The end of an era: Demolition begins on Ford Auditorium

DETROIT (Tell Us Det) - Friday morning the long awaited demolition began on Ford Auditorium. Mayor Dave Bing, administration officials successfully advanced a project that had been stagnated for decades.

"The demolition of the Ford Auditorium is another step forward for the City of Detroit, the city's downtown and the emerging waterfront," said Mayor Dave Bing. "We have seen great improvement to the waterfront and are now presented another opportunity to increase access to the river."

Funded by bond dollars the demolition of Ford Auditorium will cost approximately $780,000.

Detroit based, Adamo won a competitive bid to demolish Ford Auditorium. Adamo will utilize the most state-of-the-art technology available in the demolition industry, including the Apex 70 Ultra High Demolition Excavator, a machine developed mainly for demolition. The demolition of Ford Auditorium will mark the first time the Apex 70 is used in the United States.

Originally built in 1955 and opened in 1956, the 56-year-old Ford Auditorium was once the home of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Historic speeches from Malcolm X and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. took place at Ford Auditorium. Vacant since 1989, Ford Auditorium's acoustic difficulties proved too difficult to overcome.

The Aeolian-Skinner organ, original to Ford Auditorium was dismantled by volunteers and donated to the congregation of St. Aloysius Catholic Church, which hopes to have the 2,800-pipe instrument installed and operational by 2013. A smaller 1,200 pipe organ, which operated from the same console, has been given to the DSO who will use it to perform 17th and 18th century pieces in Orchestra Hall.

The Bing Administration has made eradicating blight a top priority and has demolished over 3,000 dangerous and abandoned residential structures throughout the city. Mayor Bing is committed to demolishing a total of 10,000 abandoned residential structures by the end of 2013.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Ford
• AudItorium
• Demolition
• Detroit

[kmorrocco]

Well, hopefully whatever they build will be made of concrete and steel. Nothing fancy. That way the residents of Detroit will have a difficult time ruining it. No matter what you build, the people in Detroit do their level best to destroy it.

[SilverlakeDehners]

How ironic to replace the Ford Auditorium with an "open air" theater in a city with harsh winters and sticky summers. What a silly waste of money that will be!

[bigbdog32]

I am glad to see that the pipe organs have been donated. The Aeolian-Skinner company was the finest organ builder of its time, and, in this case, the old saying is true: they don't make them now like they used to.

[DetroitLives313]

As sad as I am to see it go, I understand. I say GO Detroit! Go Mayor Bing!!!!

[pauldarwinlee]

For those who might be interested in the importance of Ford Auditorium to so-called African Americans, see my 2008 letter to the Detroit City Council, which was published in "The Michigan Citizen," Sept. 21st-Sept. 27th, 2008. To find it, do a Google search for "Ford Auditorium and Black history."

I have the honor to be

Historical-Lee yours,

Paul Lee

beistorage17@yahoo.com