More on the Packard plant project

[j.byrd]

Hope this is OK to post here, since we are part of "Studebaker-Packard Corporation", check out the latest on the Packard factory work on David's excellent site.

http://theoldmotor.com/

[StudeRich]

That is just unbelievable how much debris there is inside of the Plant buildings, absolutely amazing!

I have to believe that age and neglect did NOT do that!
Those well built Commercial Buildings, all of the Steel, Iron, Concrete and Brick did not just fall down on it's own.

People have been allowed to steal from, damage and destroy this place for many, many, years to cause this much destruction but never any removal took place.

The destruction is way worse than what happened in South Bend only Ten years later.

Brotha I.M. Broke shows it better in this Video walking through that mess.
You can see that all that Concrete, Block, and Brick probably came down because all of the steel Girders have been removed requiring some pretty big equipment to do that.

http://theoldmotor.com/?p=105981

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOZlBnwtYa4&feature=player_embedded

[JimsLeadCommander]

My Good Man StudeRich: Much of what you said has some basis in fact however, you left out of your scenario an important factor ... actually two: Those buildings are over one hundred years old and some 57 years ago they were no longer occupied by people who had authority to maintain them. Also the mean and lean Detroit weather; the snow and ice and rain, the humidity and other factors, HEAT in the summer time had something to do with the demise of those structures as well. Sure, some ding-bats and homeless folk used the place for refuge and in a drunken stupor no doubt, tore up what they felt like taring up. Possibly removing steel beams and girders for salvage money but, through time and weather the place has wretched and broken down on its own and with wretched 'Help' from the unwanted. To think now, because of new technology we can literally 'fly' through the place as easily as a bee or that proverbial 'Fly on the wall" and sort of magically float through and above the area to better see the changes that have taken place....good or bad (mostly bad in this case). Now, THAT'S amazing!

[bezhawk]

It should have been torn down flat to the ground ten years after it was vacated!

[8E45E]

More on the drone tour of the Packard Plant here: http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...ighlight=drone

Craig

[mike cenit]

These buildings are the largest and longest unused industrial building in the history of America, largely unused sine 1956. With that said these are Albert Kahn designed buildings, and were poured cement construction, and
the basic structure is sound . A true tribute to Albert Kahn. If the the 55 years of trash is cleaned up those structures can be reused.

[JimsLeadCommander]

These buildings are the largest and longest unused industrial building in the history of America, largely unused sine 1956. With that said these are Albert Kahn designed buildings, and were poured cement construction, and
the basic structure is sound . A true tribute to Albert Kahn. If the the 55 years of trash is cleaned up those structures can be reused.

Now, when these structures were built over one hundred years ago, was re-inforced cement in common use? THAT consideration would be a factor in the thought processes of some entity considering setting up shop in them nowadays. At least I would think so; perhaps city codes would insist on it? But, maybe not.

[BobPalma]

Interesting debris you see from time to time in those Packard Building tours are abandoned fiberglass boats. Boats are stolen with or without trailers and stripped of engines / propulsion units, mechanicals, trailers (if stolen with them), etc., as those items have value.

What has no salvage value are leftover fiberglass hulks, so they are frequently dumped on the Packard site once the thieves have liberated the valuable components. BP

[rkapteyn]

Did you see this?

http://www.freep.com/article/20121202/NEWS01/312020100/History-Packard-Plant