Demolition of Joe Louis Arena... the inside first...

**Gistok** · May-16-19, 02:28 AM

The Joe is coming down... from the inside out...

360 view of the interior demo first... on Facebook...

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater

This has sort of a Deja Vu of 1977 when they disemboweled the theatre sidewalls, the mezzinine and balcony of the inside of the former Michigan Theatre... (watch slideshow)... but left the auditorium ceiling and theatre outer shell and many of the lobbies and staircases intact.

http://www.detroiturbex.com/content/...gan/index.html

**mkhopper** · May-16-19, 01:26 PM

Did anyone mirror the photos? Seems they've been removed from FB and IG and I missed seeing them.

**Worldsgreatest** · May-16-19, 02:58 PM

Mr. Gorbechav tear down this butt ugly stadium!

**Uncledave54** · May-16-19, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by Worldsgreatest

Mr. Gorbechav tear down this butt ugly stadium!

**Dmberko11** · May-16-19, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by Worldsgreatest

Mr. Gorbechav tear down this butt ugly stadium!

Butt ugly indeed. Steel barn. Good memories for the Wings there and I went there a few times for games but I won't miss the Joe, personally. It was always dirty and old looking.

**Worldsgreatest** · May-16-19, 03:54 PM

Tiger stadium is not ugly get your eyes checked.

**Uncledave54** · May-16-19, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by Worldsgreatest

Tiger stadium is not ugly get your eyes checked.

You are right... Tiger Stadium was fantastic, however, Comerica Park is butt ugly.

**southen** · May-16-19, 04:25 PM

The best thing I can say about Comerica is that it is inoffensive. It is a watered down version of all of the retro ballparks and it really brought nothing new or exciting to the table. The only thing I would say that it really has going for it is the view of downtown. That will never get old.

**Worldsgreatest** · May-16-19, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by Uncledave54

You are right... Tiger Stadium was fantastic, however, Comerica Park is butt ugly.

you know what i meant

**Gistok** · May-16-19, 06:12 PM

Well sorry.... if you haven't seen the demo work on the inside yet, it is likely you never will. All interior demo images have been removed from Social Media, and even Channel 2, 4,7 images are removed. Someone at the demo company doesn't want the interior demo work shown.

**mkhopper** · May-16-19, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Well sorry.... if you haven't seen the demo work on the inside yet, it is likely you never will. All interior demo images have been removed from Social Media, and even Channel 2, 4,7 images are removed. Someone at the demo company doesn't want the interior demo work shown.

Google to the rescue.

I was able to track down two images that were posted earlier today.
One on Reddit and the other that was hiding out on a content server for Channel 7. (I've mirrored that one on Imgur just in case it gets pulled)

Image #1

Image #2

**Burnsie** · May-16-19, 07:25 PM

It's too bad channels 2, 4, and 7 let themselves get pushed around by the demo company. News is news. The demolition is what everybody wanted, what's to hide or be ashamed of? It's not like these are autopsy or surgery photos, for crying out loud.

**poobert** · May-16-19, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by southen

The best thing I can say about Comerica is that it is inoffensive. It is a watered down version of all of the retro ballparks and it really brought nothing new or exciting to the table. The only thing I would say that it really has going for it is the view of downtown. That will never get old.

The parking lot out front is really what grinds my gears. If it had Woodward frontage or a small setback that stretch could be truly vibrant. The parking lots - blocks away from acres of parking behind the Fox Theatre - are too small to be meaningful, yet just large enough to give the tiny urban core we do have that oh-so-magical 10-mile road and Hoover je-ne-sais-quoi charm. It's like Paris in the springtime. Only white-trash-with-money like the Illitches could bring you such grandeur. Fuck them and fuck Metro Detroit, frankly.

**archfan** · May-17-19, 01:08 AM

One more on Twitter.

**Burnsie** · May-17-19, 09:06 AM

It was especially infuriating to see the Wolverine Hotel imploded when it wasn't even in the stadium footprint. The media parroted the Illitch line that it was in the way of the stadium, but the only thing "built" there was a surface lot. Illitch just didn't want anything between the stadium and Woodward, and he damned sure wasn't going to fix up the building. It was also annoying when the Elwood Bar & Grill was moved to make room for part of the same stupid lot. Actually the site where it sat is now mainly, if not all, grass and bushes.

The parking spaces in Lots 1 & 2 could have been easily accommodated with another level to the Montcalm/Brush garage. That would have cost Illitch more money upfront, but I think the larger issue is that he wanted to maintain control of the Woodward lots so that nobody else's development would compete for attention with his "old fashioned" stadium. It's ironic that the truly old-style Tiger Stadium didn't have any of the fake "old timey" touches that Comerica has (except for the later Tiger Plaza part).

I know all that crap went down over 20 years ago, but every time I drive by the "old fashioned" Comerica Park and the surface lots & ramps around it ringed by "classic" streetlights, I want to heave.

**Worldsgreatest** · May-17-19, 09:51 AM

yes yes Ilitches are scum of the earth who deserve only suffering in their lives but what are we going to do about it?

**kenp** · May-17-19, 10:22 AM

One memory of JLA I had was what I called, The goon squad. It was the group of security that you rarely saw. They would only come out in case of a problem. Normally Toronto fans being assholes. There was about 6 of them, all huge, and had those tight gray polyester suits. When there was a problem they would slowly march down to the problem and immediately remove the problem. Always a thing of beauty.

**Zads07** · May-17-19, 02:24 PM

I'm surprised as to why the demo company doesn't want images shown?

Anyone have any insight as to why?

**Honky Tonk** · May-17-19, 02:35 PM

You guys are aware that the taxpayers are also on the hook for the demolition of the Joe? It was part of the original agreement for the new coliseum to be built. I can't remember exactly, but it was something like $6 or $9 mil.

**Gistok** · May-17-19, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

You guys are aware that the taxpayers are also on the hook for the demolition of the Joe? It was part of the original agreement for the new coliseum to be built. I can't remember exactly, but it was something like $6 or $9 mil.

Honky Tonk, was that so that no one else would get it and compete with LCA? Because that property was part of the settlement of creditors for the city Bankruptcy. I had thought that the city was required to raze it for use by the creditor. Or maybe it's a combination of the two? That the city had to raze it before it could be given to the creditors to make sure they didn't use it as a venue....

**Honky Tonk** · May-17-19, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Honky Tonk, was that so that no one else would get it and compete with LCA? Because that property was part of the settlement of creditors for the city Bankruptcy. I had thought that the city was required to raze it for use by the creditor. Or maybe it's a combination of the two? That the city had to raze it before it could be given to the creditors to make sure they didn't use it as a venue....

I'm not exactly sure how the bankruptcy affected the incentive. @ the time there was talk about mixed sport use by maybe high school, college, teams like that, for the Joe. (excessive, I know) The rumors were the Ilitches said no, and the Joe was to be torn down within a specified time frame after the new one opened. I believe it was the State that was footing the bill.

**archfan** · May-19-19, 02:46 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

I'm not exactly sure how the bankruptcy affected the incentive. @ the time there was talk about mixed sport use by maybe high school, college, teams like that, for the Joe. (excessive, I know) The rumors were the Ilitches said no, and the Joe was to be torn down within a specified time frame after the new one opened. I believe it was the State that was footing the bill.

Here's a News article:

The arena and its adjacent parking garage were given to bond insurer Financial Guaranty Insurance Co. under an agreement struck during Detroit's Chapter 9 bankruptcy. The New York firm was a major creditor that lost $1.1 billion in the bankruptcy. Under the deal, Detroit is required to facilitate the demolition.

**ct_alum** · May-19-19, 06:02 AM

Originally Posted by Zads07

I'm surprised as to why the demo company doesn't want images shown?

Anyone have any insight as to why?

Possibility: Safety violations.

**Wesley Mouch** · May-19-19, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by Zads07

I'm surprised as to why the demo company doesn't want images shown?

Anyone have any insight as to why?

Originally Posted by ct_alum

Possibility: Safety violations.

Possibility: POTENTIAL Safety CITATION

Its unfair to assume that any CITATION written really means there's a safety problem. It just means an inspector found something that wasn't 100% to the book. Inspectors often don't care so much about actual safety -- but are rewarded for finding something they can CITE as a violation of the rules. I always hear that this or that plant had a dozen safety violations as argument that they were an unsafe workplace. Violations don't mean that.

I've dealt with OSHA. Once they decide to inspect a job site, you will probably get a violation. There are so many rules, that complete compliance is an impossibility. So inspectors easily find something. Sometimes deserved, but often just technical violations -- such as signage not being in place, or some railing somewhere that isn't 100% in compliance.

There's no advantage in letting photos out. And a lot of potential disadvantages -- POTENTIAL safety citations are just one.

(Nothing in this post is intended to say that safety isn't really important. We've done a great job in the first world to create a pretty safe workplace for everyone. But also realize that safety has its costs. Why is housing unaffordable to many? Partly because we require a lot of safety in how we design and construct homes. I think that's mostly good. But we shouldn't complain when our homes cost twice per s.f. as one in, say, Brazil.)

**timinasia** · May-20-19, 12:00 AM

Originally Posted by Uncledave54

You are right... Tiger Stadium was fantastic, however, Comerica Park is butt ugly.

I'm now old (72) & an expatriate living in Thailand. Memories are important when you're older. I left Detroit in 1970. One of my fondest memories occurred at Tiger Stadium in 1963. I was attending Redford High School & we won the Detroit City Championship against Pershing 2-1. I hit a triple off the left field wall, bunted for a hit & scored both runs. Redford won 3 of 4 championships in the mid-'60s. Briggs Stadium was a great hitter's ballpark. I think it's beautiful. Tim Cooper