MCS cleanup?

[Bearinabox]

Thanks for clearing that up. And double thanks for helping to clean up an area that a lot of people have been complaining about for years. I'm sure that the last thing you were expecting were all of the complaints you've gotten over helping to preserve a historic site. Especially on a site that's dedicated to the fabulous ruins of Detroit.

Helping to preserve it? Bit of a stretch, don't you think?

[kraig]

Helping to preserve it? Bit of a stretch, don't you think?

If you have a preservation plan that doesn't involve cleaning the building up, I would love to see it.

Or, would you pull a Guyton by spray painting a polka-dot on the human feces in the MCS and pass it off as art? Now, that's a stretch.

[Gistok]

Helping to preserve it? Bit of a stretch, don't you think?

A few years back we once had a poster here named BRIAN... who swore that he would stake his reputation that nothing would ever become of the pipe dream of renovating and restoring the Book-Cadillac... and that it would remain a rusting hulk until it was one day torn down....

Brian doesn't post here anymore...

Some posters here learned something from Brian.... "never say never..."

[mcsdetroitfriend]

Which is good, I like that optimism is something that is practiced here =)

[arcas]

Hey Ventura next time you come across "THE TROLL" infront of the station or anywhere let me know so I can rip his head off and sh&t down his throat!

DON'T PAY THE TROLL TAKE THE TUNNEL

[Bearinabox]

A few years back we once had a poster here named BRIAN... who swore that he would stake his reputation that nothing would ever become of the pipe dream of renovating and restoring the Book-Cadillac... and that it would remain a rusting hulk until it was one day torn down....

Brian doesn't post here anymore...

Some posters here learned something from Brian.... "never say never..."

I'm not saying MCS will never be restored. I'm saying that mcsdetroitfriend and his buddies aren't making a difference one way or the other. If Moroun wants to restore it, he will. If he doesn't, he won't. If he decides to sell it, then it'll be up to whoever buys it to decide what happens to it. End of story.

[mcsdetroitfriend]

Hey so I just saw this photo, looks like the DIBC has gone above and beyond what I expected. They sand blasted the columns on the waiting room facade. =)

The regional director of Home Depot has expressed interest in providing a sand blasting of the whole exterior to clean off the grime of the last 30 + years [[the last time it received a proper cleaning was during the 1975 reopening/renovation care of Amtrak).

Check it out! No more "Troy"
Attachment 2472

[Meddle]

I don't see any difference.

[mcsdetroitfriend]

I don't see any difference.

Check out what used to be on those columns
Attachment 2473
Attachment 2474

[reddog289]

I see the change.

[Blarf]

I thought that bulldozer was going to crash through the front entrance. That would have been funny.

[Meddle]

I guess I'll have to toss my hat in the "I don't care what people do with their time, but what's the point?" pile. This place has been vacant for decades. It would cost millions to restore just the station/lobby area. I can't even imagine what it would cost to secure and stabilize the tower, let alone restore it.

And to what end? There is NOTHING else in that area now that Tiger Stadium is gone. Few people even pass that way in their normal travels. No one goes there that isn't familiar with it.

Restore it to a train station? Don't think it would pass muster for security reasons. HomeSec would have a fit.

Do what you will, but I just don't see it going anywhere.



One afterthought ..... Are the casinos limited/zoned to downtown? Might be interesting as a casino/hotel with a restaurant on the top floor. Casinos would have the money and resources. They could even keep the rail theme ala Penn Central.

[Novine]

Nothing else in that area? That must be news to the people in Corktown. I would agree that 99% of this is for PR value and the clean-up appears to be cosmetic. But even a minor cleanup can change how people view the viability of MCS. Notice how there's been no recent talk from the city about demolition?

[mcsdetroitfriend]

Last I heard demolition was tabled indefinitely. What actually sparked the talk of demolition was that a canadian rail company wanted to expand the Detroit-Canada tunnel to accommodate more trains on the existing line which in the end would run through the building. Now I don't know if Conyers took bribes or she figured that it would be good for the economy but after that report came out then came the demolition order.

But as for "stabilizing" the building that's not necessary as it was "significantly overbuilt" with enough steel to build two of the same building! Save for a few holes in a couple floors the structure is sound. The real cost will come with abating the building of asbestos, lead, and other toxins.....which would have had to happen regardless of whether the building is saved or torn down.

[jerrytimes]

Who cares if volunteers do work in a structure owned by a millionaire? I wish more people in our community would give their time. Can you imagine how much better our area would be.

[Meddle]

I'm talking about stabilizing it against further decay from the elements; windows all the way up, some type of working ventilation system, pest control, etc.

[mcsdetroitfriend]

I'm talking about stabilizing it against further decay from the elements; windows all the way up, some type of working ventilation system, pest control, etc.

Gotcha, well right now we have Home Depot, The Henry Ford Foundation/Greenfield Village on our side so we'll be either installing temporary windows or plexiglass soon.

Also the big deal is to get the city to get on board with this by better sealing their side of the property [[the tracks, the viaducts on Vernor and Newark streets), which allow most foot traffic into the building. Once those get sealed properly with a bit of welding talent then we can better seal up the building. As far as ventilation I think if you've ever been in there you'll find it's got to be one of the most well ventilated abandoned buildings in Detroit, not a single smell of anything foul or decayed. Once the windows are put in then that will be an issue for a contractor to figure out, same with pest control.

[davewindsor]

Are they talking a break from doing anything? I walked around the MCS yesterday at around 2pm and didn't see parked vehicles or see or hear a security guard or single person in site expect for a driveby tourist and a hobo at the other end of Rosevelt Park.

I noticed an interesting yellow brick warehouse across the street from the MCS with windows missing and plaster peeling. Was this a former US Post warehouse? Anyone know what's happening with that building?

[Sstashmoo]

Quote: "I'm saying that mcsdetroitfriend and his buddies aren't making a difference one way or the other. If Moroun wants to restore it, he will. If he doesn't, he won't. If he decides to sell it, then it'll be up to whoever buys it to decide what happens to it. End of story."

Agreed. That place is just another piece in his chess set. What I am amazed by is that they are allowing anyone entrance to that property. Are these folks entering legally? The liability of allowing people in to a delinquent structure like that is off the charts stupid. Imagine 30 or so folks in there and one of the floors collapse? Huge lawsuit.

[dalangdon]

I live in Seattle, and have never been to Detroit, but I grew up in Omaha, and have a feeling for what the midwestern cities are up against. Additionally, I have been a frequent visitor, and infrequent poster, on this site for many years - having stumbled upon it about the time of the effort to save Hudsons.

Thus, it's probably not for me to say, but I'll say it anyway: Any sort of volunteer effort, no matter how futile [[and I'm not saying these efforts at MCS are futile) are commendable. They show that people are engaged in their city, and want to make things better. What could possibly be wrong with that?

From these sorts of grassroots efforts, other things grow. Don't disparage these folks, especially if the extent of your civic involvement is passing judgment on the internet [[as I, to a certain extent, am doing right now ;-).

Civic engagement is what makes our nation what it is, and it's too damn rare these days. These folks deserve our respect and encouragement.

[mcsdetroitfriend]

Are they talking a break from doing anything? I walked around the MCS yesterday at around 2pm and didn't see parked vehicles or see or hear a security guard or single person in site expect for a driveby tourist and a hobo at the other end of Rosevelt Park.

I noticed an interesting yellow brick warehouse across the street from the MCS with windows missing and plaster peeling. Was this a former US Post warehouse? Anyone know what's happening with that building?

We currently are taking a break from interior work due to MIOSHA concerns about lead and asbestos in the building, however we will be doing exterior work starting pretty soon, then Home Depot will be helping us tear out the window.

The Roosevelt Warehouse [[the yellow building that has a very similar brick work as the office building portion of MCS: conicidence?) designed by Albert Kahn was indeed once the US Post Office, which worked quite well considering the location of the trainstation for international mail. In the 80's it became the storage facility for the Detroit Public School system. In the late 80's a fire tore through the building and from what I understand of the situation, due to insurance concerns - the ability to collect insurance on the items lost - the building was left and nobody went to collect the remaining items that were left behind. If you go to Flickr.com and do a search of "Roosevelt Warehouse" and you'll find photos of piles of books and other learning material. This building is a real embarrassment for the city and should be torn down more than MCS.

Last winter a body was discovered encased in ice in a freight elevator shaft, with just the legs exposed. It took the fire department 3 days for them to dig out the body, which brought more attention to the station and the area around it.

The Roosevelt Warehouse is actually pretty interesting to walk around as the marble exterior is still pretty shiny considering its been abandoned nearly as long as MCS!

[Gsgeorge]

And to what end? There is NOTHING else in that area now that Tiger Stadium is gone. Few people even pass that way in their normal travels. No one goes there that isn't familiar with it.

I'm with ya on this one, Meddle. There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in that area except Slows BBQ, Nemos, Casey's, the record shop, all of historic Corktown, Brooklyn Diner, LJ's, the Lager House, Mudgie's, the folk art place, Subway, the vintage clothing shop, the Firestone Tire dealership, Le Petit Zinc, Burger King, Trumbull Market, Honeybee Market, Mexicantown East, and my house and lots of my friends houses.

[Meddle]

All fine for locals, but nothing that would draw anyone to the area that didn't live there.

[davewindsor]

All fine for locals, but nothing that would draw anyone to the area that didn't live there.

Really? If you go to the old Tiger's Stadium site, there's a pedestrian bridge that takes you over the 75 and you cross a few blocks of vacant land [[which I'm guessing will be the site of the new hockey arena) and you're at the Motor City Casino, which hosts a lot of big time shows like Robin Williams this fall.. Just minutes away. Try walking around the area first before making stupid comments like that.

[EastSider]

We currently are taking a break from interior work due to MIOSHA concerns about lead and asbestos in the building, however

Wow, never saw that coming! I'd talk to somebody about any waivers you signed, see if they'd hold up in court or if there was any deception on the part of the company in the drafting of them.