 
Rrl
Member
Username: Rrl
Post Number: 906
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 1:29 pm: |    |
The old Federal Building;
Fort Street train station;
Stroh's Brewery. |
Gistok
Member
Username: Gistok
Post Number: 5450
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 1:58 pm: | |
Yes Scottr, the Michigan Theatre counts. It was gutted during the tenure of the previous owners. It was the largest of the 50 some French palatial theatres that Chicago architects Rapp & Rapp designed across America.
56packman... I agree the loss of the Hollywood Theatre was also regrettable. At 3,434 seats, it was Detroit's largest neighborhood theatre (torn down in the early 1960's).
I also lament the loss of the old Fisher Theatre (remodeled in 1960-61).
And another favorite building that really hurt the density of midtown was massive Mackenzie Hall at WSU (Putnam & Cass). I remember its' Pewabic lined lobby when I went to WSU back in the 1970's. Most folks aren't familiar with it, so here's a pic (it was razed in the 80's IIRC):
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Danny
Member
Username: Danny
Post Number: 6636
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 2:09 pm: | |
I miss the Old Slumpy! |
Papermoon
Member
Username: Papermoon
Post Number: 10
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 2:10 pm: | |
Hudson's and Hudson's. Stupid, wasteful, and short-sighted to tear it down. Suburban mall stores don't hold a candle to the grande dame of downtown shopping. |
Danny
Member
Username: Danny
Post Number: 6638
Registered: 02-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 2:13 pm: | |
The 1890 army hospital in Ft. Wayne will be soon hit the demo lost. |
Chuckjav
Member
Username: Chuckjav
Post Number: 175
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 2:14 pm: | |
Gistok...thanks for the posting of Big-Daddy David Mackenzie Hall; first they rip down his building - then they shut down his high school.
Shameful and deplorably indecent. |
Davetroit
Member
Username: Davetroit
Post Number: 27
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 2:25 pm: | |
Although not as significant as some of the buildings already mentioned here, I have been told that the Grande Ballroom will be coming down soon to make room for the new church that now owns it. I was hoping that by some miracle, they were going to renovate the building...
In reality, this doesn't come as a surprise due to its current state. Sad that it was allowed to get past the point of no return. |
Jt1
Member
Username: Jt1
Post Number: 10380
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 2:27 pm: | |
quote:Hudson's and Hudson's. Stupid, wasteful, and short-sighted to tear it down.
There would never, ever be a viable plan that could make use of hudson's. Keeping it would have been a constant blight on downtown.
Memories don't improve cities. |
Spacemonkey
Member
Username: Spacemonkey
Post Number: 224
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 2:30 pm: | |
none |
Gistok
Member
Username: Gistok
Post Number: 5452
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 2:34 pm: | |
^^^ (Owner of IHOP?) |
Whithorn11446
Member
Username: Whithorn11446
Post Number: 148
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 2:39 pm: | |
-Stroh's Brewery
-Ramona Theatre
-Statler Hilton
-De La Salle Collegiate(Conner & Glenfield)
-Lindell A.C.
-either Greyhound Bus terminal on Washington Blvd. or Congress(personal reasons)
-Cloud 9, Claydale Hotel, Akron Hotel(joke)
"Lindell AC, indeed! In evey city I've lived in, I've looked for their version of the Lindell AC. There was only one."
Lindell A.C. was the last one left of the old time night spots that many cities had. Toots Shor's and Danny's Hideaway in New York, Duke Zeibert's in Washington, etc. from that era were gone before the Lindell. |
Detroit_stylin
Member
Username: Detroit_stylin
Post Number: 5107
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 3:20 pm: | |
PARADISE VALLEY |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 1483
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 3:25 pm: | |
Ramming I-75 down Hastings Street.
Anita Baker taking down Chene House. "Sweet Love" my ass. |
Papermoon
Member
Username: Papermoon
Post Number: 13
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 3:30 pm: | |
JT1, I think people with vision improve cities. And that spark that inspires the vision can come from anywhere, even a memory. |
Jams
Member
Username: Jams
Post Number: 6418
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 3:34 pm: | |
The 411
Gone for 8 parking spaces. |
Jt1
Member
Username: Jt1
Post Number: 10384
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 3:36 pm: | |
quote:JT1, I think people with vision improve cities. And that spark that inspires the vision can come from anywhere, even a memory.
While I disagree with ou on Hudson's I agree wiht that statement. |
Texorama
Member
Username: Texorama
Post Number: 69
Registered: 12-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 3:44 pm: | |
I have to agree on half of Corktown. Was in Columbus last weekend and saw what the vital German Village area did for the entire center of the city. Corktown could have been just as attractive had it not been leveled in the name of urban renewal. |
French777
Member
Username: French777
Post Number: 243
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 4:06 pm: | |
Madison lenox |
Dougw
Member
Username: Dougw
Post Number: 1929
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 4:09 pm: | |
Madison-Lenox, Hudson's, Monroe block, maybe the old Fort Street Train Station.
With the Statler, I'd have to grudgingly go along with those who argued that its older type of floor construction made it impractical to rehabm, plus the fact that it wasn't really *that* special architecturally or historically. Can't really say the same for Hudson's, though.
Losing a single house like Slumpy is not really the end of the world, as Detroit has hundreds of other homes of similar size and quality. (Although after hearing that Slumpy was Albert Kahn's first project, I'd probably have to revise that statement a bit.) |
Jjw
Member
Username: Jjw
Post Number: 462
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 4:15 pm: | |
i go with the wholesale destruction for the Jeffries freeway along with Chuckjav above. I really think it contributed to the west side decay and also to the abandonment of the city. Those were some fine properties. I also think many of the smaller demolitions go unnoticed but have negatively impacted on the city. I still am shocked to see parts of Belle Isle paved for that race. And finally, the other thread about the hospital at Fort Wayne depressed me when I read about the possible destruction. |
Goat
Member
Username: Goat
Post Number: 9849
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 4:28 pm: | |
I wouldn't worry too much about City Hall. It was poorly built and would have tumbled down in another 20 years if that. I remember reading that the floors wre bowing and slanting so badly that some had to put books under their desks to level them off. Sure it was a beautiful building but it was poorly built. |
Detroitrulez
Member
Username: Detroitrulez
Post Number: 459
Registered: 12-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 4:32 pm: | |
"BURLESK" theater on Woodward for a vacant lot. |
Exmotowner
Member
Username: Exmotowner
Post Number: 410
Registered: 06-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 4:41 pm: | |
Of course all of the theaters. I also think the loss of Olympia stadium was major.
You guys are gonna have to help me out on something though (and Im ashamed of not knowing this) what are you talking about "Little Harry's and Chene Mansion" (associated with Anita Baker)???? Someone please fill me in. I've googled and did the search here but didnt come up with anything. |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 1484
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 4:50 pm: | |
The way I heard it, the judge issued a restraining order not to take down Chene House, one of the oldest houses in the city. Anita defied the order and had the building ripped down anyway. Is that essentially correct? |
Wirt
Member
Username: Wirt
Post Number: 63
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 4:55 pm: | |
Fiona's Tea House |
Gistok
Member
Username: Gistok
Post Number: 5455
Registered: 08-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 4:56 pm: | |
Sorta, the 1850 Chene House was taken down (via backhoe) on a Sunday! Not sure if the city or Anita's people did the actual demo, but CAY was in cahoots. By the time the courts opened up on Monday AM, it was too late. |
Raptor56
Member
Username: Raptor56
Post Number: 127
Registered: 05-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 5:07 pm: | |
out of curiosity as well, why was Anita in favor of tearing it down? |
Detroit313
Member
Username: Detroit313
Post Number: 494
Registered: 02-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 5:19 pm: | |
Whatever was demo in the central city for the highway;
i.e. I-96 that continues to destroy Grand River today,
I-75 that cuts downtown from midtown apart, and eastern market from N.E. downtown!
<313> |
Jams
Member
Username: Jams
Post Number: 6419
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 5:34 pm: | |
quote:The way I heard it, the judge issued a restraining order not to take down Chene House, one of the oldest houses in the city. Anita defied the order and had the building ripped down anyway. Is that essentially correct?
The restraining order was lifted around 3 or 4pm on a Friday, too late to do anything about it until Monday a.m.
The demolition was started around 1 a.m. Sunday morning from the back (Larned side), I drove Larned around 7a.m. that morning and was shocked to see the damage.
At that point there was so much damage to the building, it would have pointless to try to save it, so the demolition continued.
Will never visit that IHOP for any reason.
I also remember the promise made to the City that it would be a 24-Hour restaurant. It was, for about 3 months. |
Pinewood73
Member
Username: Pinewood73
Post Number: 61
Registered: 07-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 5:35 pm: | |
A little bit before I can remember, but what about Hamtramck?
Couldn't they have put that plant somewhere else. |