how's book tower holding up?

[cb79]

"I know who runs it. And I don't understand why you're so angry and hateful. If you don't like the site, go to another website, move on."

Typical idiot comment from those who think Detroit's their playground to abuse and trash for their own amusement. It's attitudes like this that have led Detroit to where it is today.

Really? Not that it has anything to do with the fact that the building was abandoned 50 years ago and has had 50 years of frosting and thawing, rain/ice damage and let's not forget the cutting of load bearing i-beams by scrappers. No, it's the survival crackas, they kicked over an old filing cabinet or something which is destroying the Packard plant. Who's the idiot? I've stated a valid point concerning what destroys a building. Do you know what just one Michigan winter does to a building? Most building damage is a result of weathering, the second most common effort is done by scrappers ripping apart walls and load bearing steel. Not saying that it's ok however; throwing a filing cabinet down an elevator shaft? = 0 building damage. Think about it. Seems like a lot of wasted effort getting bent out of shape over the 0.01% slice in the pie chart.

[rjlj]

Seems like a lot of wasted effort defending these losers, trespassing and your right to destroy filing cabinets.

[d.mcc]

Not saying that it's ok however; throwing a filing cabinet down an elevator shaft? = 0 building damage. Think about it. Seems like a lot of wasted effort getting bent out of shape over the 0.01% slice in the pie chart.

Oh...well if everyone is doing it then thats ok, I'm sure your mother appreciates that type of logic. .01%??? Yeah, if it's one person, but when groups of 18-19 year old "urban explorers" come down every weekend with their kodak handi-cams and their artsy black and white film and continue this shit every weekend, surely it will have an effect. But like I said, since everyone else is doing it, that makes it ok...I guess if enough people start stealing cars and breaking into people's homes I soon enough will be able to use that as a legitimate defense in a court of law. Christ, where did your sense of entitlement come from?

[j to the jeremy]

"Everybody else is doing it"/ "it's nothing compared to..." is one of the biggest problems in Detroit today. That's the same attitude that criminals all over the city have, and it's the reason they're not caught often enough. The idea that any crime you commit doesn't count because it's a blip on the radar screen is stupid. Neglect of buildings in the city is a big issue, and a lot of the most visible ones downtown show signs of intentional vandalism. And by vandalism I don't mean graffiti, I mean smashing windows and generally doing the kind of stuff seen on those videos.

And the more it happens, the more kids will think it's OK. And when people ask them why it's OK, they'll point out how shitty the city looks [[due to the previous people like them). It's a vicious cycle. Take pride in your city, don't slowly accelerate the disorder.

[Bearinabox]

I don't understand the appeal of smashing things. Any idiot can smash things. You think that's fun, try building something. Add to the world, instead of taking away from it. Put all that latent energy to work.

Or at least go smash up your own city and leave mine alone.

http://www.detroitblog.org/?p=544

[wolverine]

I'm not going to disagree with the fact that going through these buildings is interesting. Guess what? I've explored the Book myself. Except that I got PERMISSION every time. I didn't just run in and jump the tape. I remember the security guard complaining how people were marching in with cameras and leaving the windows near the fire escape open. Since some of these floors weren't occupied, nobody noticed the rain blowing in making a mess of things. So much for maintaining that rep that honest to goodness urban explorers cause "0" damage.

[cb79]

Oh...well if everyone is doing it then thats ok, I'm sure your mother appreciates that type of logic. .01%??? Yeah, if it's one person, but when groups of 18-19 year old "urban explorers" come down every weekend with their kodak handi-cams and their artsy black and white film and continue this shit every weekend, surely it will have an effect. But like I said, since everyone else is doing it, that makes it ok...I guess if enough people start stealing cars and breaking into people's homes I soon enough will be able to use that as a legitimate defense in a court of law. Christ, where did your sense of entitlement come from?

How can you compare knocking over a filing cabinet left abandoned that no one has cared about for 50 years to stealing someone's cars and breaking into peoples houses? We're not even in the same ballpark, illogic.

"Everybody else is doing it"/ "it's nothing compared to..." is one of the biggest problems in Detroit today. That's the same attitude that criminals all over the city have, and it's the reason they're not caught often enough. The idea that any crime you commit doesn't count because it's a blip on the radar screen is stupid. Neglect of buildings in the city is a big issue, and a lot of the most visible ones downtown show signs of intentional vandalism. And by vandalism I don't mean graffiti, I mean smashing windows and generally doing the kind of stuff seen on those videos.

And the more it happens, the more kids will think it's OK. And when people ask them why it's OK, they'll point out how shitty the city looks [[due to the previous people like them). It's a vicious cycle. Take pride in your city, don't slowly accelerate the disorder.

I can agree with this statement. "The Broken Window Theory", point taken.

I'm not going to disagree with the fact that going through these buildings is interesting. Guess what? I've explored the Book myself. Except that I got PERMISSION every time. I didn't just run in and jump the tape. I remember the security guard complaining how people were marching in with cameras and leaving the windows near the fire escape open. Since some of these floors weren't occupied, nobody noticed the rain blowing in making a mess of things. So much for maintaining that rep that honest to goodness urban explorers cause "0" damage.

I can agree with this concern as well. I've opened windows before to get a shot and I always make my best effort to shut them afterwards. Once in awhile, they're hard to close once they've been opened for the first time in 20 years, but I understand the importance in respect to the devastating impact that weathering has on a building. As for permission... We're talking about wide open buildings here. If it's locked, I'll ask permission, but if it's open... who cares? obviously not the building owner.

Bottom line here is. There's no excuse for the smashing of things in abandoned buildings. However, if it's not something that is going to directly lead to the loss of a salvagable building, why be so concerned with someone elses beavis like mentality that has no real impact? Don't waste your hero energy on something so petty such as this alleged filing cabinet [[which I haven't yet seen a video of). Invest your energy in bringing justice to people smashing outside windows which will contribute to the acceleration of weather damage. How about investing your energy into doing something to save salvagable buildings? You're wasting your time with this petty crap.

[rjlj]

I cant wait to encounter you.

To respond to the title of this thread, I have heard that the electrical system has been scrapped out and needs to be completely replaced. You won't see lights on in the building anytime soon. The generator in the ally is to keep the basement dry. Also, the interior of the building has been completely trashed.

[d.mcc]

You are taking my filing cabinet down the elevator shaft much to literally. It's merely a point, and you missed it. It is still wrong! Someone owns the building, thus, they own the filing cabinet. It is still destruction of property no matter how you spin it. A rose by any other name...

[cb79]

I cant wait to encounter you.

Sit down with your self righteous bs. Do you even know who I am? You've probably already encountered me somewhere... I'm around quite a bit. And I don't live in Northville if that's what you're thinking. Not that there's anything wrong with Northville, I have a few friends who live there, it's a nice upper class but not too uptight sort of place, some Red Wings live there, and hey at least it's not Royal Oak.

As for the Book Tower. I know quite a few people who have found their way in there in recent months. I know that when the place first went dark, it was basically wide open for the first couple of weeks, you could walk right in through the main revolving glass door as if the place was open for business. They did a good job of sealing that up eventually which was very effective and almost stopped the trespassing completely. But there was still a weak point in the alley, I've checked on it multiple times over the last few months... It's never been wide open, although easily negotiable if someone wanted in. I'm not willing to cross the line between simple trespassing and b&e myself, just saying that it wouldn't be hard if the wrong person noticed that too and it's just a matter of time, so they should do something about that before a rich white kid from Northville busts it open. Overall I'm optimistic about the Book Tower; I was concerned at first, but now that I see that the owners are taking care of it. There's often people there working on it, I don't think Detroit has anything to worry about with this place for the forseeable future, would sure be a shame to see this place end up like the Broderick.

[Lorax]

I was walking around the Book Building/Tower this week and noticed the guard, and how it looked generally secured, however, I later noticed how some of the windows around the 10th floor or thereabouts had spray painted graffiti on the inside of the glass, similar to what you see in the Whitney Building.

Also, some of the second floor large windows of the Book Building side were open. The magnificent cherub clock hanging from the lobby ceiling looked to still be there, however it may not survive, since it's rather valuable.

There is also, unknown to most people, a glass dome under the lobby ceiling of the Book Building, which I would assume is still there, as it was years ago when I had the privilege of seeing it when some work was being done which required the removal of some of the 50's drop ceilings.