Hall of Fame Thread Lafayette Building Demolition

Russix · #1 August 13th, 2009, 02:57 PM

Crews are blocking the street on the westside of the building. Will this be a crushed rock or paved parking lot?

dcmorrison12 · #2 August 13th, 2009, 02:58 PM

DEGC or DDA has plans for a park there

ghettopalmetto · #3 August 13th, 2009, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcmorrison12

DEGC or DDA has plans for a park there

In other words, dirt, rocks, and ghetto palms? Maybe a broken streetlight or two?

Detroitnerd · #4 August 13th, 2009, 03:23 PM

Green space. These downtown developers are just gaga over green space.

bailey · #5 August 13th, 2009, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

In other words, dirt, rocks, and ghetto palms?

yes... but instead of being on the roof, they are street level for all to enjoy.

wolverine · #6 August 13th, 2009, 03:35 PM

^ What? You mean not just for the enjoyment of BC tenants?

artds · #7 August 13th, 2009, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcmorrison12

DEGC or DDA has plans for a park there

I have to say that this is probably the best, most realistic option for the site at this time.

wolverine · #8 August 13th, 2009, 03:16 PM

Hmm, missed my chance to get some good photos from the roof.

drjeff · #9 August 13th, 2009, 03:43 PM

I'll be sad to see the Lafayette go, but in fact there isn't much green space in that part of downtown. So if it has to go, a park is a good idea.

Detroitnerd · #10 August 13th, 2009, 03:48 PM

It's because they know their "demolish it and they will come" strategy is a total failure. They're not even using the old pretense that a developer will step in for sure. That's a small victory for our side, I guess.

Bearinabox · #11 August 13th, 2009, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drjeff

I'll be sad to see the Lafayette go, but in fact there isn't much green space in that part of downtown. So if it has to go, a park is a good idea.

It's, what, a whole block from Campus Martius? A whole block from Capitol Park? Not much green space compared to what? How much green space do you think a big-city downtown needs?

drjeff · #12 August 13th, 2009, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearinabox

It's, what, a whole block from Campus Martius? A whole block from Capitol Park? Not much green space compared to what? How much green space do you think a big-city downtown needs?

Those are both parks but they aren't very green. They are mostly concrete.

EastsideAl · #13 August 13th, 2009, 03:56 PM

Hooray, more emptiness! Just what this city needs. What a victory this will be for the forces of progress.

Moving Detroit forward baby!

rjlj · #14 August 13th, 2009, 04:05 PM

Welcome to Detroit, the world's largest parking lot.

What is Latin for "We Hope For Better Things; It Shall be pummelled into Ashes?"

Funaho · #15 August 14th, 2009, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjlj

Welcome to Detroit, the world's largest parking lot.

What is Latin for "We Hope For Better Things; It Shall be pummelled into Ashes?"

Why don't we just stick with the classics and go with "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here"?

Khartoum · #16 August 13th, 2009, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russix

Crews are blocking the street on the westside of the building. Will this be a crushed rock or paved parking lot?

Paved parking lot? Are you crazy???

They don't have the money for that type of thing...

ghettopalmetto · #17 August 13th, 2009, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khartoum

Paved parking lot? Are you crazy???

They don't have the money for that type of thing...

I guess this means we can throw landscaping and lighting out the window too, huh?

bailey · #18 August 13th, 2009, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

I guess this means we can throw landscaping and lighting out the window too, huh?

Yup. The same window the urban spelunkers and scrappers used to get in and out of the building.

detourdetroit · #19 August 13th, 2009, 04:25 PM

Haha, that's a good one rjlj... Speramus meliora. Batteremus cineribus...

Doma · #20 August 13th, 2009, 05:04 PM

Some must die so that others may live!

Ferchill said it was impossible, so it must die.

jtf1972 · #21 August 13th, 2009, 05:23 PM

One question about this "park." There will be a "park" on the back end of the site and then the two dilapidated coney island greasepits on the most visible part of the triangle?

Thar be some plannin'!

Detroitnerd · #22 August 13th, 2009, 05:29 PM

The park is a fig leaf for another demolition. Who cares what it looks like when it's done? Our demolition contractors need their money, dude. Get with the program.

Bearinabox · #23 August 13th, 2009, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtf1972

One question about this "park." There will be a "park" on the back end of the site and then the two dilapidated coney island greasepits on the most visible part of the triangle?

Thar be some plannin'!

LOL, exactly.

McIPor · #24 August 13th, 2009, 06:28 PM

What are they going to do, blow it up in the middle of the night? I would hope they do environmental remediation before hand.

EastsideAl · #25 August 13th, 2009, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtf1972

two dilapidated coney island greasepits

I think I'd chain myself to the building if they tried to tear down Lafayette's

rjlj · #26 August 13th, 2009, 11:06 PM

What a wonderful Detroit day. A 21 year old is found dead in an abandoned bombed out house but it is money better spent on tearing down what a select few call an eye sore. In the future, expect more systematic destruction (aka creating more parks) of this city by the very people who are paid to revive it. Expect more bomded out homes to be incubators of crime. Doing things Detroit style is what Detroit does best.

http://www.100abandonedhouses.com/

buildingsofdetroit · #27 August 13th, 2009, 11:15 PM

In a city $350 million in debt with not enough cops and rampant crime, I could think of a few better ways to spend more than a million dollars.

stasu1213 · #28 August 13th, 2009, 09:00 PM

It could be a park where entertainment could be held corresponding with the entertainment a Campus Martius and Hart Plaza. That will increase the pedestrial traffic in that small spot. Then stores might be constructed at the bottom level of the parking structure that sit next to BC.

ghettopalmetto · #29 August 13th, 2009, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stasu1213

It could be a park where entertainment could be held corresponding with the entertainment a Campus Martius and Hart Plaza. That will increase the pedestrial traffic in that small spot. Then stores might be constructed at the bottom level of the parking structure that sit next to BC.

Sure! Why not have three public plazas all competing for the same programming? It's paramount that the City of Detroit spend $2 million (give or take) to increase pedestrian traffic on one particular block. Wholesale change is just too difficult and complicated, and would require foresight and thinking, so this is the best option.

You might as well demolish the coney islands as well, so people have somewhere to stow their cars when they use the new "park".

buildingsofdetroit · #30 August 13th, 2009, 09:35 PM

There also is a piece of heavy machinery sitting out front of it. It would appear that they could start pummeling it as early as tomorrow, though I would think they'd have to tear it down from top to bottom, like they did the Statler. Somewhere, C. Howard Crane is rolling in his grave.

reddog289 · #31 August 13th, 2009, 10:42 PM

Call up Detroitdad and tell him to get the grill ready for his urban cookout tour.

wolverine · #32 August 13th, 2009, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stasu1213

It could be a park where entertainment could be held corresponding with the entertainment a Campus Martius and Hart Plaza. That will increase the pedestrial traffic in that small spot. Then stores might be constructed at the bottom level of the parking structure that sit next to BC.

This reminds me of the dreamy renderings architectural firms put out with tons of people walking around in an area that is blank and empty 1 year after the project is constructed.

Not to say it couldn't be an effective park, but you are asking WAY too much from the immediate area with a lousy built environment (except for the BC). Your only contributing building are two hotels which typically fail to produce "park patrons"...the rest is all garages or abandoned. 90% of your pedestrians in that 1 block area are waiting for the bus by the sidewalk.

MIRepublic · #33 August 13th, 2009, 11:44 PM

Has anyone confirmed that this will be a park? Will it be a private park, public park, managed by Parks & Rec or some private/non-profit, etc? Is this an actual park or simply greenspace a la the Statler Block? I'd heard nothing of this. I guess they realized that the site would be a rather strangely shapped parking lot if this is true.

royce · #34 August 14th, 2009, 12:20 AM

For those of you old enough to remember, the Kern Block was turned into green space. That consisted of grass and a diagonal walkway. Before the Compuware building was build, the Kern Block green space was mostly asphalt. This "Lafayette Park II" will probably start out as just grass, a few shrubs, and a few park benches. In a few years, it will have little grass and mostly dominated by bums and trash.

BTW, if there are signs that the Lafayette Building is about to be torn down, then did the Boydell guy have his two weeks to inspect the building?

ljbad89 · #35 August 14th, 2009, 12:47 AM

It's a little far away from the Lafayette Building, but is there any way we can damage the People Mover tracks for old time's sake? In all seriousness, I'm disappointed. Oh well.

buildingsofdetroit · #36 August 14th, 2009, 10:44 AM

Death fence going up now.

Detroitnerd · #37 August 14th, 2009, 10:49 AM

George Jackson is eating a hearty breakfast somewhere.

Fnemecek · #38 August 14th, 2009, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

George Jackson is eating a hearty breakfast somewhere.

And the demo contractors are probably paying for that breakfast, right after handing him an envelope filled with cash.

Detroitnerd · #39 August 14th, 2009, 11:01 AM

I think you're on to something. It's all part of a plan for downtown redevelopment.

A few demolitions a year means several breakfasts with George Jackson, all paid for by demo contractors.

And then that keeps places like Sweet Georgia Brown in business.

Unfortunately, we haven't demolished enough buildings, which helps explain the DDA forgiving interest on loans to high-priced restaurants built exclusively for folks like George Jackson.

Damn! If only we had a few more demos, SGB would still be in business!

Fnemecek · #40 August 14th, 2009, 10:54 AM

Pretty typical. If there's something that the City knows is going to be unpopular, they do it on a Friday.

Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for them to demolish some of the burned out homes in the neighborhood.

DetroitScooter · #41 August 14th, 2009, 11:29 AM

And yet, Packard still stands, untouched and probably on fire. Great job 'Demolition' Jackson!

LeannaM · #42 August 14th, 2009, 02:07 PM

So, they're gonna have Lafayette Coney Island with no Lafayette building that it was named after.

I understand there are economic reasons for tearing this building down, but it's still sad.

RIP Lafayette Building.

catch22 · #43 August 14th, 2009, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeannaM

So, they're gonna have Lafayette Coney Island with no Lafayette building that it was named after.

I understand there are economic reasons for tearing this building down, but it's still sad.

RIP Lafayette Building.

Not that it really matters, but I suspect that the coney island is named after the street and not the building next door (their address is 118 Lafayette Blvd.).

The recent activity around the building has made the Freep:

http://www.freep.com/article/2009081...yette-Building

Detroitnerd · #44 August 14th, 2009, 03:30 PM

Our good old transparent DDA/DEGC. I love how they made all information about the building available (not) and had the decency to put up the fences on a busy news day (not).

Rideron · #45 December 19th, 2009, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Our good old transparent DDA/DEGC. I love how they made all information about the building available (not) and had the decency to put up the fences on a busy news day (not).

HEY! Important city business goin' on here!! Its of no concern to the people!!!

drjeff · #46 August 14th, 2009, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeannaM

So, they're gonna have Lafayette Coney Island with no Lafayette building that it was named after.

I understand there are economic reasons for tearing this building down, but it's still sad.

RIP Lafayette Building.

The Coney place is named after the street- and I think it's actually older than the Lafayette building. I could be wrong about that.

DetroitScooter · #47 August 14th, 2009, 02:01 PM

Yep, just walked over there and the heavy concrete barriers are going up and the falling object fences are coming down. Workers didn't comment on what was next. Also, many of the windows are open, for some reason. The bus stop is also gone, and one lane of every road around the Lafayette is closed.

Detroitnerd · #48 August 14th, 2009, 03:31 PM

Geo. Jackson: "When the city does bring down a building, he added, it’s to make way for future development."

Har-dee-har-har.

buildingsofdetroit · #49 August 14th, 2009, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Geo. Jackson: "When the city does bring down a building, he added, it’s to make way for future development."

Har-dee-har-har.

Yeah, that boldfaced lie got a guffaw out of me to. Lessee, here ...
Statler, Tuller, Monroe Block, Hudson's, Cadillac Square Building, Madison-Lenox, Donovan and Sanders buildings, soon to be Tiger Stadium ... not a lick of development on any of 'em. Unless you count an Ilitch-run parking lot, of course.

mauser · #50 September 24th, 2009, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buildingsofdetroit

Statler, Tuller, Monroe Block, Hudson's, Cadillac Square Building, Madison-Lenox, Donovan and Sanders buildings, soon to be Tiger Stadium ... not a lick of development on any of 'em. Unless you count an Ilitch-run parking lot, of course.

Please add the Art School of the Society of Arts and Crafts (later became CCS) on Watson street to the list, that is/was the muddy area just to the east of the Crystal loft/abandoned grocer building. (crystal ballroom).

The developer didnt want to do it, the City forced it during Superbowl.