chill. I got this.
Detroit, MI
Joined February 2012
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#Detroit, Grand River & Temple, 1947-2026. Wagner Baking opened this plant in 1916, making Wonder Bread from 1925-1985 until its closure. Lodge Fwy cut under Grand River in the '60's & nearby businesses, such as Square D, were razed. Motor City Casino renovated the space in 1999.
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#Detroit, Junction Ave, 2003-2023. The west side Dom Polski was the center of Polish community life from it's construction in 1925 until the 1970's, when the community gradually fled the city. Junction has since transitioned into a Mexican focused business & residential area.
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#Detroit, Grand River Ave, 1958-2026. The rail lines had just been ripped up in favor of buses, but the city's decline wouldn't be noticeable until the mid 60's. Grand River was still dense & thriving. The Detroit Creamery plant, just out of view at right, would be razed in 2016.
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#Detroit, c.1973-2023. View from above the old Fort Street Union Depot (1893-1974) shows parts of the upper exterior. The image looks NW w/ the newer DTE HQ in the distance. The Advance Glove Mfg building is now the John King bookstore. The structure w/ the Mohawk ad is long gone
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#Detroit, Fort & 2nd, 1959-2026. Another from 1959, this is an east view toward downtown. A concrete parking monstrosity sits where Paul's Auto Wash operated from the 1940's until the '90's. The Penobscot Building is now partially blocked by 1960's & 70's era skyscrapers.
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#Detroit, Woodward & Vernor, 1959-2026. This south view toward the river was taken a half decade before excavation for Fisher Fwy would begin along the path of Vernor. The 2 story structure with Juice O'Orange was sacrificed. The Hudson Building of course was torn down in 1998.
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“One entered the city like a god. One scuttles in now like a rat.”
- Vincent Scully on Penn Station
New York’s original Pennsylvania Station opened in 1910.
Its monumental waiting room, inspired by ancient Roman architecture, was demolished beginning in 1963.
A building intended to express the city’s confidence and ambition survived barely 53 years.
Its destruction became a defining event in American architectural preservation.
Cities should consider carefully what future generations lose when historic landmarks are demolished for immediate commercial gain.
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#Detroit, Chene & I-94, 1981-2025. The Poletown demolitions were well on their way at this point. Chene resembled a Hollywood backlot, with most of the buildings vacant and ready for demolition to make way for the controversial GM plant. Old Chene is the ZERO plant entrance today
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#Detroit, 1968-2023. In this Corktown aerial, I-75 was being built in 1968. Tiger Stadium was unchanged in the 1988 pic. Closed in 1999, it was torn down in 2008. The billboard across Trumbull is still there. In 2010 the iconic red Firestone sign was changed to a cheap white one.
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#Detroit, Reno St, 2009-26. This eastside block sits in the vacancy ridden Franklin area, below E State Fair. As usual, the decline was fed by the post recession foreclosure crisis. By contrast, Mohican Regent, north of State Fair, w/ a strong association, has barely a vacant lot
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#Detroit, Cass @ Times Square. North view up Cass soon before the current AT&T Bldg would rise at left. Further up, the Leland Hotel opened in 1927. At right, the Detroit Times Bldg opened in 1929 and was torn down in 1978. Yellow arrow points to Grand Army of the Republic Bldg.
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#Detroit, Grand River Ave, 1967-2026. This telephoto image was taken a month before the destructive July riots. Almost 200 furniture stores were looted or destroyed, some of them seen here. This strip is now mostly vacant, w/ the art covered Love Bldg at 15th St still standing.
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#Detroit, John R, 1884-2026. The gothic revival Harper Hospital, opened in 1884, looked more like a church. Expanded in 1928 with a Brush facing structure that still stands. The 1884 building lost it's tower, but stood with some other exterior changes until it was razed in 1977.
