North wall collapse - Lafayette Building demolition in Detroit 2-6-10

Exclusive video of the north wall of the Lafayette Building collapsing at 4:29 a.m. Feb. 6, 2010.

The Lafayette opened in 1924 and was designed by noted theater architect C. Howard Crane, who also did the Fox Theatre in Detroit. The demolition follows a lengthy preservation battle to save the unique Italian Renaissance landmark.
For more on the Lafayette Building's history and for photos, go to www.buildingsofdetroit.com.

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Nonprofits & Activism

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• Detroit
• demolition
• Lafayette
• Building
• preservation
• BuildingsofDetroit.com
• buildings
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• collapse

[britdemo]

what is historical about an old concrete and steel building , in uk we have standing structures that are 600 year old now thats history

[BuildingsofDetroit]

@britdemo We'll never get to 600-year-old buildings if Americans keep tearing everything down.

[rsouthen]

i feel sad for you. historical preservation is important.

[rhymeswithrawk]

@6969Wolf6969 And I can't wait for them to start tearing that cheap crap down in the suburbs. I'll be there cheering like you, Wolfman, once they blow up the Palace, Silverdome and all that boring strip mall crap.

[philritter21]

@ssdphoto I agree. Watch the other collapse video of the other side. It was shocking what they did. Especially with the occupied buildings attached, and how debris nearly falls into the entrances of them. I cant believe these yahoos are licensed to do this.

[makeiteasyable]

scary

[ssdphoto]

@FurrtherMoor I was horrified when I saw the method they used. No wonder they wrecked their new Jewell High Reach the first day. This building should have been taken down by a single crane with a wrecking ball from the top down. Pulling the structure over after weakening the base is just insane especially in the downtown area with ZERO dust suppression.

[FurrtherMoor]

What kind of slock job demo contractor is THIS? they actually have a license? damn, this is the most unsafe demo I've ever seen- tearing away the way they did.

[Radjehuty]

@britdemo In a country less than 300 years old...this building was historical. Yes Europe is older than the USA...doesn't make it any better or worse

[demons936]

@BuildingsofDetroit

whats the point of 600 year old buildings if you cant use them>

[TitaniumByFire]

Another parking lot or parking deck I suppose. Detroit is a poorly ran city, a hopeless cause.

[Billycheezit]

@garycalgary its ok, he has "69" in his name too many times to matter

[TimBesco]

I bet the dude in the cab of the crane was like "OH SHIT!!!" when that wall was coming straight at him.

[dallaskeffer]

It is sad that in America almost nothing is taken care of to last long enough to become truly historic. We are becoming a wasteland.