain the DDA forgiving interest on loans to high-priced restaurants built exclusively for folks like George Jackson.

Damn! If only we had a few more demos, SGB would still be in business!

**Fnemecek** · August-14-09, 09:54 AM

Pretty typical. If there's something that the City knows is going to be unpopular, they do it on a Friday.

Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for them to demolish some of the burned out homes in the neighborhood.

**DetroitScooter** · August-14-09, 10:29 AM

And yet, Packard still stands, untouched and probably on fire. Great job 'Demolition' Jackson!

**LeannaM** · August-14-09, 01:07 PM

So, they're gonna have Lafayette Coney Island with no Lafayette building that it was named after.

I understand there are economic reasons for tearing this building down, but it's still sad.

RIP Lafayette Building.

**catch22** · August-14-09, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by LeannaM

So, they're gonna have Lafayette Coney Island with no Lafayette building that it was named after.

I understand there are economic reasons for tearing this building down, but it's still sad.

RIP Lafayette Building.

Not that it really matters, but I suspect that the coney island is named after the street and not the building next door [[their address is 118 Lafayette Blvd.).

The recent activity around the building has made the Freep:

http://www.freep.com/article/2009081...yette-Building

**Detroitnerd** · August-14-09, 02:30 PM

Our good old transparent DDA/DEGC. I love how they made all information about the building available [[not) and had the decency to put up the fences on a busy news day [[not).

Rideron · December-19-09, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Our good old transparent DDA/DEGC. I love how they made all information about the building available [[not) and had the decency to put up the fences on a busy news day [[not).

HEY! Important city business goin' on here!! Its of no concern to the people!!!

**drjeff** · August-14-09, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by LeannaM

So, they're gonna have Lafayette Coney Island with no Lafayette building that it was named after.

I understand there are economic reasons for tearing this building down, but it's still sad.

RIP Lafayette Building.

The Coney place is named after the street- and I think it's actually older than the Lafayette building. I could be wrong about that.

**DetroitScooter** · August-14-09, 01:01 PM

Yep, just walked over there and the heavy concrete barriers are going up and the falling object fences are coming down. Workers didn't comment on what was next. Also, many of the windows are open, for some reason. The bus stop is also gone, and one lane of every road around the Lafayette is closed.

**Detroitnerd** · August-14-09, 02:31 PM

Geo. Jackson: "When the city does bring down a building, he added, it’s to make way for future development."

Har-dee-har-har.

**buildingsofdetroit** · August-14-09, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Geo. Jackson: "When the city does bring down a building, he added, itâ€™s to make way for future development."

Har-dee-har-har.

Yeah, that boldfaced lie got a guffaw out of me to. Lessee, here ...
Statler, Tuller, Monroe Block, Hudson's, Cadillac Square Building, Madison-Lenox, Donovan and Sanders buildings, soon to be Tiger Stadium ... not a lick of development on any of 'em. Unless you count an Ilitch-run parking lot, of course.

**mauser** · September-24-09, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by buildingsofdetroit

Statler, Tuller, Monroe Block, Hudson's, Cadillac Square Building, Madison-Lenox, Donovan and Sanders buildings, soon to be Tiger Stadium ... not a lick of development on any of 'em. Unless you count an Ilitch-run parking lot, of course.

Please add the Art School of the Society of Arts and Crafts [[later became CCS) on Watson street to the list, that is/was the muddy area just to the east of the Crystal loft/abandoned grocer building. [[crystal ballroom).

The developer didnt want to do it, the City forced it during Superbowl.