Do you ever watch the TV series Life After People? It's interesting to learn some of the science behind building decay, although I cannot verify myself whether it's accurate or not . I wonder if you've seen some their theories playing out in your real life examples. I know they did an episode about Detroit once as well.
Hard to believe these magnificent building served no purpose and were left to rot and decay. In some cases it is so odd because it looks like people just picked up and left at some point during a day. When there are no jobs or money what is to be expected. Detroit, Toledo and others could become abandoned ghost towns at some point.
As an English man this is hard to comprehend I always thought America was the land of milk and honey how wrong was I the abandoned police station with criminal records left for all to see must be a crime in it self and the abandoned houses with all the heart ache that must have been for all the people who lived there, Shame on you America for letting this happen
I lived around Detroit for three years. So sad to see such decay.
I am really impressed by the series. Each series covers the building in a way that shows what the building was like and how it is. It feel comprehensive and with context.
Also the processing looks great. No bad HDR look, the lighting is soft and natural appearing with great texture of the decay.
Well done, looks like tremendous amount of work. You should be commended for such great work.
Having looked at your site, it's sad to see Riverside Osteopathic Hospital, and Unitarian Church which I've been in many times turn into decay. I recall the Trental Plant as well.
An amazing series and so sad to see the city go down like this.
But I AM very excited about the Broderick Tower! I'm happy to see that one of your subjects actually has a hope in its future, and that tower's location certainly deserves it.
This is all due to the fact that the Detroit population has been steadily shrinking since the 1940's. The city is too huge to support such a small population of people. In fact, as some of you may have read, the Mayor (Dave Bing of NBA fame) has proposed something radical: allowing surrounding cities to anex major parts of Detroit. The jist is, that the city can't afford to offer services to such a broad distribution of it's citizens. I think this is an awesome idea. I know Detroit will come back but, it will not look the same. In adition to the WSJ article I linked too, there's a great article in The Economist too.
On the bright side, the decay and human tradgedy are gerat photo ops.
Oh, and BTW, Detroit is prolly >95% Black. The burbs are >80% White. I don't know how that will ever get resolved.
Detroit is a precursor for the rest of America. Too much boom, a burst bubble, and the slow outsourcing to somewhere else will lead to a decay like this throughout the country. It actually has already occurred throughout rural America, with the death of the small town store and the steady flow of rural population to somewhere else.
I am not blaming Americans for any of this, except for the those that value profits above all else.
Joseph Garcin wrote:
Detroit is a precursor for the rest of America. Too much boom, a burst bubble, and the slow outsourcing to somewhere else will lead to a decay like this throughout the country. It actually has already occurred throughout rural America, with the death of the small town store and the steady flow of rural population to somewhere else.
I am not blaming Americans for any of this, except for the those that value profits above all else.
Joseph, I don't think that's true at all. Although everyone here is affected by the economic consequences of the greedy a-holes in this country, the density of middle class wealth is migrating from the mdwest (Detroit, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, etc.) to the South West and East. I don't think there's a net total decline but, as you sort of allude too, a shift.
pawlowski6132 wrote:
This is all due to the fact that the Detroit population has been steadily shrinking since the 1940's. The city is too huge to support such a small population of people. In fact, as some of you may have read, the Mayor (Dave Bing of NBA fame) has proposed something radical: allowing surrounding cities to anex major parts of Detroit. The jist is, that the city can't afford to offer services to such a broad distribution of it's citizens. I think this is an awesome idea. I know Detroit will come back but, it will not look the same. In adition to the WSJ article I linked too, there's a great article in The Economist too.
Oh, and BTW, Detroit is prolly >95% Black. The burbs are >805 White. I don't know how that will ever get resolved....Show more →
Which explains why people burn down their own neighborhoods, loot stuff, etc.
I think the demographics you posted plays a big part of it. Look at a city like Pittsburgh, which, while not as big as Detroit was at it's peak, has had similar industrial decline and has done a pretty good job of rebuilding itself and doesnt have burned out gutted neighborhoods like Gary, Toledo, Detroit, Baltimore, East St. Louis etc that have similar demographics as Detroit.
On the bright side, the decay and human tradgedy are gerat photo ops.
This is making me want to go soooo bad! its ridiculous!! Id have to spend a couple of days there with a few people just exploring and avoiding the "bad" stuff.. thats kinda how i did it the few times i went to Gary, IN
Great shots...I grew up in Harper Woods. Sad everytime I go back to see the city continually falling apart. There are some shining points of hope for the city though, lots of young entrepreneurs moving into the city proper to rebuild. Anyways, great shots keep em coming.
hyst wrote:
Do you ever watch the TV series Life After People? It's interesting to learn some of the science behind building decay, although I cannot verify myself whether it's accurate or not . I wonder if you've seen some their theories playing out in your real life examples. I know they did an episode about Detroit once as well.
I have, and for the most part, I think they're pretty much right on. With some buildings I've been visiting them since their closure and it only takes a few years and a few freeze/thaw cycles to start breaking a building apart. And that's literally what water does to a building, it seeps into holes in the roof and walls, expands when it freezes which opens up cracks, and when it thaws it moves down into the new cracks to repeat the cycle.
Now contrasting that with some of the ghost towns I've been to out west which are almost perfectly preserved.... that's an interesting experience.
davenfl wrote:
Hard to believe these magnificent building served no purpose and were left to rot and decay. In some cases it is so odd because it looks like people just picked up and left at some point during a day. When there are no jobs or money what is to be expected. Detroit, Toledo and others could become abandoned ghost towns at some point.
Dave
It's very rare that they expect a building to be abandoned. In the case of institutions like schools and hospitals, they close for summer break or because of a change in ownership, and they just assume they are going to be back once things get settled. Then they never do.
yido wrote:
I lived around Detroit for three years. So sad to see such decay.
I am really impressed by the series. Each series covers the building in a way that shows what the building was like and how it is. It feel comprehensive and with context.
Also the processing looks great. No bad HDR look, the lighting is soft and natural appearing with great texture of the decay...
Thanks, I don't use HDR, and use Photoshop as little as possible. I want the pictures to reflect what I see with my eyes, not perfection. If that means blown-out windows, I can live with that.
Flybye wrote:
An amazing series and so sad to see the city go down like this.
But I AM very excited about the Broderick Tower! I'm happy to see that one of your subjects actually has a hope in its future, and that tower's location certainly deserves it.
The developer has had a rough time getting the financing freed up, but he has big plans. One of my favorite towers.
pawlowski6132 wrote:
Oh, and BTW, Detroit is prolly >95% Black. The burbs are >80% White. I don't know how that will ever get resolved.
xunchicrewx wrote:
This is making me want to go soooo bad! its ridiculous!! Id have to spend a couple of days there with a few people just exploring and avoiding the "bad" stuff.. thats kinda how i did it the few times i went to Gary, IN
Once I'm done with Detroit, Gary is my next destination.
. I wonder if you've seen some their theories playing out in your real life examples. I know they did an episode about Detroit once as well.