Are these Detroit buildings worth saving?

**kraig** · June-10-10, 07:15 AM

Packard Plant is a definite no.

http://www.freep.com/article/2010061...00609080/1319/

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/g...osures-for-May

**DetroitZack** · June-10-10, 07:22 AM

You beat me, I just came on here to post this lol. I agree with pretty much all of their decisions. But I think the Metropolitan should be kept and the Ford Auditorium maybe gone, that one is 50/50 with me.

Buy American · June-10-10, 07:30 AM

Places like Charleston, SC have a very strict ordinance against tearing down any building that has a historical past. The people cherish their heritage and cherish their history. Detroit has been tearing down historical homes, or letting them get into such disrepair that it isn't worth the effort for many years. I'd like to know why do the "powers that be" allow this? There is so much to be gained by renovating and keeping up historical homes and buildings....it could be very lucrative for Detroit as far as tourism is concerned. People are interested in the Motor City, they want to know the history of the automobile, where the Dodges and the Fords lived. Motown is a perfect example of preserving history, but the Packard plant is a shell of what it once was...why?

**bailey** · June-10-10, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by Buy American

There is so much to be gained by renovating and keeping up historical homes and buildings....it could be very lucrative for Detroit as far as tourism is concerned. People are interested in the Motor City, they want to know the history of the automobile, where the Dodges and the Fords lived.

You mean Dearborn, Rochester Hills and Grosse Pointe?

**wolverine** · June-10-10, 07:36 AM

I'm surprised they put the Whitney on there. Raze or save.....what because it's merely vacant? Certainly there was a lapse in the owners responsibility in 2006, but the building with some minor maintenance could be operational again within a month. It would be ludicrous to even consider demolition.

**DetroitPlanner** · June-10-10, 07:58 AM

I am going to start an online petition to tear down the Guardian, Fox, Ford Field, and all three Casinos!

**ghettopalmetto** · June-10-10, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

I am going to start an online petition to tear down the Guardian, Fox, Ford Field, and all three Casinos!

If you add the City / County Building, I'll sign!

lilpup · June-10-10, 08:36 AM

I guess I missed something - I thought the Illitches had the GAR - that deal fell through?

**kraig** · June-10-10, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by lilpup

I guess I missed something - I thought the Illitches had the GAR - that deal fell through?

I can't recall the exact reason, but yeah, that deal fell through. I know that Mindfield had reached an agreement to buy it. I'm not sure what happened with that.

**cman710** · June-10-10, 09:16 AM

I think that most of the Packard plant needs to go, though it would be nice if part of the structure could be ultimately saved. However, I think that it will be a long while before the funds come around to demolish it, unless some federal funds can be allocated at some point.

On a side note, it bothers me that they say the plant was vacated in 1956, since there were many businesses in the buildings after that.

Buy American · June-10-10, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

You mean Dearborn, Rochester Hills and Grosse Pointe?

Is Detroit exclusive? There is "American" automotive history inside and outside of Detroit as well as history of where the automotive giants lived, worked and played. Grayhaven, some of the old delapitated mansions in Downtown Detroit were residences of executives in the auto industry. The entire region is historical yet the powers that be don't seem to feel there is much historical significance to any of it. Why?

**fryar** · June-10-10, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Buy American

Places like Charleston, SC have a very strict ordinance against tearing down any building that has a historical past. The people cherish their heritage and cherish their history. Detroit has been tearing down historical homes, or letting them get into such disrepair that it isn't worth the effort for many years. I'd like to know why do the "powers that be" allow this? There is so much to be gained by renovating and keeping up historical homes and buildings....it could be very lucrative for Detroit as far as tourism is concerned. People are interested in the Motor City, they want to know the history of the automobile, where the Dodges and the Fords lived. Motown is a perfect example of preserving history, but the Packard plant is a shell of what it once was...why?

Yeah, and how is anybody gonna explain that in the future, when Detroit [[inclusive of metro Detroit) is flourishing, and an out of towner wants to see some sights? Nah, we tore down our historical buildings, but you can go to the rencen and see what's up there, maybe get a taco?

Not necessarily all of them at all costs, but some buildings should be preserved.

**kraig** · June-10-10, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by cman710

I think that most of the Packard plant needs to go, though it would be nice if part of the structure could be ultimately saved. However, I think that it will be a long while before the funds come around to demolish it, unless some federal funds can be allocated at some point.

On a side note, it bothers me that they say the plant was vacated in 1956, since there were many businesses in the buildings after that.

Mostly vacated. Which it has been.

**bailey** · June-10-10, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by Buy American

Is Detroit exclusive? There is "American" automotive history inside and outside of Detroit as well as history of where the automotive giants lived, worked and played. Grayhaven, some of the old delapitated mansions in Downtown Detroit were residences of executives in the auto industry. The entire region is historical yet the powers that be don't seem to feel there is much historical significance to any of it. Why?

Hey, you;re the one on the Motor City Pride thread saying that "Motor City" is a term reserved for Detroit...and Detroit only.

you said here :

People are interested in the Motor City, they want to know the history of the automobile, where the Dodges and the Fords lived.

I was pointing out that, for the most part, they didn't live in Detroit.

Buy American · June-10-10, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by bailey

Hey, you;re the one on the Motor City Pride thread saying that "Motor City" is a term reserved for Detroit...and Detroit only.

you said here : I was pointing out that, for the most part, they didn't live in Detroit.

Apples and oranges....anything else?

**rb336** · June-10-10, 11:07 AM

I recently talked to the folks who are involved with the GAR -- they are still planning on moving there someday, seems to be a hassle to tranfer owership of the building..

I would love to see all the listed buildings saved, except the packard. frankly, I would like to see the depot stabilized and left as a ruin. Why not? decayed old grand buildings have served other countries well for centuries

Michigan · June-10-10, 11:10 AM

If we forget our past, then we are destined to repeat it. If these buildings are torn down it will cost money, and it will cost money again when we rebuild them. Look at the sinkhole. How much will it cost to fill that? If the building had been left it could have been rented or leased and no repair costs would have been incurred.

**esp1986** · June-10-10, 12:07 PM

The one with the most shit coming out of it happens to be absent from this list, the Coleman Young Municipal Center.

**Gistok** · June-10-10, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by Michigan

If we forget our past, then we are destined to repeat it. If these buildings are torn down it will cost money, and it will cost money again when we rebuild them. Look at the sinkhole. How much will it cost to fill that? If the building had been left it could have been rented or leased and no repair costs would have been incurred.

Frank Lloyd Wright once stated [[paraphrasing) that "architecture is what future civilizations will judge our civilization on".

Michigan · June-10-10, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Frank Lloyd Wright once stated [[paraphrasing) that "architecture is what future civilizations will judge our civilization on".

Screw FLW! He was a man who slept with his clients.He would have pulled all these buildings down and built his own Taliesen East in Detroit. What good would that have done? Falling down half assed built buildings made for aesthetes to stare at and marvel at their cleverness. No thank you. Detroit is a brass knuckle stab them in the alley way and take their dough kinbd of place, not white collar behind a desk sneakery!

**Hermod** · June-10-10, 05:29 PM

If the office buildings are not beyond economic repair, they could be saved. The industrial buildings are functionally obsolete and should be razed.

**Russix** · June-10-10, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by Hermod

If the office buildings are not beyond economic repair, they could be saved. The industrial buildings are functionally obsolete and should be razed.

You mean like when they were still occupied?

**wolverine** · June-10-10, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by Russix

You mean like when they were still occupied?

That's not a very good question considering new office space with state of the art technologies is also vacant.

**Hermod** · June-10-10, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by Russix

You mean like when they were still occupied?

I meant if you slapped an historic designation on it and poured in money. You would still in essence be stealing tenants from other buildings.

**Whitehouse** · June-10-10, 07:18 PM

You have to have a lot of imagination to see lofts in the Globe Building. But the locations is magnificent with the view over the river. If they restore it I hope they patch up the "Globe Trading" name on the wall.