A tour of the city

[dbk]

Some visual perspective on what the loss of industry can do for you too! Urban exploration is a pretty popular past time here now, so there's always good pics of what once was.

The Model T plant in Highland Park, Michigan. I drive past this almost every day, but there is now a new development in front of it.

Ford World Headquarters from the early century

The Ford Piquette Plant

(this facility is now used, or is attempting to be used as an automotive heritage center)

The Studebaker Piquette Plant

It's unfortunate end:

Fisher Body Plant 21

Packard Motors

Russell Industrial Center

Michigan Central Rail

Detroit Boat Club

Belle Isle Stables

Rivertown

8th Precinct Police Station

Detroit Northeastern High

Highland Ave Apartments

Brush Park (this is the neighborhood behind Camilo Pardo's downtown studio. Attempts are being made to restore some of these buildings, but it is slow going)

 

[dbk]

The Highland Park PD - A couple miles down the road. Always an adventure as I pass through.

Continental Motors

Highland park Adult Education Facility

More Michigan Central Rail

 

[scode]

Great pictures Dave. What a shame!! I don't think I would want to go into those to snap those pictures though. I hope you had your 9mm with you.

 

[dbk]

9mm? Who carries a 9mm? :lol .45 ACP or bust :thumbsup

 

[B O N Y]

How sad.. Just brings me to the verge of tears.
Recall discussing with you the Highland Park area when we talked about the flick GRAND TORINO

Anyone who is not buying AMERICAN now, needs their ****ing head examined.

 

[B O N Y]

Damn.... I am always doing the wrong stuff....
SW MP 40 compact.... can't believe that I await my CCW...... what is the world coming to?

 

[THamonGT]

What a truly sad sight, I don't know how you look at those sights every day? So Many of us are Blessed to not have these REAL LIFE IMAGES in our backyards! I for one am! Tomy

 

[dbk]

The upstairs of Camilo's building is in very similar condition. I will take photos when we get back in town. He's got about 12,000 sq/ft upstairs that would be an unbelievable space, but it is completely uninhabitable as is. They redid the roof a few years ago, but the top most level still has a solid coating of pigeon shit. We were up there yesterday plotting and planning on getting the whole thing restored. It was a Chinese restaurant and then a ballroom in the heyday of Detroit about 80 years ago.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Damn.... I am always doing the wrong stuff....
SW MP 40 compact...

Hey, that's not 'cause someone didn't TRY to steer you in the proper direction...now, izzut! :rofl:rofl:rofl

 

[Empty Pockets]

That Michigan Central Rail bldg had to have been just gorgeous back in the day...

(What IS IT with pencilnecks and breaking windows, etc.? :bored)

 

[RALPHIE]

Such a sad statement of "our" current national values! We have become such a throwaway society in so many ways, including throwing away our heritages. A very depressing yet real look at "Life in these United States" today. Brings tears to my eyes....

 

[TEXAS GT]

That police station would make a great project to convert into a unique home.

Of course, you'd need a 10' electric fence and guard dogs in that neighborhood.

That is really depressing.

 

[donnymac]

Good photos of sad situations.

 

[fjpikul]

DBK, having grown up in the loadstone of the criminal element in the US, just give it time. All the buildings will eventually decay, fall down, people will want the old bricks, and empty lots will ensue. A new type of urban renewal. The packing houses, stockyards and railroads (and the thousands they empoyed) will never be back. You can lament all you want, it won't change things. Best to move to Idaho.

 

[dbk]

That Michigan Central Rail bldg had to have been just gorgeous back in the day...

The train station is probably the most visited of all the urban disasters. A lot of people live in there. That's where the "body in ice" incident occurred.

DBK, having grown up in the loadstone of the criminal element in the US, just give it time. All the buildings will eventually decay, fall down, people will want the old bricks, and empty lots will ensue. A new type of urban renewal. The packing houses, stockyards and railroads (and the thousands they empoyed) will never be back. You can lament all you want, it won't change things. Best to move to Idaho.

Frank, our buildings aren't falling. They've been empty for decades already! Part of our problem is people like M.J Maroun who own buildings like the train station but will do nothing with them. Won't develop, won't sell. What the endgame is, I have no idea. Drive's me nucking futs. Can you believe that building changed hands for $80k once?

 

[S592R]

9mm? Who carries a 9mm? :lol .45 ACP or bust :thumbsup

We're playing around with a 357 saboted for .45 acp. all I can say is "NASTY" when it hits B. Gellatin ... Body armor ... etc.

Also the FN 5.7x28 is rather interesting if you get the right ammo.

Either way ... mucho better than .38, 9mm, .40 or regular .45 acp (ball) for hard or soft targets.

sorry ... its been months since we talked guns, ammo .. etc around here. :lol

 

[BlackICE]

We're playing around with a 357 saboted for .45 acp. all I can say is "NASTY" when it hits B. Gellatin ... Body armor ... etc.

Why bother with that. How about a .400 Corbin, or
if you want a .357 in an 45 ACP case how about a 45-38 or 38-45 Hard Head. Of course you would need a new barrel.

 

[FB GT40]

Blight

Great photos Dave. What a sad commentary. This set should be mandatory viewing for our politicians and business leaders - ten times a day. Until the "get it"...

 

[dbk]

Of course, you'd need a 10' electric fence and guard dogs in that neighborhood.

Speaking of bad ass houses, Detroit has some absolutely UNREAL historic houses that are ridiculously dirt cheap, but again, you have to deal with horrendous shitholes being literally a block or two away. When you pass the Boston Edison historic district, you wouldn't even believe the houses and how much they cost. These are legit mansions. Not modern McMansions, but "I built this house in 1915 and it's 8,000 square feet with a giant marble foyer and ivy growing up the brick towers" mansions.

$99,000

$199,000 (5 brd, 3.5 bath, 3500 sq/ft)

$279k (5 bdr, 3 bath, 5,000 sq/ft)

$375k (5 bdr, 3 bath, 5,700 sq/ft)

$675k (8 bdr, 5 bath, 9,500 sq/ft)

This is the same neighborhood where people like Henry Ford and Berry Gordy actually lived when the city was booming.

Henry Ford's house

 

[Blue Moose]

Dave,
You are an artistic photographer!! But my heart is heavy seeing all that decay. As you know, here a building 50 years old is nearly historic. I now leave for work humbled.
Lady Moose