Multi-floor collapse at Packard Plant

[30th Street]

Well, I saw first hand a collapse at Packard. I was there today looking for bricks [[only a few as I collect) and we were on an upper floor of one of the buildings when we heard this tremendous BOOOOOOM. Luckily as I was in one piece and the scenery for me had not changed in depth, it wasn’t the building I was in that went boom. We looked out over at another building across the way and there was a cloud of dust and guys moving quickly out the building. Sure enough that is where we saw sparks and heard equipment noises earlier. Over zealous scrappers needed to practice with a Jenga game first before they went pulling out the wrong support beams. And as for trespassing that place is grand central station [[no pun) folks are in and out all the time all day long. We met a nice group of Asian fellows from Ann Arbor all decked out with cameras. Just there to take some pics.
But, what I found really interesting was when we got to the top of the building we were in, which had a part of the roof collapsed, I guess due to weathering. We saw this perplexing placement of old TVs on top of the exposed columns. Definitely a statement cause those columns are pretty high up and there were six of these displays. Later in the day we saw the same type of display at that little park in BrushPark. Has anyone else seen this?

[DetroitDerek]

The televisions in the Packard were arranged by Scott Hocking [[ picture here: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/...6e0f5570_b.jpg ) :


The 1 television in Brush park is not related, it was from the castle-type house next door [[ there are also 2 in the back alley laying in several pieces ).

I was at on the roof 1 week before it collapsed - that section of the roof felt even mushier than usual - there was no way I was going to walk on it as I had the month before. You definetly have to be careful regardless of where you are in that complex.

[RickBeall]

Amazing pictures of the tunnels. I had never seen them before. Thanks!

[JGRELLA]

i can't believe it's only 25 yrs since i started renovating Packard as MOTOR CITY INDUSTRIAL PARK. The tunnels were only part of the mystery. At night I could swear I heard the footsteps of DeLorean as he gazed out at GM.

[FlyByDon]

Packard Plant Today 12/03/2011

[Danny]

Oh I see the American ruins. The lost city of Detroit. Like the ruins of Ancient Rome.

[Gistok]

Thanks for the Aerial images FlyByDon.... the 2nd one shows why the I-94 curve at Mt. Elliott is so sharp... the freeway [[and Harper Ave.) had to literally go around the plant.

[Hypestyles]

... I'm reminded of the Detroit 187 episode, the exchange between James Daniels' detective and the 'urban explorer': [[paraphrasing): "who am I tresspassing against? This place has been abandoned for 20 years!"

[Richard]

... I'm reminded of the Detroit 187 episode, the exchange between James Daniels' detective and the 'urban explorer': [[paraphrasing): "who am I tresspassing against? This place has been abandoned for 20 years!"

The morals of society or the lack of .

I viewed a simluar size property that was a x arms facility in another city it was vacant over 30 years other then the usual few broken windows it was unmolested , why the difference? compartivley

[Whitehouse]

The people working in the plant in it's hey day are dying out also. The plant has been closed longer than it has ever been open.

[bartock]

Much of this depends on one's definition of "moved in."

[riviera]

There was a shell of a building which was present earlier this year at the corner of Bellevue and Frederick. It was king of rectangular running along Frederick. I can't see it in the photos so I assume it was demo'd. When did this happen?

[Richard]

Packard Plant Today 12/03/2011

Don , I was informed by the currant owner that the water tower was stolen for scrap but in your 1st pic I see it still there?

[Django]

I would love to see how they would remove a water tank from its tower. Ive never noticed the main water tower on the packard missing, its a pretty big one.

Theres one tower on Warren just West of Mc Dougall where just the tank was taken and I cant figure out how it would have been taken except by a good sized crane. Doesnt seem like the cost of bringing a crane in would be worth it if the metal is only going to scrap. I could see it being resold though.

[Richard]

If you drain the 300,000 pounds of water out first they are really not that heavy large crane or I like heavy lift helos for moving big stuff ,lots faster and safer then the crane way..I would rather not go into the cheapest way of dismantling them.

In this case with the cities water pressure situation this tower is kinda crucial for the fire control aspect ,it would have been a very costly work around if it came up missing.

[ExcuseMySarcasm]

I was given permission by the owners to take photos there, so I don't think it can rightly be considered trespassing. His exact words were "don't fall in a manhole."

As to the real reason I posted, it's the firefighter comment. I was there a wee bit back documenting streetart when I noticed one of the ever present fires. No biggie, I just avoid going in that building. As I was clambering around the rubble and debris, I heard the vroom of a souped up engine flying up the middle road of the packard. I say road in a very liberal manner here, not many roads consist of open manholes, piles of garbage, collapsed bridges, and broken dreams.

I was curious, and as I peeked out I saw a shiny blue charger stop at the smoldering pile of debris. The door opened to display the badge of the Michigan State police. He called in the fire department. I took this as a sign to go, and warned a group of scrappers on my way out of the packard plant.

I was almost to the main road when I heard the fire engine roaring towards me. Instead of turning, the firetruck whooshed up to me, lights flashing, and stopped. The firefighter waved me over. I mulled this over in my mind. Can he detain me? I decided not. And went over.

"Did you see that fire down there?," said the firefighter.

"Um, yes."

"Don't call us about fires here."

"I didn't." I typed that like I said it, but all I got out was "I d..." before he shushed me. Hand up in my face.

"I don't care about fires here. We are not fighting fires here. Do not call 911 about fires here."

"Yes, sir. I won't call 911 about fires here."

"We don't care about this building, it can fall into the ground. I won't send my firefighters in there. And you're crazy for going in there." said the firefighter as his truck roared away.

Don't call 911 about fires in the packard plant. They don't care, and it's the scrappers setting the fires to loosen the concrete off of the beams.

[canuck]

I thought I was reading a page off an Elmore Leonard novel there EMS. Nice style and substance.

[Wheels]

Looks like the old roof was pretty sturdy back in the day.

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