  Ndavies Member Username: Ndavies Post Number: 1551 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 70.236.175.43 |
Well, the timeline is today for the Demolition. The sanders will be gone by Monday.   | ||
Ddaydave Member Username: Ddaydave Post Number: 257 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 67.149.185.244 |
thanks for the speedy pics Ndavies | ||
Ndavies Member Username: Ndavies Post Number: 1552 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 70.236.175.43 |
This isn't taking very long.  | ||
Ndavies Member Username: Ndavies Post Number: 1553 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 70.236.175.43 |
 Oops, they dropped the ball. that will slow them down. They're digging it out.  (Message edited by ndavies on January 14, 2006) | ||
Huggybear Member Username: Huggybear Post Number: 118 Registered: 08-2005 Posted From: 69.218.156.6 |
Wow. Literally! | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 842 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 69.246.13.131 |
Great pix Ndavies, thank you | ||
Ndavies Member Username: Ndavies Post Number: 1555 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 70.236.175.43 |
They got in a few more wacks after re-attaching the ball. However, the building's having the last laugh. The ball cable snapped again.  Sorry about the image quality. Low light, no tripod and damn it's cold. | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 660 Registered: 01-2004 Posted From: 4.229.69.22 |
Thanx Ndavies ! | ||
Aiw Member Username: Aiw Post Number: 5223 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 64.228.197.254 |
Good stuff. Thanks. | ||
Supersport Member Username: Supersport Post Number: 9757 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.246.37.236 |
Mauser must be sleeping on the job, WTF? lol | ||
Ndavies Member Username: Ndavies Post Number: 1556 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 70.236.175.43 |
Didn't take them long to fix the cable and get back at it.  A tripod sure helps.  | ||
Royce Member Username: Royce Post Number: 1406 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 69.212.228.68 |
It's a damn shame they couldn't spare the Donovan building. It appears to be a solid structure. Come next weekend we'll all be looking at the buildings in the way distant west. Like Lmichigan said, the Donovan and Sander's buildings served as an anchor for that side of Woodward. Looking at the buildings while heading south on Woodward was like looking at a mountain after miles of barren desert. It gave you a sense of hope that the worst was behind you. Oh well, urban prairie, here we come. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 1756 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.105.203 |
Royce I agree with you about your Alamo analogy. For anyone who has ever been to Philadelphia and has been to Franklin Court (former home of Ben Franklin) you will know what he means. Instead of a reconstruction (of what Franklin's grandchildren destroyed in the early 1800's), they put up aluminum tubing to show the footprint/scale of the original house, and then built a museum underneath it underground. Totally tacky! | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 3015 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.172.95.197 |
The Detroit News article from today seems to be hinting at the fact that the Donovan may be saved. Is that some kind of sick joke, or is there something the News knows that we don't know about? This line in the article in particular, confuses me: "As for Motown Center's future, it hasn't been turned into gravel -- yet. "We remain committed to preserving and celebrating Detroit's Motown legacy," Heidelberg-Yopp says." Are they talking about the Motown Center museum proposal, or the actual building still standing? | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 661 Registered: 01-2004 Posted From: 4.229.114.248 |
Oh I was there, standing with Ndavies. I got there at about 6:50 and stayed until 10:00 when the cable broke again and the wrecking ball was stranded for a third time in the rubble. Grabbed a chunk of terracotta as big as my head and left for home. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 3017 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.172.95.197 |
BTW, does anyone know what the facade of the Donovan Building is constructed of? It looks like either limestone or sandstone to me, but I don't know which. A minor question, I know. | ||
Pffft Member Username: Pffft Post Number: 720 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 69.221.39.118 |
For those of you who don't read Soulful Detroit, here's some comments by Ralph Terrana, who worked in the Donovan Building back in the Motown days: "...as much as I loved the old building, a Motown museum would, more than likely, be better served in a more modern facility. The Donavan was falling apart even when I was there. I remember standing outside the building with Harry Balk at the time they were trying to spruce the place up a bit. Harry's comment was it was like putting perfume on a pig. I'm certain that someday there will be a Motown museum and it will be nicely presented." | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 3018 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.172.95.197 |
Considering almost any building can be saved and modernized to fit modern use, there is no reason why the Donovan couldn't. If it was falling apart back when he worked in it, it was more likely due to poor maintenance than anything. Far worse off buildings have been renovated and reused in the area. I wouldn't put much bearing on that comment. | ||
Supersport Member Username: Supersport Post Number: 9761 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.246.37.236 |
Mauser, I know, I heard. I have street prophets everywhere. I knew before 10 pm that you were onsight. In fact, I was standing about 100 feet or so from you. LOL | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 662 Registered: 01-2004 Posted From: 4.229.69.135 |
Yep yep - small world SS. Donovan facade is limestone, BTW Lmich. | ||
Pam Member Username: Pam Post Number: 29 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 4.229.102.230 |
Yeah, good job Mauser and NDavies with the pics and getting the original scoop on the story. Detroit Yes- the number one source for breaking local news. | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 663 Registered: 01-2004 Posted From: 4.229.54.108 |
DEMOLITION MEANS PROGRESS ! pics from the last few days. I finally met Kathleen in person, and I also got to meet Ndavies - nice folks. Forums are good for what they are, but I gotta say I prefer meeting most of you peeps in person. | ||
Eric Member Username: Eric Post Number: 292 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 35.11.158.84 |
Thanks for the pics they really seem to be cutting corner with the lack water and air monitoring. They also better be paying for that streetlight they broke | ||
Ddaydave Member Username: Ddaydave Post Number: 260 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 67.149.185.244 |
I watched it for about 30 minutes today ...I was surprised at how there was no structural steel was in that building | ||
Dan Member Username: Dan Post Number: 1167 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.47.194.247 |
damn, that makes me sad. | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 664 Registered: 01-2004 Posted From: 4.229.54.20 |
If I understand what you are saying, that there was no structural steel in the building - Thats because it was made with reinforced concrete - the "structural steel" was rebar embedded in the cement. Made it a bitch to bust it up. Julius and Albert Kahn-atcha ! | ||
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 447 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.42.176.123 |
This demolition strategy seems odd. Notice how they are just tearing down the Sanders Building but being careful not to damage the Donovan building. Me thinks if they wanted to tear both down asap then they would just be swinging away. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 3026 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.172.95.197 |
Yeah, I'm not sure if this is where I said it, but the latest News article ended with something very odd. The person being interviewed concerning a possible Motown Center said something to the extent that they are still looking at preservation. I thought it was totaly odd to say something like that. Does anyone have the last post of that article/interview? I believe it was published the 14th. | ||
Naturalsister Member Username: Naturalsister Post Number: 432 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.42.169.65 |
I know Heidelberg-Yopp. I'm gonna go ask her myself. later - naturalsister | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 3027 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.172.95.197 |
Thank you very much, Natural. It will be good to hear what she meant straight from her own mouth. | ||
Pffft Member Username: Pffft Post Number: 722 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 69.221.39.118 |
Nah they said the Motown Center is still a possibility, not preservation. The story says the buildings were being demo'ed, that was never in doubt. | ||
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 448 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.42.176.123 |
This is what the last line of that story says: "As for Motown Center's future, it hasn't been turned into gravel -- yet. "We remain committed to preserving and celebrating Detroit's Motown legacy," Heidelberg-Yopp says." | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 1108 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.14.122.57 |
Sunday morning was a beautiful day to watch some demolition, despite the frigid temps. Shades of the Howard Johnson implosion!!! There was a small group of photographing fiends out there documenting this occasion. After a while, you get to talking to one another....nice to finally meet Mauser in person!!! Thought you might like these photos...    Does anyone know if the Donovan Building demolition is beginning today? I've heard yes and no. | ||
Goat Member Username: Goat Post Number: 8041 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.71.65.231 |
Damn! I would have loved one of those rosettes to frame between the first and second story of my house...too bad for me. It seems from Mauser's pics on DetroitFunk that the Sander's building still had doors and at least a nice railing left inside. Was there anythig else that could have possibly been salvaged? Why don't they let salvage crews in to tear some of that stuff out? Give them 24hrs and you get what you get that way some of the building will remain forever...I don't get it. (Message edited by GOAT on January 16, 2006) | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 666 Registered: 01-2004 Posted From: 4.229.24.157 |
The DIA preserved key elemnents of the terracotta, and of course the Tiffany mosaics. The rest was treated as garbage. Kathleen and I managed to grab some nice pieces out of the rubble during the demo crews lunch break. There was hundreds of pounds of interesting chunks. You shoulda come on down Goat. I wish everybody would have grabbed a hunk of this building, it was so beautiful. | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 667 Registered: 01-2004 Posted From: 4.229.24.157 |
    | ||
Goat Member Username: Goat Post Number: 8047 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.71.65.231 |
Very nice Mauser...unfortunately, I was quite sick Saturday and Sunday. Of course now that it's Monday I feel great. You got some great ones there...if someone could get me a rosette from the Donavan building, I would certainly pay... | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 668 Registered: 01-2004 Posted From: 4.229.27.12 |
Drove past Donovan on my way to work today, noticed some ominous signs. The crew is putting up a fence around the building. I think Donovan is a much harder structure to destroy, due to its construction, but mostly its placement. i think they did Sanders first to clear an area for Donovan to fall. The other side, of course, has it falling into the I-75 trench.     | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 1111 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.14.122.57 |
Dave and I stopped by the site early this afternoon around 1pm. Ran into a couple people taking photos. One was Rev. Fr. Steven J. Kelly from St. John Episcopal Church across the freeway from the site. Based on what he has learned, the Donovan Building demolition won't start until late this week, possibly Friday, most likely Saturday. (Message edited by Kathleen on January 16, 2006) | ||
Broken_main Member Username: Broken_main Post Number: 634 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 69.222.11.226 |
Mauser..great pics. Nice message to Scary Berry Gordy. Its truly sad to see the buildings demoed. | ||
Ddaydave Member Username: Ddaydave Post Number: 261 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 67.149.185.244 |
after seeing more of the sanders building I have more respect for it to bad someone didn`t have the cash to make lofts out of it .. Did berry Gordy own the donovan building or just rent space in it ???? | ||
Aiw Member Username: Aiw Post Number: 5227 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 64.228.64.37 |
He owned both until very recently. | ||
Brandon48202 Member Username: Brandon48202 Post Number: 47 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 68.248.15.192 |
I believe he still owns it under the business name "Cherrylawn Realty" | ||
Ddaydave Member Username: Ddaydave Post Number: 262 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 67.149.185.244 |
Then wouldn`t that make the city just as guilty for that building being in that condition as Berry Gordy ..What other city in Mi would let a building rot for 30 years without taking some kind of court action against the owner.. | ||
Broken_main Member Username: Broken_main Post Number: 642 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 69.222.11.226 |
Nice name ...Any info on the name Cherrylawn. I ask this because my aunt lives on Cherrylawn and my uncle (a musician) knows Berry Gordy and most of all the Motown performers from when they were at Northwestern HS many many years ago. I wonder where he lived when in Detroit??? | ||
Eric_c Member Username: Eric_c Post Number: 603 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 68.21.62.206 |
Ddaydave - Detroit was overwhelmed by active abandonment. Not making excuses, but I doubt any city could have handled it all. | ||
Pam Member Username: Pam Post Number: 31 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 4.229.81.4 |
https://www.detroityes.com/nhood/09 gordy_house.htm | ||
J_stone Member Username: J_stone Post Number: 259 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.136.142.1 |
http://www.motownmansion.com/p ages/4/ | ||
Ddaydave Member Username: Ddaydave Post Number: 263 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 67.149.185.244 |
here are some nice shots of the inside http://www.snweb.org/donovan.p hp and http://forgottenmichigan.com/g allery/UE/donovan/?g2_page=1 | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 669 Registered: 01-2004 Posted From: 4.229.123.95 |
Berry Gordy lived at the Hitsville house, then moved to an apartment on Lawton Street (the one with LeePlaza on it). After the Lawton apratment, he purchased a condo in the Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe subdivision near Lafayette Park. It was after the Mies Van Der Rohe condo that he purchased the first LA place, and the Boston Edision Mansion.    | ||
Toolbox Member Username: Toolbox Post Number: 827 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.14.125.129 |
While not in Michigan the Masonic Temple in Providence Rhode Island has sat uncompleted and vacant for over 75 years. Odd thing is this abandoned building sat across the street from the state capitol for over 75 years. Only recently has a renovation started. | ||
Ddaydave Member Username: Ddaydave Post Number: 264 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 67.149.185.244 |
I`ll be Damned 75 years | ||
Toybreaker Member Username: Toybreaker Post Number: 21 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 69.220.69.189 |
What a ghost town. One guard watching over the machines in an adjacent lot, and that was it. I was able to paw around quite a bit and get some reasonable pictures. Unfortunately my lungs are paying for it, they are doing nothing to keep the dust down - everything is coated, it is hanging in the air still. Temptation doesn't even explain. I didn't bring a flashlight for a reason. We'll see tomorrow. ;)  [full post] [Full set here] | ||
Broken_main Member Username: Broken_main Post Number: 657 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 69.222.11.226 |
Thanks so much you all. I used to deliver papers in BE for a while. I would have never known thta was the Motown Mansion. thanks Pam and J_Stone for that bit of info. Much appreciated!!! DdayDave...thanks to you as well for the pics. Toybreaker, while I have seen a brilliant array of photos on this forum, I must say that your photo is the most most informative and descriptive photo i have yet seen on this forum. Not one word needs to be said looking at that pic and it is truly sad that the buildings had to be torn down. | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 670 Registered: 01-2004 Posted From: 4.229.69.6 |
Hey Toybreaker, that is a fantastic shot. Pardon if I dont fawn as hard as Broken_main, but that is sweet. I added your website link to dETROITfUNK as well. You rock ! | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 671 Registered: 01-2004 Posted From: 4.229.69.6 |
dETROITfUNK DONOVAN/MOTOWN interior photos | ||
Pam Member Username: Pam Post Number: 33 Registered: 11-2005 Posted From: 67.107.47.65 |
Wow, cool pics Mauser. I can't believe they left so much stuff in there. | ||
Toybreaker Member Username: Toybreaker Post Number: 22 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 12.159.57.2 |
Thanks so much, I live pretty close by so I'm going to try and monitor the "progress" as much as possible. Mauser - thanks also for the link and for your photos earlier on. | ||
Valkyrias Member Username: Valkyrias Post Number: 189 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 66.238.129.197 |
those are some amazing photos, toybreaker. i really like the one of the wrecking ball here, and the one of the 2 CAT machines on your site. really, all the photos on this thread are very good, just so sad to know what the real story is... | ||
Mauser765 Member Username: Mauser765 Post Number: 672 Registered: 01-2004 Posted From: 4.229.69.123 |
dETROITfUNK Donovan photos mentioned in the FREEP | ||
Goat Member Username: Goat Post Number: 8061 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 64.228.195.66 |
Kudos Mauser. As always you take some excellent pics. I too can't believe so much stuff was left their. As I stated. Why can't demo crews let crews in to strip what is necessary for a 24hr period? Heck even giving them or the owner soem cash for the privilege. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 2193 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.58.137 |
Great pictures Mauser,Toybreaker, Kathleen and Ndavies. Thanks. | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 888 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 69.246.13.131 |
The Donovan during the wideing of Woodward.  WSU | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 1120 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.14.122.57 |
Drove by the site late yesterday afternoon and saw that they haven't just cleared the lot where the Sanders Building stood, but rather are digging what typically would be a basement. Won't that make it that much harder to clear the debris from the Donovan/Motown Center building and turn it into a surface lot in time for the Super Bowl? | ||
Ndavies Member Username: Ndavies Post Number: 1572 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 129.9.163.105 |
They will have to completely remove the debris from the basement. They have dirt piled in the lot accross Henry to fill the hole. The new dirt will be more stable than the debris from the sanders building. I'm sure they don't want to swing that wrecking ball from an unstable surface. | ||
Detroitduo Member Username: Detroitduo Post Number: 436 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 194.138.39.52 |
Thanks for the coverage, y'all! While I was there for the Sanders demo, I will miss the Donovan, so I am glad to get more play by play.  | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 1122 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.14.122.57 |
Ndavies: Please be sure to let us know when the demolition begins on the Donovan building!! I had heard it would be Saturday. | ||
Chris_rohn Member Username: Chris_rohn Post Number: 158 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 68.252.125.250 |
Since its coming down anyway, they should give us a show and implode the Donovan into the middle of I-75. | ||
Llyn Member Username: Llyn Post Number: 1367 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 68.61.197.206 |
Unfortunately, it isn't close enough to the people mover to damage the tracks. | ||
Ndavies Member Username: Ndavies Post Number: 1581 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 70.236.175.43 |
Looks like they are prepping to start on the Donovan building. They're getting road barrels delivered. They have already removed windows on the third floor. I would expect them to start either later this evening or first thing in the morning. | ||
Goat Member Username: Goat Post Number: 8077 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 70.48.208.72 |
Grab me a rosette NDavies, please!! | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 2197 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.58.137 |
still standing...  | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 3054 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 67.172.95.197 |
I really think they are stalling to give someone the chance to step up and save this. They could have just as easily delt this one a death blow like they did with the Madison Lenox, yet have seemed to go out of their way not to do anything to the Donovan. Or, maybe I'm just being hopeful. | ||
Ndavies Member Username: Ndavies Post Number: 1582 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 70.236.175.43 |
Just hopeful. They're still filling the Sanders basement with dirt. I'm sure they'll start as soon as that's complete. | ||
Toybreaker Member Username: Toybreaker Post Number: 26 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 69.220.69.189 |
As of late this afternoon the basement was still not full, I'll be going by in the morning to check the status. I'd imagine that the backfill has to be quite secure before they can put the heavy machines on it necessary to wreck the Donovan. | ||
Matt_the_deuce Member Username: Matt_the_deuce Post Number: 444 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.14.248.252 |
...and all the rain won't help. | ||
Ndavies Member Username: Ndavies Post Number: 1583 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 70.236.175.43 |
They've made a pretty good start on the Donovan this morning.  | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 1127 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.14.122.57 |
Thanks, ndavies, for the update and photo! Makes sense that they are starting with that wall...the path of least resistance!!! We'll swing by late this morning. | ||
Detroitduo Member Username: Detroitduo Post Number: 446 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 84.156.21.58 |
My partner told me they started swinging the ball at 5:00am! How ridiculous is that? I guess when you wanna stick to a timeline.... |
