 
Ndavies
Member
Username: Ndavies
Post Number: 1584
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 70.236.175.43
| | Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 1:11 pm: |    |
 |
Psip
Member
Username: Psip
Post Number: 899
Registered: 04-2005
Posted From: 69.246.13.131
| | Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 1:17 pm: | |
Anyone want to wager on how many times the cable breaks on the ball?
I say 6. |
Broken_main
Member
Username: Broken_main
Post Number: 699
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 69.222.11.226
| | Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 1:18 pm: | |
Just another sad day in the downtown area. Booooo for the new parkin lot!!! |
Kathleen
Member
Username: Kathleen
Post Number: 1129
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.14.122.57
| | Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 2:04 am: | |
Nice to run into Mauser and E_Hemingway while were taking photos of the Donovan building demolition early this afternoon!! We stopped by around 7:15 this evening to check on the progress made since we were down there between 1 and 2 this afternoon, and found that they had already begun on the service drive side of the building!! But they had stopped working for the day by then, and still nothing happening when we drove by again around 11:15 pm. We were wondering if something had happened to impede their progress...and whether they will start up again at 5am Sunday morning???
(Message edited by Kathleen on January 22, 2006) |
Mauser765
Member
Username: Mauser765
Post Number: 676
Registered: 01-2004
Posted From: 4.229.54.50
| | Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 10:55 am: | |
Kathleen - remember we were wondering about the reason for the dirt piles on the I-75 fascade side ? As we assumed, it was to absorb the impact of falling limestone and concrete.
I scouted out the debris last night around midnight, and sorry Goat, I was unable to locate any meter wide limestone rosettes for you ! LOL |
Lowell
Board Administrator
Username: Lowell
Post Number: 2202
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 66.167.58.137
| | Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 3:09 pm: | |
Sunday January 22...
 |
Goat
Member
Username: Goat
Post Number: 8081
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 64.228.211.85
| | Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 3:18 pm: | |
Mauser, There's money to be made if I can get a nice detail of the building. I know, those rosettes are big but... |
Supersport
Member
Username: Supersport
Post Number: 9784
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.246.37.236
| | Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 3:49 pm: | |
Lowell,
Must have just missed you this morning! Took Zeus for a walk down there a few hours ago. Saw Kathleen taking pictures, approached her and gave the "TEAR THAT SCHITT DOWN" shout out. LOL |
Lmichigan
Member
Username: Lmichigan
Post Number: 3060
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 67.172.95.197
| | Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 8:37 pm: | |
I may have missed this somewhere in the thread, but I had a few more questions concerning the history of both of these structures:
1. When were they both totally vacated?
2. When was the Sanders Building constructed, and was that it's given and proper name? |
Mauser765
Member
Username: Mauser765
Post Number: 677
Registered: 01-2004
Posted From: 4.229.93.175
| | Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 8:44 pm: | |
 |
Mauser765
Member
Username: Mauser765
Post Number: 678
Registered: 01-2004
Posted From: 4.229.93.175
| | Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 8:47 pm: | |
Lmich - http://detroitblog.org/
Hes done more research on these two buildings than youll find anyplace else. Great new post about both. |
Lowell
Board Administrator
Username: Lowell
Post Number: 2204
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 66.167.58.137
| | Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 9:13 pm: | |
Well Nutz, sorry I missed both you and Kathleen and the pooch. I cruised the site several time. What beautiful light there was this morning. Hope to see you at LJ's this Wed.
 |
Mauser765
Member
Username: Mauser765
Post Number: 680
Registered: 01-2004
Posted From: 4.229.51.193
| | Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 9:44 pm: | |
I mustof just missed all you guys this morning too. I passed through a few times between 11 and 2. |
Kathleen
Member
Username: Kathleen
Post Number: 1131
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.14.122.57
| | Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 9:57 pm: | |
Sorry we missed you this morning, Lowell, and you too, Mauser. Nice chatting with SuperSport and Zeus for a few minutes!! We had stopped by around 10am to take some photos, and then again around 11:45. We saw the wrecking ball making some moves just before noon, and had hopes of watching some real action, but nothing came of it after 15 or 20 minutes of waiting, so we headed home for the day.
Thanks to all for keeping us posted on the progress. Am going to try to make it to LJ's on Wednesday! |
Lmichigan
Member
Username: Lmichigan
Post Number: 3063
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 67.172.95.197
| | Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 10:31 pm: | |
I looked, but to no avail. Only the first question I have is answered there, and there is no way to contact the DetroitBlog (who I figure must be a member here). |
Kathleen
Member
Username: Kathleen
Post Number: 1132
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.14.122.57
| | Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 10:36 pm: | |
Lmichigan,
Not much is known about the history of Sanders Building. I too read the DetriotBlog piece on this demolition and although he has done a good deal of research, as yet, no one has uncovered the building's original name or year in which it was built. I'm sure that some of us will continue to work at identifying those pieces of information. |
Detourdetroit
Member
Username: Detourdetroit
Post Number: 156
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.213.205.102
| | Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 11:30 pm: | |
According to a Cass Corridor Historic Resources Inventory, the Sanders Building is from 1914. Supposedly it was built as a two-story building and refaced with the terra cotta when it was expanded... |
Crazy_pete
Member
Username: Crazy_pete
Post Number: 5
Registered: 01-2006
Posted From: 72.138.178.249
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 12:00 am: | |
I was at the Hocketown Cafe on Saturday between 3-4 or so... I stopped in after visiting NAIAS (I was down from Ottawa Canada).
I snapped a few pics of the Donovan building too as they were taking it down. Actually, if you look at the second to last pic posted in this thread, I was parked behind that beige Silverado... Lol.
Speaking of which, anyone here have a black Scion? That was the only other guy I saw there taking pics while I was around... he had a fancy SLR cam of some sort.
(Message edited by crazy_pete on January 22, 2006) |
Lmichigan
Member
Username: Lmichigan
Post Number: 3064
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 67.172.95.197
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 12:34 am: | |
Thanks all. I find this demolition even more senseless than that of the Madion Lenox in that neither of these were in danger of collapse, and the excuse that it was needed for parking is just ridiculous when you consider the COUNTLESS empty lots just north and west of this complex.
God forbid someone has to walk past two vacant buildings on their way to Ford Field, huh? The area is going to looked completely naked, now, and EVERYONE will notice. Yes, that includes the Super Bowl visitors. The city is fooling no one but themselves, IMO. King Kwame loves to be play a preservation on TV...when it helps his image. Otherwise, look out you vacant buildings, history be damned, we need to hide our past in a parking lot. If he keeps up his pace, northern downtown will become a Disneyland Detroit. Kind of ironic when you could have had the real thing, dont you think?
Rant done. |
Psip
Member
Username: Psip
Post Number: 903
Registered: 04-2005
Posted From: 69.246.13.131
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 12:37 am: | |
Kwame hates buildings. |
Lmichigan
Member
Username: Lmichigan
Post Number: 3065
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 67.172.95.197
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 12:42 am: | |
Kanye West should make a public service annoucement on Detroit-area TV on just that. I'd fall over laughing. |
Kathleen
Member
Username: Kathleen
Post Number: 1135
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.14.122.57
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 1:02 am: | |
Thanks, detourdetroit, for the info on the Sanders Building!! |
Mauser765
Member
Username: Mauser765
Post Number: 681
Registered: 01-2004
Posted From: 4.229.54.16
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 7:47 am: | |
Lmich - no, Detroitblog is not a Deyesser.
Yes, if you look on his site there is in fact an email address. |
Mauser765
Member
Username: Mauser765
Post Number: 682
Registered: 01-2004
Posted From: 4.229.27.185
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 11:30 am: | |
Geez, too bad I missed SuperSport and his minibeast...Although Im a little nervous that Zeus may confuse "Randy" with "Andy" - LMAO |
Huggybear
Member
Username: Huggybear
Post Number: 136
Registered: 08-2005
Posted From: 192.217.12.254
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 12:36 pm: | |
Are they stalled? Nothing was going on late Sunday (or at all Sunday from what I can tell) - and it's 4 hours into the demolition day today. Building is definitely listing toward the north. |
Toybreaker
Member
Username: Toybreaker
Post Number: 28
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 69.220.69.189
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 2:26 pm: | |
High res scans here:
http://flickr.com/photos/toybreaker/
I just went down and grabbed handfulls of documents. More info later as I have to run off to a meeting now.  |
Jt1
Member
Username: Jt1
Post Number: 6505
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 198.208.159.20
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 2:28 pm: | |
quote:Although Im a little nervous that Zeus may confuse "Randy" with "Andy" - LMAO
Isn't this out of Andy's safe zone. I think that SS has stated it was CBD or nothing for Andy. |
Mauser765
Member
Username: Mauser765
Post Number: 683
Registered: 01-2004
Posted From: 4.229.123.108
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 3:12 pm: | |
Yeah, well you know about the "kill command" dont you ? hahaha ! |
Supersport
Member
Username: Supersport
Post Number: 9789
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 64.118.137.228
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 3:27 pm: | |
Yes, unless Andy has a telephoto lens, he won't be covering this demo. |
Mauser765
Member
Username: Mauser765
Post Number: 684
Registered: 01-2004
Posted From: 4.229.69.250
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 5:07 pm: | |
wow - they really have stalled out. They seemed to have removed some load bearers on the north side, exposing the elevator shaft and the stairwell. Lots of debris removal via trucks - and the steamshovels this morning were shoveling soft debris like plaster (and Motown paperwork) into the Sanders basement hole, kicking up huge clouds of white dust. |
Drm
Member
Username: Drm
Post Number: 801
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.73.199.158
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 8:17 pm: | |
Sport, sometimes Andy will take pictures from inside his car. Not sure if he stops or just slows down, though. |
Ndavies
Member
Username: Ndavies
Post Number: 1589
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.212.34.4
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 9:45 pm: | |
They're back at it. I expect the rest of the building to be gone by the morning.
 |
Spaceboykelly
Member
Username: Spaceboykelly
Post Number: 113
Registered: 04-2005
Posted From: 69.246.30.248
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 9:48 pm: | |
Goodbye Motown 1
Goodbye Motown 2
Goodbye Motown 3
Goodbye Motown 4
All images are copyright Kelly Suitor 2006.
I would've posted them directly to the page, but the website wanted me to reduce them even more than I already have. |
Hamtramck_steve
Member
Username: Hamtramck_steve
Post Number: 2651
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.209.188.186
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 9:56 pm: | |
Suite 601 Donovan Building in 1954 was the headquarters of the United Plant Guard Workers of America, with my grandfather as International President.
The building that held their first offices was leveled to make way for the Michigan Bell building on Cass. |
Rustic
Member
Username: Rustic
Post Number: 1968
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 67.163.181.81
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 10:54 pm: | |
I was talking with a friend of mine and he thinks that we went to that building in '78 or '79 to help a friend pick up records from a record distributor (the sorta stuff that goes to radio stations not for resale) in that building. (Our friend usedta help a record rep deliver records to radio stations. I'm probably not using the proper terminology for this stuff -- didn't do it myself only helped him do it a few times.) I didn't remember it as being that building 'til he mentioned it but now that I think about it I remember going to a weird building near Cass Tech that we had to get buzzed into the elevator area AFTER we entered the building (which was really weird for the time) and we went up a few floors to an office to pick up the records. I'm not sure it was this building but it does seem consistent with this building. btw, NOT consistent the posted histories saying it not being used for the music biz after motown vacated ...
Small city ... gettin' smaller every year ... |
Lmichigan
Member
Username: Lmichigan
Post Number: 3074
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 67.172.95.197
| | Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 11:11 pm: | |
You may be talking about the Film Exchange Building, which is pretty close to the Donovan. Your description sounds more like the Film Exchange. |
Ndavies
Member
Username: Ndavies
Post Number: 1591
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.212.34.4
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 1:44 am: | |
Damn, they're noisy. I don't think they're going to be quiet until the buildings down.
 |
Mauser765
Member
Username: Mauser765
Post Number: 687
Registered: 01-2004
Posted From: 4.229.69.9
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 3:18 am: | |
INSANE !!!!!!
These guys are stark raving madmen - absolutely out of their minds. The stupidest shit Ive ever seen in my life. . . . ! |
Psip
Member
Username: Psip
Post Number: 905
Registered: 04-2005
Posted From: 69.246.13.131
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 3:29 am: | |
Holy Schidt!!!!
That could make "When Demolitons Go Bad"
What Happened?? anyone hurt? |
Mauser765
Member
Username: Mauser765
Post Number: 688
Registered: 01-2004
Posted From: 4.229.69.189
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 7:57 am: | |
Nobody hurt - thank god. You should see the video the guy I was with shot, looks like 911 with the clouds of rock dust and office papers coming down the street and everybodys running. We had to grab our stuff and turn around to run.
Most of the cops left - just before the demo guys decided to see what would happen if they hit the front of the building with the wrecking ball. One cop told me and the guy with the camera that he thought the building would fall into I-75 and that "these guys have no idea what they are doing - theyre crazy".
From this mornings news, looks like they stopped after that, and the fascade that faces I-75 still remains mostly intact. This will be VERY interesting.
As far as Rustics story: "we had to get buzzed into the elevator area AFTER we entered the building (which was really weird for the time)"
This was in fact protocal at the Donovan Building under Berry Gordy. Exactly. There was record production done in that building, and that could certainly have been there a few years after Motown stopped major operations. |
Mauser765
Member
Username: Mauser765
Post Number: 689
Registered: 01-2004
Posted From: 4.229.69.31
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 10:38 am: | |
DETROITFUNK - check out THESE Motown documents....
If you are into music or Motown history, this stuff hits hard. |
Goat
Member
Username: Goat
Post Number: 8085
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.156.94.41
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 11:12 am: | |
Thanks Nadavies and Mauser for keeping us posted. Those documents are fantastic! I'm not much of a signature collector but having Smokey Robinson's and Marvin Gaye's signature is incredible! Kudo's to you and I hope you post more on DetroitFunk. |
Ndavies
Member
Username: Ndavies
Post Number: 1592
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 129.9.163.234
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 11:27 am: | |
Mauser, they stopped for about 15 minutes, cleared out some debris and went back at it. They were pounding on the building when I went to sleep about 1:00 am. They were still pounding on the building when I woke up at 6:30 this morning. No wonder I'm tired. |
Jt1
Member
Username: Jt1
Post Number: 6517
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 198.208.159.20
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 11:39 am: | |
What happended to no work prior to 7AM? |
Chris_rohn
Member
Username: Chris_rohn
Post Number: 160
Registered: 04-2005
Posted From: 68.250.203.227
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 12:17 pm: | |
WHAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIVE IN DETROIT!?!
we thought that neighborhood across the street was abandoned! |
Bibs
Member
Username: Bibs
Post Number: 440
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 198.208.251.23
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 12:29 pm: | |
Took the SMART bus in today. 495 route takes Woodward. Woodward was blocked on the south bound side because the danger of falling debris was pretty high and there was debris in part of the right lane. The bus took a detour down Cass Ave, East along the I-75 service drive and then back to Wooward. |
Toybreaker
Member
Username: Toybreaker
Post Number: 30
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 12.159.57.2
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 12:45 pm: | |
wow - those documents put the ones I found to shame. Nice work on saving those, dETROITfUNK! |
Supersport
Member
Username: Supersport
Post Number: 9795
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 64.118.137.228
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 2:11 pm: | |
quote:Mauser, they stopped for about 15 minutes, cleared out some debris and went back at it. They were pounding on the building when I went to sleep about 1:00 am. They were still pounding on the building when I woke up at 6:30 this morning. No wonder I'm tired.
You live in an urban environment, you expect it to be quiet? LOL |
Ndavies
Member
Username: Ndavies
Post Number: 1597
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 129.9.163.234
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 3:30 pm: | |
quote:You live in an urban environment, you expect it to be quiet? LOL
There's a huge difference between normal city background noises and the pounding of a wrecking ball against an abandonded building. When your bed shakes with every hit it's a little bit much. A large part of the building fell about 6:20 this morning, It shook the entire condo building.
Also they were running three of those large excavators last night. It sounded like all three were in my bedroom. There are restricted hours for operating construction equipment for a reason.
(Message edited by ndavies on January 24, 2006) |
Matt_the_deuce
Member
Username: Matt_the_deuce
Post Number: 454
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.14.248.252
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 3:35 pm: | |
Those documents are amazing and are worth a lot of money, especially if they are the originals. This is an important part of American history. One of the greatest records af all time.
WOW... |
Detroitduo
Member
Username: Detroitduo
Post Number: 455
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 84.156.24.120
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 3:41 pm: | |
My partner complained about that. But thank goodness the damned building finally came down at around 7:00am. Now everyone will have to go get their lungs cleaned out. *SHEESH* |
Kathleen
Member
Username: Kathleen
Post Number: 1136
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 140.244.107.151
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 5:41 pm: | |
So is the building actually down? completely? Just a pile of rubble?? or a steel frame? |
Chris_rohn
Member
Username: Chris_rohn
Post Number: 161
Registered: 04-2005
Posted From: 69.214.181.249
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 5:47 pm: | |
Steel frame???
This is an Albert Kahn building we're talking about here. It was 100% reinforced concrete. |
Ndavies
Member
Username: Ndavies
Post Number: 1599
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 129.9.163.234
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 6:04 pm: | |
It was down to a rubble pile of about 6 floors when I left home this morning. I'll post some pictures once I get home. |
Tielerh11
Member
Username: Tielerh11
Post Number: 47
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.216.102.204
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 6:25 pm: | |
I'm heading down in a few to see what this looks like. I'll prolly make it around 5:30... downtown is so... flat now |
Kathleen
Member
Username: Kathleen
Post Number: 1137
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 140.244.107.151
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 6:53 pm: | |
Sorry, Chris_rohn!! I'm an editor, not an engineer!!!
Last evening, I could see that the brick and other materials was falling off the reinforced concrete "squares" that formed each segment of each floor. That's what I envision still standing....or did they actually manage to buckle them from the bottom? |
Ndavies
Member
Username: Ndavies
Post Number: 1602
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.255.166.184
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 7:55 pm: | |
8:20 this morning.
5:30 this evening.
 |
Lowell
Board Administrator
Username: Lowell
Post Number: 2215
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 66.167.58.137
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 8:30 pm: | |
Wow, what a beautiful view Ndavies will have of the Fox Parking lot. Good thing they got rid of that Kahn / Motown eyesore or he never would be able to enjoy that view. |
Lmichigan
Member
Username: Lmichigan
Post Number: 3084
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 67.172.95.197
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 8:33 pm: | |
Ok, so exactly how many vacant blocks now does the city have from the Fisher northward along the Westside of Woodward? Talk about dead space. |
Pam
Member
Username: Pam
Post Number: 41
Registered: 11-2005
Posted From: 4.229.72.153
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 8:49 pm: | |
My cousin just called me and said she heard "that Detroit Funk" guy interviewed on NPR
about the demo. Anyone else hear it?
Hey they just mentioned they are running it again in a few minutes. (WDET) |
Bibs
Member
Username: Bibs
Post Number: 441
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 152.163.100.8
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 8:51 pm: | |
Watched a news clip about the demo on Channel 7. Reporter stated that Barry Gordy paid for the demo. Normal demo would have take 2 months but were given the time line of two weeks. An entertainment center with a museum centered on the music of Motown was mentioned. Perhaps, there will a big announcement about the site during the Super Bowl. |
Psip
Member
Username: Psip
Post Number: 906
Registered: 04-2005
Posted From: 69.246.13.131
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 9:10 pm: | |
Too bad that any hope of a research library went with the building into the dumpsters.
Stupid! |
Danny
Member
Username: Danny
Post Number: 3658
Registered: 02-2004
Posted From: 207.74.110.184
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 9:36 pm: | |
Goodbye Motown Building. Detroit will miss a great sacred icon. Mr. Gordy, I hope you are having a terrible time in L.A. Leaving Detroit behind for the power of money in the west. And sold the parts of the prize winning record company to the Asians and the British. |
Shark
Member
Username: Shark
Post Number: 179
Registered: 12-2003
Posted From: 65.43.34.233
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 10:50 pm: | |
I'll probably catch hell for this, but is anyone else actually glad that these eyesores are gone? Hopefully something exciting will happen to this huge tract of land. |
Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw
Post Number: 5254
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 67.70.119.161
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 10:54 pm: | |
Yeah, real exciting stuff, like Parking Lots. |
Psip
Member
Username: Psip
Post Number: 907
Registered: 04-2005
Posted From: 69.246.13.131
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 10:57 pm: | |
perhaps a really nice Motown inspired lawn and garden tool shed? |
Tielerh11
Member
Username: Tielerh11
Post Number: 48
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.216.102.204
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 12:10 am: | |
Shark, my first hour teacher shares your sentiments. |
Lmichigan
Member
Username: Lmichigan
Post Number: 3088
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 67.172.95.197
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 12:18 am: | |
It would be prefectly all right with me for them to come down, if I could be assurred something of similar shape and size would take their place. People have all the right in the world to be wary of seeing these buildings gone, if even they were eyesores, because either there isn't the demand to replace them with something as good as what was there before (i.e. Woodward Place), of the city lacks the vision to see the whole process through instead of grabbing the first proposal that comes across their collective desks. And why should anyone trust the city with allowing for the proper redevelopment of the site with their track record?
Outside of any historical objections to the demolition, or anything to do with preservation, there are still huge practical questions of tearing down the last building(s) at that space on Woodward. And the whole parking argument is just as ridiculous as before, if not more so now, when you can literally see empty lots (parking or otherwise) almost all around you.
Seriously, look at this aerial:
aerial
Not only are the lots empty, but ill-kept. This is when I can completely identify with someone never having been to the see looking over this and making a mark in their mind of the world "Bombed-Out." And knocking out the last teeth doesn't help, at all.
(Message edited by lmichigan on January 24, 2006) |
Broken_main
Member
Username: Broken_main
Post Number: 753
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 69.222.11.226
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 12:23 am: | |
Wasn't there a recent announcement about some development happening on that side of Woodward earlier this year. Anyone remeber this?? |
Blessyouboys
Member
Username: Blessyouboys
Post Number: 240
Registered: 07-2005
Posted From: 69.209.169.165
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 12:23 am: | |
New home for the Wings biatches |
Psip
Member
Username: Psip
Post Number: 909
Registered: 04-2005
Posted From: 69.246.13.131
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 12:37 am: | |
that area looks so much better now.
/sarcasm off
 |
Lowell
Board Administrator
Username: Lowell
Post Number: 2219
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 66.167.58.137
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 1:13 am: | |
Detroitfunk guy got some well deserved media, but gets outed in the process. www.npr.org/templates/story/st ory.php?storyId=5170641 Lots of interesting discussion over on the SoufulDetroit. |
Lmichigan
Member
Username: Lmichigan
Post Number: 3090
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 67.172.95.197
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 1:14 am: | |
Yeah, now instead of having to look at the prominent Donovan/Sanders, they can look across the fields now towards the vibrant and beautiful Cass Park district with all of its occupied and well-kept buildings. |
Chow
Member
Username: Chow
Post Number: 244
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.42.171.71
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 1:40 am: | |
The Donovan is just about gone. All that remains is two stories along the service drive. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 2953
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.160.138.107
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 3:42 am: | |
Great spot for a 24 hr. Walgreens/Coney Island joint with freeway access. Then, add a terminal for the Tunnel bus so proletarian Canadians can wait there after a ballgame.
jjaba, pave paradise, put up a PARKING lot. |
Wilus1mj
Member
Username: Wilus1mj
Post Number: 20
Registered: 05-2005
Posted From: 67.149.62.53
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 3:50 am: | |
Illitch lets city pay for demolition, then conveniently locates new hockey arena there???? |
Psip
Member
Username: Psip
Post Number: 918
Registered: 04-2005
Posted From: 69.246.13.131
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 3:58 am: | |
Thats how it works you use OPM (other peoples money). But in this case, Illich isn't involved in the Donovan building. Its Berry Gordy. If you read the above, the demo is privately funded. |
Lmichigan
Member
Username: Lmichigan
Post Number: 3093
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 67.172.95.197
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 4:16 am: | |
I do wonder what exactly Kwame offered Gordy and the other owners to demolish this, and so quickly. It must have been something sizeable, or maybe he threatened them to high-heaven with tickets if they didn't. I would have loved to hear that phone call, because it's pretty apparent that the mayor's office had a big role to play in this demolition.
With Gordy being should a shrewd man, I just can't see him offering to just demolish the building out of the goodness of his heart because the mayor of Detroit asked him to.
(Message edited by lmichigan on January 25, 2006) |
Psip
Member
Username: Psip
Post Number: 919
Registered: 04-2005
Posted From: 69.246.13.131
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 4:29 am: | |
Your right Lmich, there must have been some serious arm twisting going on. Especially when you consider how close to the SB this demo is taking place. |
Mauser765
Member
Username: Mauser765
Post Number: 690
Registered: 01-2004
Posted From: 4.229.27.81
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 - 10:52 am: | |
Yeah, I did the interview on NPR which means my name etc gets outed, but its all good. And for the record, I did plug Detroityes.com in my interview, but apparently that ended up on the cutting room floor. I just had to give "the source" credit. |
Rust
Member
Username: Rust
Post Number: 82
Registered: 08-2004
Posted From: 68.43.180.171
| | Posted on Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 11:22 pm: | |
Now that the Donovan is gone I will miss the stair step effect it created in conjuntion with the Fyfes, State and Fox building looking up Woodward.
When the Donovan Building was there your eye followed the stairstep down and then across the street to the east side of Woodward. Now in the far distance you see the Fisher building! |
Jasoncw
Member
Username: Jasoncw
Post Number: 99
Registered: 07-2005
Posted From: 148.61.248.29
| | Posted on Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 11:35 pm: | |
Cingular really missed out! It would have been a perfect commercial for the superbowl.
100TH POST!!! |
Bibs
Member
Username: Bibs
Post Number: 445
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 64.12.116.204
| | Posted on Sunday, January 29, 2006 - 12:46 am: | |
Is the parking lot done yet? Is the black top still warm? |
Mpow
Member
Username: Mpow
Post Number: 164
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 200.65.7.33
| | Posted on Sunday, January 29, 2006 - 10:31 pm: | |
nice perspective rust. glad you see the positve, but I-m a little bummed.. |
Pam
Member
Username: Pam
Post Number: 55
Registered: 11-2005
Posted From: 4.229.45.223
| | Posted on Sunday, January 29, 2006 - 10:49 pm: | |
Items from the demo turning up on Ebay:
http://search.ebay.com/motown_ Entertainment-Memorabilia_W0QQ catrefZC6QQcoactionZcompareQQc oentrypageZsearchQQcopagenumZ1 QQfromZR10QQfrtsZ50QQfsooZ1QQf sopZ1QQfstypeZ1QQftrtZ1QQftrvZ 1QQsacatZ45100 |
