Exposing the Fine Arts Building

[leland_palmer]

Anyone notice that workers were removing all of the sheets of plywood from the windows of the Fine Arts Building today. Are they working to reseal the building, or are they preparing for the facadectomy?

http://fadeddetroit.blogspot.com/200...fine-arts.html

[noenaim]

Last summer I went on a Preservation Wayne tour and we were told that Mike Illich [[who owns most of the property in that area) was having all but the facade torn down. Some kind office or something like that is being built behind the old front.Is that what you mean by "facadectomy"?

[wolverine]

I like what you can't see above the first row of rooms.....the collapsed interior of this building. I'm very happy they are saving the facade, I just wish they could salvage the beautiful doorways in the interior. But the actual building behind the facade can't be saved. Impossible

[Rocko]

Yes, when the front facade is the only this that is saved and a completed new building is built behind it, that it what is referred to a facadectomy. Not really the aim of historic preservation, but it is better than complete demolition to erect something modern in it's place. It can be especially substantiated if the facade is of unique architecture.

[charlottepaul]

The city gave him money to tear down the interior of the building in exchange for preserving the facade.

[charlottepaul]

Only God knows how long a facade that tall will stand up. They tried doing something like that to a facade down here in Charlotte. Problem was, it was only braced at the top. We had a really windy day, and the whole thing came down.

[Whitehouse]

Last post was made exactly one year ago. In stead of posting a fresh topic on the Fine Arts Building, I resurrected this thread from the deep end of the forum. The reason is this picture. For sheer quality value; what an astonishing picture!


[[Via Smugmug.)
Have there been any recent developments?

[DetroitDad]

Have there been any recent developments?

There most certainly has.

First, the facade is now lit up at night, and the sidewalks are now taken care of. The structure is constantly being worked on, and there is some work going on at street level. I'm not sure if this is for the street or the Fine Arts Building. I'm sure the Subway next door has seen business improve, with all the construction workers in the area.

For those of us used to a Downtown ghost town of the last decade, Grand Circus Park is very much alive, and vitality has returned. Still, Grand Circus Park's best days are still ahead, and the people are still far and few between... but there are people utilizing the park now!

[Warrenite84]

I haven't heard anything but have a rear view of the facade I uploaded awhile back...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gab482/4305854151/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gab482/...n/photostream/

[davewindsor]

I'm curious how they assess a wall for property taxes if it's going to be standing there for the next decade. Do they treat it like vacant land or are they gonna say it's worth a million bucks?