  Pam Member Username: Pam Post Number: 99 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 4.229.81.118 |
A few questions: What year was it built? Is it still in use? Does anybody actually think it looks good? | ||
Sumotect Member Username: Sumotect Post Number: 175 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 64.243.32.9 |
Early to mid seventies. A Rossetti Associates project. At one time both of those buildings were one company. John Portman jelped restart the futurist fad of "skybridges" in his Atlanta projects. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 1821 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.129.214 |
Back when ANR Pipeline Corp. (One Woodward Building) owned MichCon (Guardian Building) there was need for a connection. But then ANR spun off MichCon, and then ANR was bought up by Coastal Corp. of Houston. And then the ANR (Coastal) folks left One Woodward Building for (IIRC) Tower 500 or 600 of RenCen (I don't think they are still there), and MichCon left the Guardian Building when MichCon was purchased by DTE (the MichCon folks moved to Edison Plaza). So there is no longer any reason for that sky bridge.... although in case of a fire or other disaster I bet it would make a handy escape route for either building (if it's not securely locked). | ||
Jiminnm Member Username: Jiminnm Post Number: 308 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.241.164.222 |
I think it was 1971-1973 timeframe, as I worked in 1 Woodward at the time. One Woodward was home to American Natural Resources, then parent company of MichCon and Michigan Wisconsin Pipeline, and owned both buildings. Folks from all the companies were housed in the GB and 1 Woodward, and there was a need for them to easily get from one building to the other. For several years, the company cafeteria was in 1 Woodward, so the skywalk was handy. In 1975, the buildings were sold to MichCon. In 1983, ANR spun off MichCon, but each company still had folks in each building. MichCon moved out of One Woodward over the next 1-3 years and sold the building back to ANR. MichCon owned the GB until they were acquired by DTE. I doubt the skywalk gets much use today. I believe the original design was intended to mimic the 1 Woodward design. I expect it might be expensive to remove and reconstruct the facade on each building. I don't know which building owner owns it. | ||
Jiminnm Member Username: Jiminnm Post Number: 309 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.241.164.222 |
Sorry Gistok, your fingers were faster than mine. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 1823 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.129.214 |
That's OK Jiminmn, I couln't remember the years! | ||
Drm Member Username: Drm Post Number: 874 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 207.215.1.194 |
ANR moved to Houston (I believe due to acquisition) and is no longer in the Ren Cen. | ||
Mikeydbn Member Username: Mikeydbn Post Number: 300 Registered: 04-2004 Posted From: 35.11.191.18 |
That is correct Drm, it was bought out by the El Paso corp | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 1827 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.129.214 |
OK, but the Coastal Corp. figured into this somehow.... let's see if this is the scenario.... ANR got bought out by Coastal Corp. of Houston, but kept their offices in Detroit (500 RenCen). Coastal Corp. got bought out (or they sold just ANR division?) by El Paso Corp. and moved the Detroit offices to Houston. Sound right? (Message edited by Gistok on February 22, 2006) | ||
Drm Member Username: Drm Post Number: 875 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 207.215.1.194 |
Yes, ANR became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Coastal. Coastal and El Paso merged in 2001. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 1829 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 69.47.101.255 |
I've often wondered about the skybridge jutting out from the Guardian Building. It's such an odd architectural form that really doesn't go with the style of either building- although I'm sure it was somewhat functional during its use, but it always struck me as an interesting idea but just not aesthetically pleasing. | ||
Itsjeff Member Username: Itsjeff Post Number: 5582 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.42.168.211 |
I'm sure it was somewhat functional during its use Well, seeing as how your trek would begin in one building and end in another, I think it was more than somewhat functional. : ) | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 3166 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 67.160.138.107 |
Itjeff 5582 post feeling a bit pissy. Eh? jjaba, turning over a new leaf. | ||
Ghetto_butterfly Member Username: Ghetto_butterfly Post Number: 596 Registered: 09-2004 Posted From: 68.60.139.186 |
I always phantasized about this bridge having been built by an executive working in the One Woodward building and his secret lover having an apartment in the Guardian, and the bridge would connect his office with her apartment, for easy and secret access when they felt like having a secret afternoon tête-à-tête. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 234 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 68.2.191.57 |
It's severely disconnected/misaligned in Google Earth due to straddling a photo seam. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 1831 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 69.47.101.255 |
"Well, seeing as how your trek would begin in one building and end in another, I think it was more than somewhat functional. : )" Well judging from what Gistok said prior to my post," ...there is no longer any reason for that sky bridge..." and what Jiminnm said, "I doubt the skywalk gets much use today.", I'm left to wonder is it really functional again. Just because it's built and can be used doesn't necessarily mean it's being used functionally or practically. | ||
Hamtramck_steve Member Username: Hamtramck_steve Post Number: 2766 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.209.133.247 |
Ghetto-butterfly, did you ever stop to think in your fantasy that there wouldn't be much secret about the apartment, given the skybridge isn't really hidden from view? | ||
Ghetto_butterfly Member Username: Ghetto_butterfly Post Number: 597 Registered: 09-2004 Posted From: 68.60.139.186 |
Hamtramck-Steve, have you ever heard of the expression "hidden in plain sight"? | ||
Fury13 Member Username: Fury13 Post Number: 942 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.14.122.204 |
Ghetto Butterfly, your phantasy is the stuff of a good novel. Start writing!  | ||
Jiminnm Member Username: Jiminnm Post Number: 312 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.241.164.222 |
We always joked that the structural integrity of the skywalk would be tested by Wilbur Mack, then Prez of Michigan Wisconsin Pipeline because he weighed about 350. ANR was acquired by Coastal Corp in 1985-86. Shortly after that, they began to move out of 1 Woodward to the RenCen and elsewhere around the country. Coastal was then acquired by El Paso in 2000-01. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 1834 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 69.47.101.255 |
Skybridge= Kwame's secret lair?? | ||
623kraw Member Username: 623kraw Post Number: 785 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.41.224.200 |
 | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 235 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 68.2.191.57 |
Oh, thanks, 623kraw. Great view. Curious whether there's any special engineering designed into it to cope with possible earthquakes, like sliding joints or elasticity, etc. | ||
623kraw Member Username: 623kraw Post Number: 786 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.41.224.200 |
Thanx, Jimaz. One would think the catwalk was engineered properly, or would hope so due to sway from wind, shifting and so on... | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 1832 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.72.7 |
Ghetto-Butterfly..... Phatasy or not.... no more Belgian Liquor-Filled Chocolates for you! | ||
Eric_c Member Username: Eric_c Post Number: 664 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 68.73.57.108 |
Fat-Assey, Gistok? Someone told me a couple of years ago that smokers like to congregate in the skybridge. Don't know how true that is now. | ||
Matt_the_deuce Member Username: Matt_the_deuce Post Number: 524 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.14.248.252 |
Which is the male and which is the female? | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 3170 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 67.160.138.107 |
Tear that schitt down. Nobody ever liked it. A real misguided improvement. jjaba. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 3171 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 67.160.138.107 |
The engineers beat out the architects on that bridge. Tear that schitt down. jjaba, Art critic. | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1046 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 69.246.13.131 |
THe more of this Rosetti that I see, I keep hoping he will move to ,,, ah,,,, anywhere but here. Just go away. Please. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 1849 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 69.47.101.255 |
Architecturally & artisitically it doesn't help either building. It's pretty buttly in my humble opinion. And if all it's good for is a haven for the smoke break (is that thing ventilated?) and not much else, I'm inclined to agree with jjaba. |
