Statler Hotel Demolition Progress

[Allan]

Hmm... What about the brown brick building where AAA was actually located in on corner of Washington/Clifford? Is AAA coming back to that building? They have lights turned on in that building still.

Your guess is as good as mine.

Working lights inside abandoned buildings isn't totally unheard of....

[Michi]

Care to disclose that location?

[Allan]

Hannan Memorial YMCA

[ZachariahDaMan]

Without having to pay to get into any facilities we could have a nice game of basketball at the Hannan Memorial YMCA

[hudkina]

I'll bring the ball, you bring the rim...

[Michi]

I'll bring the ceiling!!!

[Jin Kim]

Just an FYI, they started demo'ing the remaining Washington Blvd. side today.

[ZachariahDaMan]

Can you get a picture of what it looks like?

[Jin Kim]

ZachariahDaMan,

Sorry, I didn't see your post until just now. I'll take some photos in the morning and post them here.

[Jin Kim]

As promised, here are some quick snaps of the Statler demo today. This time from Grand River... Bagley.. Grand Circus Park... Washington. Clifford.

[detroitfan]

They aren't wasting any time looks like they've taken about half that side down already

[ZachariahDaMan]

Great pictures Jin Kim, thanks for posting them.

[jerald]

I cant help but hope that something takes its place...sigh.

Great pics...

[Michi]

Drive through Burger King anyone?

I KIDD!

[statedude3]

I knew the whole was going to be big...but that is a massive space of emptyness. The sooner they put something in it's place the better...but I will be ticked as hell if it is not of high quality and great size.

[Zissou]

That is so incredibly depressing. I know your kidding Michi but i hope to god they put something on that site thats worth losing some of Detroit's architectural history.

[wolverine]

Ugh, that hole is MASSIVE.

Ok, let's build a 25 story building there now

Wishing......

[RustTown]

I wish there was demand for that. The chances seem even more remote with the Broderick Tower soon to be under renovation. That's really why I wanted to have them let it stand longer, if not to save it, to at least wait until demand actually warranted bringing it down.

[tombarnes]

There simply were no good reasons to destroy the Statler. I have just spent hours reviewing pictures at Forgotten Detroit and Lowell Boileau's Fabulous Ruins of Detroit site. I've seen these sites before, but they are even more depressing when I realize that the city administration of Detroit would happily pave the entire city if the opportunity were to present itself.

[RustTown]

There really was no good reason. It didn't prevent anymore of a safety hazard than the dozen or so other abanonded buildings that dot the landscape of downtown. The exterior was in rather good shape, and there was no need for more parking.

It completely baffles my mind that they were allowed to bring this down, proposal pending or not. I can't wait to read in a few years, how the demolition was probably totally illegal and pointless.

[Allan]

My friend sent me a video of the demolition tonight...it was really something to see.

I would've liked to see the machine in action myself, but I've been in the studio working on my project for the past 48 hours...another 16 hours and I will finally be able to sleep! It will at least be nice to see something other than the inside of the studio for once.

[Allan]

Here's the machine in action....

http://www.waitingforlunch.com/statler.avi

[Michi]

Not only does that hurt, it hurts bad.

[Jin Kim]

After personally observing 15+ years of the city spiraling towards oblivion (and knowing that the decline began long before even then) I'm ready to move on.

It does hurt, but it's part of general progress in a positive direction. This is about Detroit of today and more importantly tomorrow, not restoring the old Detroit, which frankly wasn't all that great anyhow.

[detroitfan]

You weren't kidding about that video it's an amazing sight.