Lafayette Bldg. collapse set for 1 a.m.

**Detroitnerd** · February-25-10, 09:46 AM

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

So, how much has the property value of the Book-Cadillac increased in the past 48 hours now that the eyesore of the Lafayette is no longer there?

I presume the remainder of the condos have sold, and the hotel and restaurant are fully booked now.

First you have to wait until the former Lafayette is a grassy lot [[oops, I mean "green space") full of winos. Then that real estate value is sure to take off ...

**Detroitnerd** · February-25-10, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

PQZ works in Charlotte on transit-oriented development.

When he's not on here, anyway.

**mikeg19** · February-25-10, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

So, how much has the property value of the Book-Cadillac increased in the past 48 hours now that the eyesore of the Lafayette is no longer there?

I presume the remainder of the condos have sold, and the hotel and restaurant are fully booked now.

It's completely booked for Autorama at COBO this weekend.

**Huggybear** · February-25-10, 12:22 PM

Did he tell you how much he loved the building? I know plenty of people who worked in it and visited it, and not one actually liked it from a functional standpoint.

Originally Posted by 5speedz34

My father worked there in the mid-80s when he worked for the Court of Appeals after he graduated from law school. He told me stories about Soapies wife and how she brought her dog into the office.

**mikeg19** · February-25-10, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

PQZ works in Charlotte on transit-oriented development.

What kind of transit development? On a local level or national scale?

PQZ · February-25-10, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

What kind of transit development? On a local level or national scale?

http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/CATS/Home.htm

I coordinate, facilitate and promote transit oriented development around the exisiting light rail and work to maximize the economic impact of three new rail routes currently in design.

**Hermod** · February-25-10, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by PQZ

coordinate, facilitate, promote .

Any time I saw those words in an employee job description or in an office mission statement, I knew I had found very fertile grounds for the budget knife.

Definition: COORDINATOR--A guy with a desk between two expediters.

**charlottepaul** · February-25-10, 09:53 PM

The light rail in Charlotte collects density and development gathers around it, but it is hard to argue that it has necessarily increased the overall development of Charlotte. It's likely that these developments would still have happened, but just not have been concentrated around the rail line.

Bearinabox · February-25-10, 10:03 PM

Originally Posted by charlottepaul

The light rail in Charlotte collects density and development gathers around it...

Isn't this precisely the point?

**charlottepaul** · February-25-10, 10:10 PM

I suppose, and that is not a bad thing [[I am all for density), but often times, people try to argue that if it hadn't been for the light rail in Charlotte, all the development would not have happened. I don't think that is something that someone can argue. Moreover, a light rail line running down Woodward from 8 mile to Campus Martius in Detroit won't inherently spur development that wouldn't have reason to happen anyways.

Bearinabox · February-25-10, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by charlottepaul

I suppose, and that is not a bad thing [[I am all for density), but often times, people try to argue that if it hadn't been for the light rail in Charlotte, all the development would not have happened. I don't think that is something that someone can argue. Moreover, a light rail line running down Woodward from 8 mile to Campus Martius in Detroit won't inherently spur development that wouldn't have reason to happen anyways.

So basically, you're saying that light rail is just good public policy, and not magical fairy dust? Interesting perspective.

**charlottepaul** · February-25-10, 10:17 PM

Yes. Sorry. I do agree. I ride it solely. I do not have a car. Just makes me anxious when people are quick to try and make it out to be anything more than good transportation system.

**Gsgeorge** · February-25-10, 10:19 PM

Isn't this thread about the Lafayette Building?

Along those lines, SNWEB.org was also there and got some shots up on his flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/snweb/a...en/2010/02/24/

This one really shows how 'thin' the last part of the east wall was. A great view from the BC Garage:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/snweb/4.../in/datetaken/

**Gsgeorge** · February-25-10, 10:52 PM

My video of the collapse [[in HD!), taken from the 17th floor of the Holiday Inn Express, can be seen here:

http://www.vimeo.com/9748682

**warsaw7** · February-25-10, 10:58 PM

Your photos are breathtaking, I can only imagine how well your video turns out! Proper.

**leland_palmer** · February-25-10, 11:30 PM

WDIV has a sideshow of various stages of the demo. I hope they got permission for some of the photos.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/slides...35/detail.html

**Lowell** · February-25-10, 11:33 PM

Outstanding Video Gsgeorge!!

**Gistok** · February-26-10, 12:46 AM

Great video Gsgeorge... but....

....your short video "millender"..... wow.... absolutely wow!!!

**Gsgeorge** · February-26-10, 12:57 AM

thanks everyone for the great response! lowell, i am honored to appear on the 'sidebar' as part of the site tour! wow!

thanks Gistok, 'millender' was a blast to make, and should be fun for Detroiters to identify the sights. for those who make it through to the latter third of this video [[or skip there) there is some timelapse footage taken from the People Mover at night -- two rides on the system, one facing the rear and one facing forwards...
http://www.vimeo.com/9449074

Buildings & Snweb both got some fantastic footage, and there were a few more photographers there....

**Gistok** · February-26-10, 01:29 AM

Gsgeorge... what I love about "millender" is the use of video to blur the lines between the real world and the abstract world. This is what "Koyyanisqatsi" and "Chronos" [[two art films that blur the lines between the two worlds as well) also have achieved. And the right music adds to the effect. Awesome!

[[Sorry to threadjack!)

**Dan** · February-26-10, 07:52 AM

Those Bastards.

**Russix** · February-26-10, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by buildingsofdetroit

Here's my raw footage from last night's collapse. It falls at the 1:15 mark. GSGeorge and several other friends were up there shooting video from multiple vantage points, so we're going to do a nice, edited video soon. Figured those who didn't brave the cold might want to see what they missed, though, so here's the uncut version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVvMgsdLF4U

Lafayette collapses as the flanking parking structures rise.

**Whitehouse** · February-26-10, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

My video of the collapse [[in HD!), taken from the 17th floor of the Holiday Inn Express, can be seen here:

http://www.vimeo.com/9748682

What is that boom, coming down at the far right corner of the building? Was that a crane used to push the building down?

**Whitehouse** · February-26-10, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by leland_palmer

WDIV has a sideshow of various stages of the demo. I hope they got permission for some of the photos.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/slides...35/detail.html

Sideshow.... What a nice Freudian slip!