Last Chance Gas

Last Chance Gas, originally uploaded by A Dubs.

Dark Skies II

Dark Skies II, originally uploaded by A Dubs.

The High Line

I just discovered this amazing new application of railbanking taking place in Lower Manhattan.

The High Line was an elevated freight line that serviced the warehouses and factories of the Lower West Side. At points, a right-of-way was established through existing buildings.

The line has been abandoned since 1980 and much like the forgotten building of Detroit, grasses and trees have established themselves along the line. The Friends of the High Line are working with the City to preserve these viaducts and convert them into an elevated linear park and public spaces along the lines of the Promenade Plantée in Paris.

For a virtual tour check out oldnyc , or to see what's in store visit the design site. Also, check out the flicker cluster

Gutted

Built in 1919, this historic Albert Kahn designed print shop in Midtown has been gutted in preparation for a conversion into a retail/medical complex with indoor parking in the rear.

Lofts at New Amsterdam Phase 2

Work continues at the former Century Florist Supply Company building in New Center. It is being converted into 50 "Loft-Style" rental units.

4130 Trumbull

Recently this house at 4130 Trumbull, in the Woodbridge Historic District, was demolished by the city. Apparently, the front porch collapsed into the road striking a passing car. The city demolished the remains in November.

The Nightmare the Detroit Renaissance Center Could Have Been

Virtual motorcity has some renderings of what the Renaissance Center would have looked like if all of the phases had been completed as planned. 

Photo Model

Soaring Casinos

Two of the permanent casinos are rising quickly against of the backdrop Detroit's skyline. The MGM Grand and Motor City Casino race towards completion, while the Greektown Casino continues to flounder.

These photos were taken at the end of October. Photos 1 and 2 MGM Grand, Photo 3 Motor City.

Eileen O'Neil

Mt. Elliott Cemetery

Mt. Elliot Park

uploaded by A Dubs.

Next on the List...

The FBI will be moving its Detroit Headquarters from the McNamara Federal Building to a new location at Howard and the Lodge Freeway in 2009. The Executive Plaza complex, built between 1967 & 1972 will be demolished to make way for the new 300,000 square-foot complex.

Globe Trading Company Building To Be Redeveloped

The Detroit Free Press is reporting that the Globe Trading Company Building in River Town is to be redeveloped into a $15 million dollar residential and retail complex. Mark Wilcox, who has also renovated Rinnell Place Lofts and the Carola Building, will convert the 146 year old complex into 45 market-rate condominiums and 10,000 Sq. feet of retail space.

The National Park Service’s Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) project has produced these documents detailing the history of the building:

Narritive

Illustrations

Ghostly Ruins: America's Forgotten Architecture

Out now, from Princeton Architectural Press and author Harry Skrdla, is "Ghostly Ruins: America's Forgotten Architecture." It's a 224 page introduction to some of America's most fascinating architectual ruins. Skrdla, and engineer and historic preservation consultant based in Ann Arbor has inadvertently created a tour book for urban exploration. He's does, however, acknowledge this fact in his disclaimer and urges safety, responsibility, and most of all respect.

The book covers a wide variety of industrial, commercial and residential ruins accompanied by wonderful photos and brief backgrounds. Skrlda hits upon famous structures as well as the obscure. It contains profiles of the biggies such as the haunted Eastern State Penitentiary and Bannerman's Castle, as well as lesser known but equally compelling Windsor Plantation and the ghost towns of Centrella, Pennsylvania and Bodie, California.

Having been written and photographed by a local, "Ghostly Ruins" provides a lot of coverage on Detroit. How could a book with this scope, not include the Book Cadillac Hotel or the Michigan Central Depot after all. Also included are essays on the Packard Plant, Chin Tiki, Brush Park, Hudson's and the United Artist Theater.

Skrdla has done well in crafting this tome on urban decay. He sets the stage with a series of vignettes in his introduction that will surely strike a chord with all urban explorers. Why are we so interested in these monuments of desolation? Could it be nostalgia for the past and memories of one's youth? Do we fancy ourselves as history's detectives searching for the truth behind these building's misfortune? Or, are we drawn in by the ghosts within that sit in waiting? The tragedies of these once great structures grip you from the very first page and haunt you till the very last. "Ghostly Ruins" is an inspiration. Just as Skrdla predicted, I was ready to hit the road and take some photos before I finished the introduction.

Rivard Plaza Rising

Construction of the pavilion at Rivard Plaza has begun on the riverfront. The plazza and pavilion are part of the east RiverWalk pathway project.

More info can be found here.

Photos at Flickr

For those of you that are interested. I've begun to post some of my non Detroit photos to flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/theblacklodge/. There will be some Detroit photos mixed in as well.

85 Adelaide

I found a new "before" picture (far left) of 85 Adelaide from redstar102 on Webshots.

Amazing Site!

I just discoverd a beautiful urban and industrial architecture photography site from France, friched.net. It features some amazing interiors of the Broderick Tower. Here is the direct link.

Lindell A.C. No More

The Lindell A.C. came down this weekend to make way for the Rosa Parks Transit Center. It is often claimed that the Lindell was the ORIGINAL sports bar in America. In its prime, many sports celebrities were know to frequent the bar.

Cliff Bells

In case you haven't heard, Cliff Bells on Park is open for business. They did an awesome job restoring the building. The interior is amazing! Stop in for a pint or two!

The Donovan/Motown Building

With demolition being completed on the Sanders Building earlier in the week, work procedes on the Donovan/Motown Building.

Ransom Gillis House Update

Roof restoration continues at the Ransom Gillis House.

Demolished

This burned-out house on Sproat St. near Brush Park was put out of its misery over the holidays.

Brush Park Demolition

Brush Park suffered another loss this past week. This one was located on Alfred, just West of John R.

The Women's Exchange

The Women's exchange is completing its transformation into Chelie's Chili.