Penobscot Observation Deck

**Pushtina** · August-17-10, 09:38 AM

I heard the observation deck near the top of the Penobscot Building closed in 2005. Anyone with any possible connections to get access to what I'm imagining to be one of the best views in the city? Any help is much appreciated!

**Zacha341** · August-17-10, 10:04 AM

Wow! I did not know there'd been an observation deck there. I'd love to see the city from such a view. Are there any other buildings downtown with a legal observation area?

Originally Posted by Pushtina

I heard the observation deck near the top of the Penobscot Building closed in 2005. Anyone with any possible connections to get access to what I'm imagining to be one of the best views in the city? Any help is much appreciated!

bartock · August-17-10, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by Pushtina

I heard the observation deck near the top of the Penobscot Building closed in 2005. Anyone with any possible connections to get access to what I'm imagining to be one of the best views in the city? Any help is much appreciated!

I thought that Brian McKeen's firm had access to it, at least at one point. McKeen & Associates is the name of the firm. I'd just cold-call and see if someone knows.

**DetroitPlanner** · August-17-10, 10:24 AM

Its been closed a lot longer than that! Maybe someone opened it in 2005 for a private event?

**Kathleen** · August-17-10, 11:23 AM

The "open to the public" observation deck on the Penobscot Building roof has been closed for many, many years. But it was open during the early part of this decade to the Preservation Wayne skyscraper tours each summer, and in the 80s and 90s for Historic Preservation Week. Unfortunately new building owners and ongoing maintenance stopped that practice about 2005. I have no idea what the conditions are on the roof these days....sure would be nice to enjoy the outdoor view from there once again!!

**Detroit Stylin** · August-17-10, 11:26 AM

I have been there once during a PW tour downtown. And the only views you would get better than from there are on top of the RenCen but Penob got it beat in the sense that you are actually not enclosed by glass...

**Kathleen** · August-17-10, 11:27 AM

Here is a link to a DYes thread from 2007...including some photos.

http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/...tml?1174943310

**Rocko** · August-17-10, 12:01 PM

I was at the Coach Insignia back in June and took some photos. I'll try to resize them and post a couple here. Simply beautiful. I believe you can just go up to the bar without reservations. Grab a drink and bring your camera! They're only open after 5, though.

Somewhere I have a photo my grandpa took of my grandma standing on the Penobscot deck in the 50s. She hated heights, even then. I'm surprised he got her up there.

Honestly, I'm surprised they don't open it back up, even just on the weekends or something. I'd pay $10 to go once or twice per year. They could hype it up at Inside Detroit and really encourage visitors to go up there. Then, they could tie it in with all the various Detroit walking and bus tours to generate additional cash flow. Many other cities can do it....why can't we?

**Kathleen** · August-17-10, 12:24 PM

The daily Renaissance Center tour takes you up to the Coach Insignia level and gives you a few minutes to walk the 360 around and back to the elevator. Of course you can take photos.

The tour is free of charge; offered Monday-Friday at 12 and 2. http://www.gmrencen.com/Tours/tabid/65/Default.aspx

**Focus313** · August-17-10, 02:24 PM

From some magazine

One I was permitted to take a couple winters ago

Man was that a cold shoot

**mauser** · August-17-10, 02:27 PM

I know somebody who has access and will document it. Stay tuned !

**mauser** · August-17-10, 02:28 PM

I went up in 2005 for that last tour.

**TKshreve** · August-17-10, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by Kathleen

The daily Renaissance Center tour takes you up to the Coach Insignia level and gives you a few minutes to walk the 360 around and back to the elevator. Of course you can take photos.

The tour is free of charge; offered Monday-Friday at 12 and 2. http://www.gmrencen.com/Tours/tabid/65/Default.aspx

Nice and all, but half of the view is Windsor. Whoopee.

Now the penob would be quite an experience.

**mikefmich** · August-17-10, 04:25 PM

I was up there as a little kid......1957-ish. Dad was stroking about being up that high, ma was stroking because I kept on wanting to get up on the edge of the walls to see over better.

One of the best views I ever had was circa 1963, we watched the fireworks from the roof of One Woodward, before the bldg was completed. Interesting watching fireworks looking down on them.

I gotta get out those old photo boxes and start scanning.

**xD_Brklyn** · August-17-10, 05:42 PM

That magazine photo from the top of the Penobscot is just fantastic. Would love to see it posted to Shorpy one day.

**WaCoTS** · August-17-10, 05:50 PM

looks like somebody was up there, definitely post-2005:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goZFrsY4S3s&feature=fvsr

**mauser** · August-17-10, 07:58 PM

Attachment 7202

Attachment 7203

I misspoke, I was up there in 04.

**marcwigle** · August-17-10, 08:57 PM

From that Youtube video, I can tell you why no one is allowed up there... railings. One push and some poor slob is part of the sidewalk. There is not a hope in hell that the owner would open that deck for visitors. I know that I sure as hell wouldn't unless a glass wall 10-15 feet high was constructed all around. That place is a lawsuit/accident waiting to happen. Too bad because it would be a nice view.

**mauser** · August-18-10, 02:43 AM

Um...Im pretty sure Nailhed does not summit in that vid.

**Magnatomicflux** · August-18-10, 03:05 AM

Anyone notice that 95% of the aircraft warning globe up top is burnt out? lol

There's just this single sliver of red blinking away at Windsor.

**Pushtina** · August-18-10, 08:16 AM

I took this from the observation deck on top of the Guardian Building around April of this year. You can see the multiple landings on the Penobscot for viewing purposes. I want to get up there primarily so I can get shots of the David Stott and the Guardian. Sigh....

**jtf1972** · August-18-10, 08:26 AM

When I worked there in the mid 90's I was talking to one of the security guards that had been there forever... He told me the reason for closing it was that, like the Empire State Building, it had become a sort of hot spot for suicides. He even said one woman was so adamant that when she could not get observation deck access she went to a stairwell & jumped out the window there.