"Will the Real Detroit Skyline Please Stand Up"

[wolverine 12]

THE CITY RISES

Will the Real Detroit Skyline Please Stand Up says this Detroit Free Press Article .  If the links doesn't work, it basically gives the impression that Detroit is not quite ready for the 2006 superbowl.  In the artistic rendering of the cityscape, buildings, currently with missing roofs and broken windows, are depicted as vibrant and brightly lit.  That kind of makes me wonder how much is going to be done in the two years that Detroit has until the Superbowl.  Most of the conflict arises around the surrounding buildings near Ford Field where the game will be hosted.  Some people on city committies would simply like to demolish buildings while others don't.  It would be sad to see these buildings go because it would rob the city of much of its architectural character.  However, if these hollowed shells remain when the media spotlight shines on the city, it will be a serious embarassment.  Although I live in Ann Arbor (Detroit Metro area), it pains me to see these architectural jems mowed over to make parking lot space or to hide these abandoned hulks from the public eye.  This really concerns me because I don't think all these buildings in the Grand Circus Park area surrounding Ford Field and comerica park can be completed on time, and if they aren't they will likely be demolished.  Although great efforts are visible along the Woodwaard District, it isn't within view of the stadium, and thus I think more effort needs to be done in areas of closer proximity to the stadium.  What do you all think, do you think many of Detroit's buildings face doom as Superbowl XL lurks closer?  Below is some photos I recently took and a few are from detroityes.com.  You can find more pictures of Detroits buildings at detroityes.com

 

^ This building, the Madison Lenox, is just across the street from Ford Field, the epicenter of Superbowl activity.  It is just on the brink of demolition, but a local group has saved it yet again, for a few weeks at least.

 

A good before and after a picture.  To the left is the Hudsons Building being imploded, the biggest one ever, and today stands the new Compuware Headquarters at that location.  That center plaza is called Campus Maritus, and it's taking forever to finish.

 

The abandoned Stalter Hotel is another building within view of the stadium, however, it's going nowhere fast.

 

Absolutely no effort was made to make the Michigan Theater look more like a parking ramp.  This will be a horrible if this is not restored back to its primary purpose by 2006.

 

This building is still salvagable, although the artistic deocor and Lions heads have been removed from the building by a Chicago Housing Developer.

 

Greektown was one of the surviving neighborhoods when Detroit was in its worse period of decline.  Today it continues to thrive, which will be a popular area during the Superbowl.

 

In general, it's looking better in most areas, but not a lot of cars or people on the streets.  Hopefully, the city will get the economic stronghold it needs when the biggest game in the NFL comes to town.

[+Guest]

Dear god, it looks like Newark during the 80's and early 90's.

[BarbulaM1 38]

It looks alot like Richmond. I hope they restore it, cause it is sad when things like that happen.

[DuskTrooper 314]

Detroit currently looks like @&%#.

Imagine what it couldv'e been if it weren't for those riots.

[hello_SC4 1]

A theatre a parking lot? That is so sad. How could nobody care if it weren't for the Superbowl? Tsk tsk.

[+Guest]

Ouch. Looks like Reading, Pennsylvania, only ten times bigger.

[M-SIL 2]

Wow, Detriot REALLY needs a 911 emergency makeover!! If they had Extreme Makeover- City Edition, Detriot will be the one to recieve the citywide makeover. But for some reason, I could see the interbeauti of Detriot. Which means, this city has alot potential.

[vidioman 21]

 

Tell the group that is saving that thing to renovate it too. Across from Ford Feild? That won't make the city  look too good. They should build a park or something there. Or at least renovate it. It's uglier than most abandoned things here. Does it even have windows?

[baldy 0]

Wow, someone awoke an old thread!

 

Vid, great comment about telling the people trying to save that thing to renovate it!  LOL! 

 

Downtown is starting to get new life into it which instead of new construction, they are renovating many of the older, abandoned buildings.  Now I believe in preserving many of the buildings as Detroit has the best collection of pre-drepression architecture, but you can't save everything.  The building you show is the Hotel Madison Lennox, IMO should be taken down, and yes there are no windows left in the building.  Save the Statler, but kill the Madi-Len.  The whole problem is that if it is torn down, a gravel parking lot will end up there.  What's worse, abandonded buildings or a skyline depreived of it's buildings and a downtown filled with open spaces? 

[+Guest]

And I thought nothing could be worse than Philly........

[vidioman 21]

You know what Detriot shoul;d do? Not give out ANY more construction permits in the down town area, nad give tax breaks to companys that renovate those buildings. Detriot would be a lot nicer, especially if they fixed up all the old buildings. After that they can fill in the gaps for the skyline, cause from what I've seen, they took a similar route like thunder Bay, out, then up. Though they are far ahead. We can build out for thousands of kilometres if we wanted to..

[joexcooldude 1]

robk: Some of that reminds me of downtown Chester, as almost everything there is in ruins. Philly is starting to come around though.

[+Guest]

Date: 8/30/2004 1:21:15 PM
Author: joexcooldude
robk: Some of that reminds me of downtown Chester, as almost everything there is in ruins. Philly is starting to come around though.

quote>

Yeah Philly is slowly getting better. Did you read the Rethinking: North philly article in the Daily news? It almost brought a tear to my eye LOL. I was in Reading the other day, and it really wasn't too good a place.....

[wolverine 12]

Actually, there are already some great incentives in place to get people to rehab old buildings..and it is working.  The problem deals with some of the buildings shown above.  They are fairly large, and designed with only one purpose - to be hotels or theaters.  Their internal structures make it difficult to renovate into apartments that would fit todays standards, and apartments that meet these standards are only going to sell. 

 

I believe there is a scandal behind the broken widows.  Some people say that the owner had the windows deliberately removed to cause further deterioration of the building so that it would eventually become compromised and torn down.  But this may not be the case.  The owner also owns the Tigers and Redwings and holds ownership to many of Detroit's buildings.  I can't say what is going through his head because I don't know.  Whether the windows were deliberately removed so that they wouldn't be broken by vandals or compromise the structure, I do not know.  Detroit is a confusing city.  Who knows what will become of some of these buildings. 

 

As for the red brick Statler shown above, I mentioned I didn't know its future.  Well I know now, it's going to be leveled - maybe.  It appears a preservation group said the city's vote to level it was illegal, so we will see how it goes.  It was supposed to be torn down early August, and still stands today.  It was also announced a while ago that the lower four floors would be saved while the rest of the structure would go.  For what reason I do not know. 

 

Tearing down buildings isn't the best thing for Detroit.  Just look at an aerial photo and you will see hundreds of parking lots.  Detroit has such a low density at this time, that abandoned buildings actually look good compared to the gravel parking lots.  The economy is picking up in the city, but still too slow.  Rushing the demolition could be disastrous for the city, as new studies show that Demolishing abandoned structures with historical merit can have negative impacts on a city's property values, reguardless of the structures' condition.  This sounds shocking, but it can be true.  A sea of parking lots isn't going to help the city get back on its feet.  The Madison Lenox is still salvagable, and demolition isn't that easy.  Just because you own the building doesn't mean you can demolish it.  The city and several organizations have the final right to decide what goes up and comes down.

 

Now, I would like to show you some interesting photos.  Tell me what you think of this building.  If you are from Detroit, and know what I'm about to show in the future, don't say anything. 

Anyway, here is the structue:  What do you think of it?  Do you think it can still be saved?

 

The building is being re-boarded up, and a sign is featured above it, desperately trying to sell the property.

 

A closeup of the burned shell.

 

The walls inside can barely hold up the already fallen floors.

 

Would you dare to go up there?

 

The foundation has already begun to deteriorate.

 

The brick is far to ugly to be restored.  Can this structure be saved?  Or should it be demolished.

 

Only the Detroiters know.

[DuskTrooper 314]

Well, there is hope for Detroit. Resote the buildings that can be restored, and rebuild the old crappy ones.

[vidioman 21]

Lol. They could turn that brick eyesore into a museum. Ye Olde Ruins of Detroit

 

We have a 9 storey brick office tower, built in the 50s sometime, in the middle of nowhere. I think it was actually an industrial thing, it has a big steel tank on one said, not many windows. But the top 6 floors have no more windows, it's dirty and sticks out (visible from the entire south end) the first storey is an auto shop, the 2nd and 3rd are used by druggies, and catch fire occasionally. Oddly, demolition of the tower has NEVER come up before city council, and NO ONE has EVER complained about it Unless they did, but that was before I watched the news often which means it would be before 2000... BTW- It's called Old Iron Works Tower

[baldy 0]

I know that building Wolverine!  I think they should ________ that building.

[+Guest]

That building reminds me of a few in Philly. There are a few just like it near Temple University.

[baldy 0]

So what does everyone think?  Tear it down or try and renovate it?

[wolverine 12]

Date:9/2/2004 1:50:08 AM
Author:vidioman

Lol. They could turn that brick eyesore into a museum. 'Ye Olde Ruins of Detroit'

quote>

Actually, I know a lot of people who think a Ruins Museum would be valuable to the city.  It would raise awareness of the city's blight.  In my opinion, Detroit has some of the most interesting ruins across the U.S.  There is also a wesbite dedicated to showing 100's of Detroit Ruins.  You can see them all at detroityes.com

[rbdetsport 0]

Well the Superbowl has come and gone. Detroit looks amazing compared to when this thread was started. So many renovations. By next year 1800 new hotel rooms will be added. Roughly 1000 new residential units. And probably around 50 new storefronts.