A final phase of demolition got underway Monday at the Packard Plant on Detroit's east side as the mayor declared that most of what's left of the infamous graffiti-scrawled ruins will all be down by year's end.
The city will preserve two structures of the Packard Plant for their historical significance, he said. Those structures, on opposing sides of East Grand Boulevard, once were connected by an iconic bridge that spanned across the boulevard before it collapsed in January 2019.
The city will in coming months start soliciting proposals for redeveloping the post-demolition Packard Plant site, Duggan said, presumably for auto supplier operations, given its proximity to General Motors' Factory Zero and the Stellantis Jefferson North Assembly Plant.
Demolition of the Packard Plant began in fall 2022 after the city won a judgement in Wayne County Circuit Court against a firm belonging to international developer Fernando Palazuelo that had owned most of the 40-acre property.
The Packard Plant's previous owner, Palazuelo, picked up the property for $405,000 in Wayne County's 2013 tax foreclosure auction. But he ultimately fell short in his vision to rehab the structure as an eclectic mixed-use development of offices, events space and art-themed attractions — even a techno club collaboration with world-renowned German nightclub owner Dimitri Hegemann.
The Albert Kahn-designed Packard Plant opened in 1903 and built its last Packard car in the 1950s. It lost most of its remaining industrial tenants in the 1990s and became known for hosting rave parties.
The city will preserve two structures of the Packard Plant for their historical significance, he said. Those structures, on opposing sides of East Grand Boulevard, once were connected by an iconic bridge that spanned across the boulevard before it collapsed in January 2019.
The city will in coming months start soliciting proposals for redeveloping the post-demolition Packard Plant site, Duggan said, presumably for auto supplier operations, given its proximity to General Motors' Factory Zero and the Stellantis Jefferson North Assembly Plant.
Demolition of the Packard Plant began in fall 2022 after the city won a judgement in Wayne County Circuit Court against a firm belonging to international developer Fernando Palazuelo that had owned most of the 40-acre property.
The Packard Plant's previous owner, Palazuelo, picked up the property for $405,000 in Wayne County's 2013 tax foreclosure auction. But he ultimately fell short in his vision to rehab the structure as an eclectic mixed-use development of offices, events space and art-themed attractions — even a techno club collaboration with world-renowned German nightclub owner Dimitri Hegemann.
The Albert Kahn-designed Packard Plant opened in 1903 and built its last Packard car in the 1950s. It lost most of its remaining industrial tenants in the 1990s and became known for hosting rave parties.
Detroit mayor kicks off final phase of Packard Plant demolition
The city intends to preserve two structures on the site and solicit proposals for auto supplier firms to open shop on the future cleared land.
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