Discuss Detroit » Archives - Beginning January 2007 » Worldwide Skyscaper Boom vs. Detroit in the 1920's « Previous Next »
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Stecks77
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Username: Stecks77

Post Number: 222
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Friday, December 22, 2006 - 12:25 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"Skyscraper construction booming in Middle East, Asia"

CNN.com (10:04 a.m. EST, December 22, 2006)

By Steve Hargreaves
Special to CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/12/ 21/skyscraper.boom/index.html

It ceases to amaze me how much skyscraper building went on in Detroit during the 1920's. Currently in Dubai, building after building is going up along the ocean with construction cranes looming everywhere. I was in Berlin in 1997 when the entire city was a massive construction zone and that is probably the only comparison I've experienced to what Detroit must have been like in the 1920's.

I've seen pictures on the forum of many of the buildings downtown under construction but is anyone aware of a skyline photo from the period?
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Mind_field
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Username: Mind_field

Post Number: 670
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Friday, December 22, 2006 - 12:33 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

American cities that I'm aware of that are currently building or have proposed a new tallest tower:

New York, Boston, Nashville, Miami, Philadelphia (under construction), Baltimore, Buffalo, Portland, Chicago, and San Francisco and I KNOW I'm missing more. The United States is currently undergoing an impressive tall tower boom. Declined rustbelt cities like Buffalo even have legitimate proposals for a new tallest tower (over 600 ft.!!)

With the stock of vacant downtown buildings dwindling and the demand for living downtown increasing, one can only wonder what will happen when the economy booms again for metro Detroit and there aren't any more vacant buildings left to convert to residential.
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Kronprinz
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Username: Kronprinz

Post Number: 9
Registered: 12-2006
Posted on Friday, December 22, 2006 - 12:44 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

http://www.museumplaza.net/

here's another new "tallest" building ...
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Andyguard73
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Username: Andyguard73

Post Number: 175
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Friday, December 22, 2006 - 1:41 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Man I hate that building.
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Wirt
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Username: Wirt

Post Number: 42
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Friday, December 22, 2006 - 1:46 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

That was pretty cool!
I don't think they even mentioned 'Louisville'
in the whole presentation
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Aiw
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Username: Aiw

Post Number: 6098
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Friday, December 22, 2006 - 1:59 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)


quote:

I was in Berlin in 1997 when the entire city was a massive construction zone




I was there in September, and it's still the same.
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Goat
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Username: Goat

Post Number: 9081
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Friday, December 22, 2006 - 3:28 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

According to a recent program on Discovery, the Berlin build is the largest in the world!
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Detroit_stylin
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Username: Detroit_stylin

Post Number: 3440
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Friday, December 22, 2006 - 4:34 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

That has got to be the ugliest looking building Ihave ever seen...
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Milwaukee
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Username: Milwaukee

Post Number: 483
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Friday, December 22, 2006 - 4:50 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Milwaukee has a new tallest proposed and likely to be built if it can get one more major tenant.

http://milwaukee.bizjournals.c om/milwaukee/stories/2006/09/0 4/story3.html

Picture of the building

http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/b u/?id=227596

I hate that thing in Louisville.
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Milwaukee
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Username: Milwaukee

Post Number: 484
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Friday, December 22, 2006 - 4:51 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Cincinnati has started building their new tallest building.
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Motor
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Username: Motor

Post Number: 1
Registered: 07-2006
Posted on Friday, December 22, 2006 - 6:13 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Here is a link to a powerpoint presentation on the building boom in Dubai with some interesting information and pictures.

http://www.acce-hq.org/WorldsG reatestGrowingCity.pps
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Burnsie
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Username: Burnsie

Post Number: 810
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Friday, December 22, 2006 - 6:15 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Stecks77-- There are some old skyline photos in the WSU Virtual Motor City site.
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Stecks77
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Username: Stecks77

Post Number: 226
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Friday, December 22, 2006 - 11:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks Burnsie
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Gistok
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Username: Gistok

Post Number: 3340
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Friday, December 22, 2006 - 11:57 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

That Milwaukee building is very reminiscent of the Detroit Hudson's block group of buildings design.

By the way what's the name of the Milwaukee building (designed by Johnson/Burgee) that has the German Renaissance style top? Do Milwaukee area architects dislike that one, like Detroit area architects (generally) dislike the Johnson/Burgee German Gothic style Comerica Tower design?
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Milwaukee
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Username: Milwaukee

Post Number: 492
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Saturday, December 23, 2006 - 1:07 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I think people in Milwaukee are really excited about the building and its design. Milwaukee has a pretty boring skyline. Most of the buildings are from the early 90's and late 80's. 100 East is just like Comerica. Architecture critics want Milwaukee's skyline to break out of a cookie cutter mode and this seems like the building to break the ice. There's another building proposed downtown that is very unique and modern, I'll try and find a link to it.
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Detroit313
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Username: Detroit313

Post Number: 268
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Saturday, December 23, 2006 - 2:43 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

77 Don't quote me but when I was in school I was doing research on Detroit's building boom and ran across an article that stated Detroit placed third behind New York and Chicago during the 20's, but every Detroiter knows that.

But what most Detroiters don't know is that in 1929 the city of Detroit issued more building permits for buildings over 20 stories than any other city. I believe the number was at 27.

And it was only for the months of Jan-Oct, the stock market crash. Don't quote me!.....if I can find the information again I will post it.313
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Patrick
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Username: Patrick

Post Number: 3794
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Saturday, December 23, 2006 - 3:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Imagine if Detroit had a skyscraper for every major factory built here. In a way, our major factories are on the same level as major skyscrapers in NYC. The Rouge is equal to The Empire State. Dodge main would be equal to the Chrysler Building and so on.

Can it be said that no other city ever had a factory boom like Detroit?
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Milwaukee
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Username: Milwaukee

Post Number: 499
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Saturday, December 23, 2006 - 8:10 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Patrick, you should see some Chinese cities. Detroit may have held the title for biggest factory boom, but not any more.
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Livernoisyard
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Username: Livernoisyard

Post Number: 2006
Registered: 10-2004
Posted on Saturday, December 23, 2006 - 8:45 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"77 Don't quote me but when I was in school I was doing research on Detroit's building boom and ran across an article that stated Detroit placed third behind New York and Chicago during the 20's, but every Detroiter knows that."



I really question the veracity of this premise. Detroiters are among the most ignorant of Americans, even when dealing with their own city and its heritage. Some two-thirds of Detroiters are functionally illiterate, and only two US states have no limits on welfare. Michigan is one of them, and much (perhaps, most) of the welfare recipients in Michigan live within Detroit. And less than one-quarter of Detroit's youth graduate from school.

So don't pontificate about how much and about what Detroiters know. Because it ain't going to be a helluva lot.

(Message edited by LivernoisYard on December 23, 2006)
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Detroitplanner
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Username: Detroitplanner

Post Number: 605
Registered: 04-2006
Posted on Saturday, December 23, 2006 - 9:46 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Obviously you've never been 'up north' Livernoisyard! There are counties up there with much higher pecentage of folks on welfare (think outside of the Traverse area).

Though I would agree its sad how dumb and uneducated many Detroiters are. Its astounding.
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Livernoisyard
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Username: Livernoisyard

Post Number: 2009
Registered: 10-2004
Posted on Saturday, December 23, 2006 - 9:54 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The Traverse City area itself cannot be so bad. That part of the state leads the country in its relatively high percentage of home-schooled kids. But what does "outside of the Traverse area" entail?
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Milwaukee
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Username: Milwaukee

Post Number: 505
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Saturday, December 23, 2006 - 9:58 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"And less than one-quarter of Detroit's youth graduate from school."

That can't be true can it? If it is, then your city has some serious problems.
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Livernoisyard
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Username: Livernoisyard

Post Number: 2011
Registered: 10-2004
Posted on Saturday, December 23, 2006 - 10:11 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Well, a study disclosed that months ago, and it has been discussed many times on this forum. I think that 22% graduation was the figure (or it might have been put as a 78% drop-out rate). I probably should recheck this...

But hey, (real M'waukeeans say "hey" or "aina" a lot) some DY poster will remember.
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Jsmyers
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Username: Jsmyers

Post Number: 1836
Registered: 12-2003
Posted on Sunday, December 24, 2006 - 12:30 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

He means other than the Traverse City area....

Could it be that 22% of Detroit grade school kids graduate from a Detroit high school? Some never graduate, but others transfer or move out of the district.
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Livernoisyard
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Username: Livernoisyard

Post Number: 2016
Registered: 10-2004
Posted on Sunday, December 24, 2006 - 1:23 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"Could it be that 22% of Detroit grade school kids graduate from a Detroit high school?"


Who knows for sure? Perhaps, DPS tracks their kids as well as they educate them. Then all bets are off in that statistic.
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Detroit313
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Username: Detroit313

Post Number: 273
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Sunday, December 24, 2006 - 2:54 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Uuhmm......back to the subject!!!!313
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Milwaukee
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Username: Milwaukee

Post Number: 516
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Monday, December 25, 2006 - 7:18 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

looking at the number of high rises constructed in Detroit in the 20's compared the number of high rises being built in cities today, I'm guessing that this new era is far more exciting. Then again, people had never really seen skyscrapers in the 20's, so that was probably more exciting than for us. We've been adjusted to them for almost 100 years.
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Livernoisyard
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Username: Livernoisyard

Post Number: 2025
Registered: 10-2004
Posted on Monday, December 25, 2006 - 7:44 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Skyscrapers, in contrast to simple high-rises, may only be constructed in certain limited populated areas. Think about just where these may be located (or are grandfathered). Broadcasting towers have these same limitations.

Hint: The FAA (or its predecessor) didn't exist during the 1920s.

(Message edited by LivernoisYard on December 25, 2006)
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Patrick
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Username: Patrick

Post Number: 3797
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Posted on Monday, December 25, 2006 - 8:44 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I dont know Milwaukee, a great deal of those Chinese factories are smaller scale. Most are geared towards one product. They just have hundreds of these factories. There will probably never be anything on the scale of the Rouge again in one place.
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Gistok
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Username: Gistok

Post Number: 3360
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - 12:05 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I think that what Detroit313 was saying was that kids growing up in Detroit back in the 1930's and 1940's and 1950's and 1960's learned this fact. I know I did back in the early 1960's at Marquette Public School.

We all know about the current state of Detroit Public Schools. LY, why are you "preaching to the Choir"?

Lately you've been taking every thread recently and putting such a negative spin to them? Are you having a bad Holiday Season? Or what?

Stop being such a Grinch!!! Lighten up!!! :-)
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Milwaukee
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Username: Milwaukee

Post Number: 528
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - 12:21 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"a great deal of those Chinese factories are smaller scale."

I definately agree with you about that but I also believe that there are far more little factories. The factories of Detroit were building for a much smaller market than todays factories. There were fewer workers and fewer things being made. China is now the world's workshop, every city has a major industrial area building things for hundreds of millions of consumers. I feel that there must be more land used for factories to quell the demand.
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Fareastsider
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Username: Fareastsider

Post Number: 39
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Thursday, January 04, 2007 - 8:01 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Did anybody know that Dubai is a sister city of Detroit?
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Stecks77
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Username: Stecks77

Post Number: 232
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Thursday, January 04, 2007 - 8:05 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Interesting.

That rich sister city of ours could spare a few bucks for Detroit.

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