The Packard Plant, by far Detroit's biggest, ugliest and most dangerous ruin, comes under the microscope in Sunday's Free Press in a multi-page special section that is unusual for its size and scope.
The bottom line, the paper says, is the region must find a way to demolish the plant.
That's a hopeful thought, but with tear-down costs estimated at up to $20 million, and Detroit on the verge of bankruptcy, the historic plant, with its 40-some buildings and 3.5 million square feet of space, likely will continue to exist as both a hazard, symbol and playground (for urban explorers) for many years to come.
As Jennifer Dixon writes in the main story:
"The Packard Plant, or what's left of it, stands along East Grand Boulevard -- a clear and present danger, an obstacle to redeveloping the near east side, a forlorn landmark for camera crews from around the world. Its removal would be a visible victory for the state and city, a relief for cops and firefighters, an invitation to reinvent a once-vital industrial area. But past bureaucratic bungling, future legal hurdles and a lack of money are obstacles to getting the job done."
The Free Press report contains multiple links to various aspects of the coverage.
This link will take readers to a captivating photo essay by Brian Kaufman, Eric Millikin, John Sly, Martha Thierry and Brian Todd that allows readers to see the plant then and now by moving the cursor across the image.
