Last tenant at Packard Plant calls it quits and moves out

**CLAUDE G** · November-15-10, 05:14 AM

Here is a good article in the Detroit news this morning...

http://detnews.com/article/20101115/...se-last-tenant

I wonder how long after this guy takes all his stuff out and walks away from the place, will the scrappers be in stripping everything thats left of the area this guy rented?

Does this tenant even bother to lock the doors on the way out?

**Magnatomicflux** · November-15-10, 05:36 AM

I think he'll lock up, he seems to have alot of respect for the old place. He's spent basically his whole life in the place. I'm sure he's perfectly aware of how futile it will be, but he'll do it all the same.
Sad. That was the last heartbeat of a 107 year old.

Thanks for the link.

**Lowell** · November-15-10, 10:10 AM

Bruce Kafarski is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. He patiently endured and created jobs for his employees in spite of the continuing decline of the facility and attacks by thieves and scrappers. Amid this he lost his wife and was left with the care of young children. Yet he is peacefully composed not given to whining and anger, just kept moving and dealing with the cards he was dealt. He also had a love for the site and generously shared his time with the curious. He had deep ties going back to childhood so I am sure there was much reluctance to leave. I wish him the absolute best.

**56packman** · November-15-10, 10:14 AM

Absolutely Lowell. Bruce and I have talked several times over business having to do with the plant and his company's history there.

**daddeeo** · November-15-10, 11:07 AM

I'm curious if this move might have been accelerated because of the tax status that has changed on the site.The Plant owner would probably try to pass along a nice increase
in rent to help defray the taxes he'll have to pay on the property.
Sounds like this Bruce went above and beyond the call of duty in sticking it out for so many years. Economics finally caught up with him.

**Gsgeorge** · November-15-10, 12:41 PM

I'm curious about who he payed rent to, period. If it is indeed true that the plant's tax & ownership status was muddled for so long, how did he stay there, and who was his landlord? And I think the bigger question is--how in God's name do you run a business out of that ruined building? I always see Chemical Processing when I visit the Packard, and I commend the owners for sticking it out. But really, no matter what kind of business you are, being in that facility has to be a major, major liability. No insurance company in the world would cover a business being run out of an abandoned building.

**56packman** · November-15-10, 01:13 PM

Gsgeorge--he paid rent to the City of Detroit, per their instructions, after they began the illegal seizure attempt in 1999, I'm not sure who he paid to after that was turned over by the State Supreme court many, many years later. He called me that day to tell me that the Supreme Court had decided against the city.