June 3 Stude bldg demo photos NOW POSTED

[BobPalma]

OK, computer whiz kids:

I was in South Bend yesterday (Friday, June 3) to attend a talk by automotive stylist Virgil Exner Jr. at the Studebaker National Museum in the afternoon. (Interesting; I did not realize the Jr. Mr. Exner probably did as much styling as did his father.)

Anyway, I got to town early to sneak round the Engineering and Foundry demolition sites and take photos before having lunch with good friend Don Galeziewski at the original Bonnie Doons (YUM). 'Too many workers around to sneak inside the Engineering Building, but I did enter and explore the Foundy interior undetected...or at least unmolested.

I took maybe 10 photos and wanted to post them here on the forum. I think I've finally figured out this Photobucket downloading and uploading-to-forum thing as I've been able to sucessfully post several photos of late. I had trouble getting these into Photobucket until I copied them to My Pictures on my computer. Then Photobucket could upload them. Go figure. (Thanks to Dave Arnold, Patrick Mallin, and Chris Dresbach for offering suggestions.)

All photos taken 11:30 AM Friday, June 3, 2011.

Engineering Building, corner of Franklin and Sample Streets:



West Side of Engineering Building:



Talk about irony. This sign is right smack dab where the famous December 9, 1963 "Gate Picture" was taken that snowy, fateful day when "the announcement" was made and workers were trudging through the snow and slush to go home at the end of their shift:



Front of Engineering Building. You can see where the famous Studebaker Wheel up high was carefully removed and has been stored securely, we are told:



Entrance to Foundry Demolition site off Prairie Avenue by old gate house:



Foundry Interior, looking SE:



Foundry Interior, looking East:



Foundry Interior, looking SE again:



Foundry Interior, looking ENE:



Foundry Gate House/Guard Shack. My car is immediately to the right along Prairie Avenue, out of the picture. The large overhead doorway at the upper left, behind the sign, is the doorway through which I walked to take the interior photos posted above:



As I have said previously, seeing the foundry come down is my saddest disappointment. Imagine Studebaker's 1950 production year: Over 1,000 engine blocks and 1,000 cylinder heads were cast right here every working day. BP

[Chris_Dresbach]

I would wait a while and try again with photobucket. Sometimes the uploads can "act up" and not work... I have over a thousand on my account, 12 is NOT an overload.

What's left in the foundry? The last time I was in there the city was just beginning to scrap out what little was left in there.

[DavidValk]

Take a look at http://www.tinypic.com. I've never had any trouble with them, even when just linking.

[BobPalma]

What's left in the foundry? The last time I was in there the city was just beginning to scrap out what little was left in there.

Not much, Chris. There was a big pile of old tires, several hundred, probably, and piles of scrap iron and steel that had been cut from various locations. All the vertical uprights supporting the roof have been labeled with some sort of marking that I am sure will be involved in their coming down in a certain order.

I wanted to wander further east to the cupola area, but I had seen some workers out in the yard who I think may have watched me go in, and I was clearly inside all the warning areas about hard hats and such. They would not have believed any statements about my hard head being adequate protection! <GGG>

I was afraid I'd get too far from my escape route if they came after me. (I wasn't afraid for my physical well-being, but I didn't want them to say anything about my taking pictures and maybe try to confiscate my camera.) BP

[White Hawk]

The foundry was utilized as a foundary from 1928 until 1963, some 35 years. From 1963 until 2011, almost 48 years it was pretty much derelict storage. It's time was up: however, I am still sorry to see it go!

Bob, thanks for the photos.

[studegary]

Those buildings sure look substantial enough. They could have been gutted and saved for eventual re-use. Then they could receive modern windows, electrical, plumbing, heat, A/C for whatever use they could be put to.
To me, it is a waste to just tear them down to make empty space. There are some old factory and large department store buildings here in Dutchess County, NY that have received that type of treatment (gut and then refurbish for a different use). Of course, small, fairly new buildings are torn down all the time around here (a free-standing Friendly's Restaurant this week).
It appears that the City of South Bend is newer than Studebaker. I guess that the growth of Studebaker spurred the development of the South Bend area resulting in a city.

[8E45E]

Not much, Chris. There was a big pile of old tires, several hundred, probably, and piles of scrap iron and steel that had been cut from various locations.

I doubt its ever been THAT clean in there since it opened! I wonder what happened to all that sand that was used for casting the blocks.

Craig

[jclary]

I wanted to wander further east to the cupola area, but I had seen some workers out in the yard who I think may have watched me go in, and I was clearly inside all the warning areas about hard hats and such. They would not have believed any statements about my hard head being adequate protection! <GGG>

I was afraid I'd get too far from my escape route if they came after me. (I wasn't afraid for my physical well-being, but I didn't want them to say anything about my taking pictures and maybe try to confiscate my camera.) BP

I bet there is a lot of us who would make a contribution to the museum just to see a video of you trying to sprint out of that building like a twelve-year-old who'd been caught in farmer Jones' watermelon patch!

[Chris_Dresbach]

Thanks for the photos, Bob. Looks like my thoughs about what was going on in there were right, they brought down a few walls and gutted it out. I have to agree that it hasn't been that clean in years. That foundry floor was a mess the last time I was in there! I really hate to see those buildings go. I know the foundry was beyond saving in most parts. There was a hole in the roof near the cupolas that a few semis could have fit through. The engineering building however was basically my home-away-from-home for a long time and I still say it could have been saved. I will say though, I wish the city would save more of the old buildings and reuse them. There has been a lot of demolition around here lately, and anything built is too new... The city just dosen't have that "old flavor" to it anymore in some parts.

[BobPalma]

I doubt its ever been THAT clean in there since it opened! I wonder what happened to all that sand that was used for casting the blocks. Craig

Well Craig; I still have a pretty good-sized cooler-full of it (about 6 gallons of it, I'd guess) in my garage from 2002. My wife keeps threatening to spread it on her garden, but I tell her it is sacred and constitutes hallowed ground...er, sand. <GGG> BP

[BobPalma]

I bet there is a lot of us who would make a contribution to the museum just to see a video of you trying to sprint out of that building like a twelve-year-old who'd been caught in farmer Jones' watermelon patch!

That could probably be arranged, John. We'd call in one of the video crews that make the shows like Operation Repo, Pawn Stars, etc., and pay off the demolition workers to act as if they were genuinely chasing me off the property.

(However, I doubt that my sprinting capabilities would approach those of a 12-year-old beating a hasty retreat from Farmer Jones' watermelon patch!) <GGG> BP

[BobPalma]

The foundry was utilized as a foundry from 1928 until 1963, some 35 years. From 1963 until 2011, almost 48 years it was pretty much derelict storage. It's time was up: however, I am still sorry to see it go!

Bob, thanks for the photos.

You're welcome, Mike. I realize it is a priviledge to be able to be in South Bend in three hours, and have the opportunity to do so. I was also doing a little research at the museum for a happy item coming up in the August Co-Operator I'm sure everyone will enjoy.

The foundry was actually used by Chrysler as a foundry in the late 1960s, so it wasn't dormant quite as long as might be imagined. I do not have particulars on Chrysler's terms of usage, however. BP

[Clem64]

Thanks for the great photos Bob. While we did go into the Engineering Bldg. and buy some items from Dennis when we were there in '06, we only did a drive around tour of the rest of the plant. We should have stayed longer.

[Milaca]

Thanks for sharing the photos Bob. I could make use of one of those foundry I-beams to build a wood spliter. I appreciate all of you that contribute updates of all things Studebaker in South Bend.

[Welcome]

>>>The foundry was actually used by Chrysler as a foundry in the late 1960s, so it wasn't dormant quite as long as might be imagined. I do not have particulars on Chrysler's terms of usage, however. BP

Wow, learn something new every day on this Forum!

I knew for sure Cummins Engine's Great Lakes Casting Div. used the former Studebaker foundry in the late '60s, but never knew Chrysler snuck into town to use it also.