Lost Detroit: Stories Behind the Motor City's Majestic Ruins

Lost Series

by Dan Austin, Dan Austin

Lost Detroit tells the stories behind 12 of the city's most beautiful, all-but-forgotten landmarks and of the people behind them, from the day they opened to the day they closed. While these buildings might stand as ghosts of the past today, their stories live on within these pages. The team behind BuildingsofDetroit.com brings you the memories of those who caught trains out of the majestic Michigan Central Station, necked with girlfriends in the balcony of the palatial Michigan Theatre, danced the night away at the Vanity Ballroom and kicked out the jams at the Grande Ballroom. As Detroit Free Press Architecture Critic John Gallagher said, the buildings in these pages held a central place in the story of Detroit's Auto Century. It was America's story, too. Detroiters lived, loved, toiled, played, celebrated and dreamed great dreams in these buildings and thereby helped shape a nation."

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Photography, Architecture, Art, Reference

176 pages, Paperback

First published August 2, 2010

Reviews

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are quite a few “lost city” books around. They are almost always accompanied by photos and may have a bit of history on the buildings involved. I didn’t know exactly what to expect here because I’m not all that familiar with Detroit except as the home of Motown and the home of Ford. The pictures just attracted me. It turned out to be completely engrossing and the write-ups included a lot of social history.

The author chose 12 landmark buildings (not houses) that were important in their time as popular architectural innovations or represented aspirations or functions at the time they were built (end of 19th century and into the Great Depression. They were all glorious in their way and cost enormous amounts of money. There are residential hotels, dance halls, movie theaters, an innovative technical school, a church and others. A few are “lost” as in torn down but most remain, fenced off and boarded up as ghost buildings mouldering along with the hope someone will come to their rescue.

Most of the buildings are in parts of the city where people no longer feel safe, no longer want to live, or have dedicated functions that are no longer deemed necessary. Detroit was a fairly small city before the auto industry. It was booming when these structures came to life. Ford started on a small site downtown. One of these fancy buildings swallowed up his original location. It wasn’t too long before other businesses, churches, shopping, and entertainment venues followed Ford to the suburbs along with his employees and other residents. What remain are the damaged and abandoned buildings that look like European opera houses or ballrooms from gilded age mansions. The before and after images are great. It is amazing what nature, scavengers and urban blight will do to solidly built structures in a very short time.

The 60s and onwards are shown to have been particularly tough on Detroit. Tastes change, finances collapse, people move on, poor governmental policies ruin and economic woes abounded. I don’t see all that much hope for the kind of revival these structures need. The only reason most of them still exist in any form is that they have been given historic status or are just too expensive to tear down. Most can’t even be reused. One incredible photo shows a car park inside a cavernous old building with baroque ceilings.

I thought the book was definitely entertaining. You don’t need to live in the city to enjoy it. I’d have loved to have been at dances at the art deco Aztec-themed place on the east side of town. The building is still there with its Mayan gods, missing some detail and semi-boarded up for its own protection. What fabulous time capsules remain in that city waiting for future archeologists.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOST DETROIT

I've read plenty of books that have made me cry. But I don't think I have ever read one that had saddened me so as this one has.

Lost Detroit is about twelve once glorious buildings in downtown Detroit and surrounding areas that have gone to ruin. From the dance floors at the Grande and the Vanity Ballrooms, to the marble pillars of Michigan Central Station, and magnificent and opulent detail in Michigan/Palace and the United Artists Theaters, the neglect and vandalism is heartbreaking.

One chapter is dedicated to each building, with a brief history of its architectural concept, costs, and various uses throughout the years. Some have had pretty amazing lives, with many famous people within their walls. Fortunately several have been added to the National Register of Historic places but lack of funding remains a problem for renovating many of them.

As the book was written in 2010, I looked up the current history of each building on the Internet. I was pleased to learn that several have been renovated and are being used for new and exciting current needs. Others are still standing, waiting for a rebirth. Unfortunately a few are completely gone.

At the height of the auto boom, Detroit was a magnificent city and these buildings reflected the glory of that time. Having had a front row seat to many of the changes over the years, some good some bad, has been educational to say the least. The city is working very hard to improve and redevelop. And it is succeeding, although it will be a long process. I just hope that these beautiful architectural gems of the past can be saved, as they represent an important part of the history of the city.

[Ian Bost · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received Andrew Moore's "Detroit Disassembled" for Christmas, but I was also curious about this book. As I discovered, "Lost Detroit" is not quite a "fine art" photography book, as Moore's is, but is instead a history of 12 different abandoned buildings which happens to include very good, poignant photographs by Sean Doerr (as well as archival photos of the buildings in their respective primes--as it turns out, this was generally in the 1920s). All this makes "Lost Detroit" a fine, much more contextual counterpart to "Disassembled". The buildings' stories unfold like 12 tectonic tragedies, all confidence, solidity and grandeur at the outset, leading surprisingly quickly to ineluctable decline and eventual abandonment.
While I was in college, I had a student job at Wayne State University that brought me into just about every building on campus. While some parts of the university were busy with students and researchers, other, more obscure places gave me an unmistakable sense of the quiet, sadness and slow disintegration that Dan Austin's text and Doerr's photographs evoke. There is an inherent sadness to a place that has long since seen its liveliest and most hopeful days.
I'm probably not alone amongst southeast Michigan's Generation-X-and-younger cohort in the amazement and disbelief that comes with contemplating Detroit's one-time status as a "real" city. In a time seemingly not so long ago, it was completely natural to build these art deco skyscrapers, ballrooms, and apartment buildings in the business districts and neighborhoods of one of America's largest cities. Now their locations seem absurd and extraordinarily ill-conceived. It's apparent now that when much of Detroit was built, no one anticipated the throwaway culture that America was to soon embrace. Americans' priorities were quickly shifting to automobiles and suburban lawns, away from maintaining and cherishing what was already in place--even when it was impressively ornate, painstakingly crafted and ultimately irreplaceable.
Inasmuch as we should admire and value a thriving city (we should certainly be critical of urbanity's flaws), the stories told in "Lost Detroit" are very disheartening. Even if we belatedly realize what we have lost and are losing in throwing the cities away, it's hard for me to imagine that Michigan can ever muster the will and the money to restore its urban places to the kinds of dense and active neighborhoods and downtowns that can be so pleasing to the human disposition.
It's hard to say what will come next in this era of scarce energy and skyward-bound "resource" costs, but it will be interesting to see. In the meantime, the vandals, scrappers, and taggers who have had their way with "Lost Detroit"'s subjects mock our short-sighted and selfish abandonment.

[Nestor Rychtyckyj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published in 2010, Dan Austin’s “Lost Detroit” takes us into 12 of the iconic buildings that once were the crown jewels of a thriving Detroit. These buildings all had a storied past and then fell into a state of purgatory where they just decayed for decades without either rehabilitation or a wrecking ball.

Eight years later Detroit has emerged from bankruptcy and certain parts of the city, namely Midtown and Corktown, have become very desirable and expensive. Maybe it’s time to see how these majestic ruins have fared in the revitalized Detroit. Two have benefited immediately and have been restored. Apartments at the Broderick Tower can be found if you are willing to spend at least $2000 a month. The Grand Army of the Republic Building, the castle-like building on Grand River & Cass is home to the Republic Restaurant and Castle Hall. The original Cass Tech High School has been demolished and a new school has been built in the Cass Corridor (now called District Detroit).

The Metropolitan Building will be the home of the new Element Detroit hotel and the iconic Michigan Central Station was recently purchased by Ford Motor and will house the automaker’s “autonomous vehicle” development center.

The news with the other buildings is not so cheerful. The Eastown Theater is gone and the Grande and the Vanity Ballroom remain standing with only the musical memories to keep them company. The Lee Plaza is unchanged and its location far from the Downtown/Midtown epicenter will probably keep that status for quite a while. However, two buildings that are in the downtown region still have not received the benefit of the “new Detroit”.

The Michigan Theater still stands and functions as the parking structure that it has been for many years. I’ve been parking there for Lions and Tigers games since Comerica Park and Ford Field have been built. Anthony watches the cars diligently and too often we commiserate over yet another loss by our hometown heroes. On the way to the games I’ve been walking by the United Artists building and have noticed only one change – a fence has been put in front of the building. This restoration as they is still “on hiatus”.

Lost Detroit is a wonderful book – the photos by Sean Doerr complement the history of each building. It’s sad that there are many other great buildings that did not make it into this book, but I’m hopeful that those majestic ruins will be renovated and this episode of Detroit can fade away into history.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had an interest in Detroit for years - I've never been to America, but I adore architecture and abandoned buildings, so in that respect Detroit holds a lot of wonder for me.

This is the first book I've looked at on the subject and I devoured it in one day. The text was easily accessible to the every day reader - not full of architectural details that few would understand, but I did feel some bits of desired information lacking in places.

Photography wise the cover photo is very impressive, but as a professional photographer I found myself looking at all the modern images with a critical eye and while they all do a good job of showing the buildings at hand, some are much more technically proficient than others. As they were all taken by the same photographer it makes me wonder if in some places time for photos was very rushed. Another point I found myself thinking as I flicked pages, was that it would have been nice if the modern photos were taken from the same (rough) position as the historical images to allow for better comparision.

Don't expect this book to cover all of abandoned Detroit - the book mostly focuses on exceptionally large buildings, mostly theatres (which all seemed to have lived second lives as rock venues!) and no properties from the suburbs are mentioned. I think it would have been a bit more balanced if other types of properties were covered such as residential properties of note (of which I know there are a vast number).

Interestingly while Detroit's money was in cars, this aspect of it's history was barely mentioned - aside from that one theatre that's now a car park (yes really). Presumably there are abandoned buildings associated with the motor industry? If so none were mentioned.

In summary: highly interesting, fascinating photos (if quality a little variable) but would have benefited from a broader type of properties being covered.

[Jann Grimes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love looking at this book. We went to a talk given by the author at our local library many years ago. I just love looking at it and seeing buildings my Mom has told me about, over time. She was a secretary in many different buildings downtown around the time of WWII. The book is also sad, to see the ruin of so many beautiful buildings.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kind of a sad biography of a declining city. Haunting photos of buildings that must have been magnificent once. Very well done.

[Jeff Draft · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful history of the Detroit Theather seen. I highly recommend this well writen and beautifully photographed book.

[MKF · Rating 1 out of 5]

A short book but the writing style dragged so you felt like it would never end. I enjoyed the photos especially the before and after ones but the focus was more on the history of each building.

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Dan Austin and photographer Sean Doerr capture Detroit’s abandoned architectural gems in Lost Detroit: Stories Behind the Motor City’s Majestic Ruins. Detroit was once a thriving metropolis, driven by the booming auto industry. As a result, it was rich in culture, architecture, and the arts. However, with Americans no longer buying American made cars, Detroit’s automotive industry has been on death’s doorstep and, as a result, the city and its once beautiful structures have fallen into ruin and decay.

Reading this book just makes me sick. Our society has no appreciation for architectural beauty. We build ugly, throw-away structures today that aren’t expected to last more than a few decades and can be torn down without any sense of loss, but even just a century ago, Americans built with pride and a sense of design and architectural achievement. Schools were built to be as beautiful as the young minds they educated. Theaters were decked out with marble columns, domed ceilings with gorgeous frescos, and chandeliers that sparkled like diamonds. They were as much a work of art as the movies that flickered across their screens. But with our lack of appreciation for beauty and history and with an economy that continually struggles, these buildings are being abandoned, left to rot until they are finally demolished.

I think what I am most shocked by is that even putting a building on the National Register of Historic Places cannot save it (though in many cases, by the time most buildings receive such a designation, they are already too far gone). I guess where there is no money, there is no hope, and a plaque noting a structure’s historical significance holds no weight with vandals and thieves set on destroying beauty and taking what is not theirs for their own gain. I will never understand the vandal mentality of pointless waste and intentional destruction.

Since this book was published in 2010, the Eastown Theater, with its gorgeous plasterwork and paint scheme, has been torn down. At the time of its demise, its stunning domed, fresco-adorned ceiling still looked as new as the day it was painted. The detail, design, and artistic integrity that went into the creation of The Eastown will never be recreated or replicated. We have lost something that we will never have again. Tearing down structures like this one is the same as pouring bleach on the Mona Lisa or spray painting The Sistine Chapel. The demolition of this theater is so much more than the loss of a building. It’s evidence of total disregard for our history, our creativity, and our community.

“If Detroit loses the Metropolitan Building, we will lose not only a very unique building, but we are saying we don’t care about Detroit’s heritage and we don’t care about America’s heritage.” – Architect Lucas McGrail.

Sadly, McGrail’s quote could be about any abandoned historic building in any American city.

If you take one thing away from reading this book, I guess it would be this: Look around you. Take in the old, forgotten structures of a once grand past. Look at Corinthian columns, wrought iron fencing, stained glass windows, crystal chandeliers, art deco flooring, marble stairways, ceilings with rosettes and frescos, and ornate plasterwork. Look at them, study them, commit them to memory because once they are gone, and most of them will be in the not-so-distant future, we will never see their like again. In a disposable world, the architectural beauty of the past is unappreciated and will not be replicated in
future construction.

As you read, google some of the buildings to find out their fate since the book’s publication six years ago.

[Carole Tyrrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book immensely as it helped me fill in the gaps as to the background behind the decline of Detroit and its iconic buildings. I had recently seen the exhibition ‘The Ruins if Detroit’ but couldn’t afford the magnificent accompanying book so this book was a welcome find.
I first became acquainted with the urb-ex nirvana that is Detroit via Julien Temple’s TV
documentary. It beggared belief that a once thriving city in the USA had been allowed to sink into decay and ruin so completely. I’d always associated Detroit with the automobile industry and Motown records and to discover that the car industry had fled the city along with most of its residents was shocking. But inevitable really if there’s no work there and the bank’s foreclosing on your mortgage. All that’s left is decaying, vandalised factories and vast tracts of abandoned houses and vanished communities. As Julien Temple’s documentary opined, Detroit is the first example of a J G Ballard post apocalypse world as it displayed empty freeways with weeds growing through them.

But instead of focusing on these, Lost Detroit, concentrates on a selection of the city’s most iconic landmark buildings and tells their stories. Souvenirs of Detroit’s glittering
past and also symbolic of ex-residents memories of once opulent cinemas and theatres and the amazing Michigan Central Station which was designed by the same architects as Grand Central Station in New York. Some of the accompanying photos are quite shocking as they reveal the extent of the damage to these once magnificent and lavish interiors done by water, broken roofs, vandals, wreckers, grafitti artists and architectural scavengers. The Vanity Ballroom with its Aztec inspired exterior and interiors, the two remaining multi-story maidens in the United Artists Theatre looking down on decades of dereliction, the shattered interiors of Lee Plaza and Cass Technical High School amongst others.

Nearly all of them have been subject to various failed regeneration schemes or threatened with demolition over the years and one senses that a certain desperation has set in as it would cost millions to repair, let alone restore them, for a city deep in financial problems, and has no use for them. Apart from the owners of the Michigan Theatre who turned a baroque movie palace into a carpark as they couldn’t demolish it. Now that is the ultimate in drive in movies but without the movies.

You also sense the author, Don Austin’s frustration at the decline of his city and how these once fabulous buildings are now shipwrecks on Detroit’s skyline. The archive photos acted as a welcome comparison between then and now and it’s amazing that any of them are still standing at all Instead of long vanished windows, one sees brightly lit, blade signs aglow, cars, and a bustling city which is absent from the modern photos.

The photographs by Sean Doerr are absolutely wonderful and really set the scene. Eerie, empty ballrooms and dance floors, a forlorn dentists chair and an empty high school pool
Really recommended.

[Nick Lincoln · Rating 4 out of 5]

A city is not a living, animate object. It has no "soul" or consciousness. Yet the story of Detroit feels like a long lingering death, of losing something human, something sentient. Perhaps it's because of all the human stories, history and details behind the wastelands, behind the desecrated buildings, behind the empty lots.

This book has 12 landmark Detroit buildings as it's theme, comparing them now to their prime times, both with words and (excellent) photographs. I believe the city of Detroit to cover 138 square miles or so; I would imagine there is a lot of the history of Detroit's decline that is not in the book. Nevertheless the 12 stories are compelling and - for this reader - give enough "hinterland" to enable a grasp of what Detroit was, and was it is now.

I found this a very good book. For one who's never been to Michigan, it's hard to believe that at one time Detroit was America's richest city measured per capita. The book doesn't dwell on politics or economics or wider history. It simply shows the effect of the rise of the suburbs (thanks to the car!), corruption, corporatism, bullying unions, handouts and subsidies. Sadly for Detroit, John Galt left decades ago - and he's not coming back any time soon. This book will show you why.

[Tom Romig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obviously Detroit has suffered more than other American cities--economic collapse due to reliance on a fading auto industry, unresolved racial tensions in the metropolitan area, startling incompetence of the city government for decades. This handsome book, replete with lively text and remarkable then/now photos, reflects all of that, certainly, but it is also a sobering look at the larger issues of rise and fall. Take Lee Plaza, opened in 1928 but already unstable by 1931. The Depression, of course, but also a move from residential hotels to private homes doomed it from inception. Look to this book to see how economics, politics, taste, and cultural shifts can cripple a city in mere decades, a city like Detroit, that rose to nearly 2,000,00 people, a city that was once the Arsenal of Democracy. Think of the Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the British Empire. Then contemplate humility. Then abhor absurd notions such as American Exceptionalism. Carl Sandburg, "At the Gate of Tombs": Civilizations are set up and knocked down / the same as pins in a bowling alley. / Civilizations get into the garbage wagons / and are hauled away the same as potato / peelings or pot scrapings...

[Abbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have yet to find a book on urban decay that hits the right blend of pictures and information. This one has some great pictures that appear to have been carefully selected, but could have used more. Also, the writing, while informative, was slightly long-winded and would have benefitted from an editor.

While most people who would pick up this book are at least vaguely aware of Detroit's scattered history, I was surprised by how few specifics are mentioned. Time frames? Yes. Key turning points as relative dates? Check. Actual events? Nada. How hard would it really be to write the words "race riot" into an essay that actually points to the 40s and 60s as times when Detroit's dynamic shifted so dramatically? While I can understand not wanting to turn the book into a political or historical tome, simply mentioning possible reasons for the atmospheric shift in Detroit would be better (I think) than alluding to Something Changing, but being unwilling to point to specific events.

Author's website: www.buildingsofdetroit.com
Photographer's website: www.snweb.org

[Amy Bergethon · Rating 3 out of 5]

On one hand, this book was very interesting and made me wish I had read it in time to have asked my grandparents whether they remember frequenting any of these places back in Detroit's heyday.
On the other hand, I felt like this book was missing something. It gets so old to hear about how Detroit is crumbling in on itself and "Isn't it a shame." There are so many people who are bringing creative ideas and innovative attitudes back to Detroit, I just wished this book would give some occasional hope. Maybe a few restoration plans that were carried to fruition or even profiles of a few people who are doing what they can to bring Detroit back little by little. I know not everyone can be Nicole Curtis, but there have got to be a few more out there with good ideas for preserving historical buildings.
Whether you read the text or not (I hadn't intended to but got into it & read it all), the pictures are worth a look just to realize that this stuff is out there on street corners you may pass by often.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lost Detroit is a historical look at 12 Detroit landmarks. There is no scholarly thesis, or much of an explanation as to why these particular buildings were chosen; the photos, while nice, are not presented as art pieces. Still, it’s an enjoyable book for anyone interested in Detroit history.

For anyone desiring a deeper, scholarly investigation of the causes behind Detroit’s plight, I highly recommend The Origins of the Urban Crisis by Thomas Sugrue.

Some developments during 2011:
Broderick Tower is under renovation [http://brodericktower.com/].
The old Cass Tech was demolished [http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/ind...].
The GAR Building has a new owner [http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20...].

[John Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book highlights many of the awesome buildings in Detroit that are continuously deteriorating at the hands of scrappers, taggers and natural forces. The author's lnformative and compelling text and the photographs, both black and white and color, deliver a wonderful story of these magnificent structures. I was so fortunate to attend a presentation, at the local library, by the photographer, Sean Doerr, who shared many incredible picture's from his massive database. Some of these, such as Cass Tech High, where my aunt and uncle met, have been demolished since the book was published.

Here's the list:
Broderick Tower
Cass Technical High School
Eastown Theatre
Grand Army of the Republic Building
Grande Ballroom
Lee Plaza
Metropolitan Building
Michigan Central Station
Michigan Theatre
United Artists Theatre
The Vanity Ballroom
Woodward Avenue Presbyterian Church

[Hanzi Deschermeier · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great composition with the photography and nicely arranged, too. Unfortunately, the text didn't always mirror the nuances of the photos' subjects. I was a little disappointed, particularly, with some of the descriptions of current residents; those that have re-purposed, salvaged, and graffitied the decaying ruins are also residents of the city, are they not? Some of the language lacked empathy for these individuals and their relationships with the buildings. If that side of the story had been accounted for, or at least a little more elucidated, it would have raised this book beyond the realm of simply ruin-porn meets history, to that of a powerfully emotive, photo-driven narrative. Four and a half stars for the photography, but the writing left me cold.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got the book from the library electronically on my iPad. So in some ways the pictures were good, because they were high def, but the layout of the book was less satisfying. Two things I felt about the book - everything was lost, as the title implies, but the city is half the size it used to be. Unless you make people stay in the city, how can you keep using all the old buildings. I just felt like they were continually criticizing people for not repurposing the buildings, but if you really understand Detroit, none of those things would have panned out - it is understandable that no one was going to throw good money after bad. So it was interesting and sad, but also just how the world works.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once upon a time, Detroit was embarrassingly wealthy. Ornate buildings were constructed with imported marble and gold and stone. These state-of-the-art buildings housed ballrooms, and theaters, and even schools...and now many of these historic displays of wealth languish in various states of decay.

I knew about some of Detroit's "lost" landmarks, but I learned a great deal from reading this book. The fascinating (and hopeful) thing is that since this book was published in 2010, several of these abandoned building have been fully renovated or fully demolished. Definitely worth the read, and fascinating to learn more about Detroit's history.

[nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and (and especially for us native metro-Detroiters) depressing read. Interesting to read the facts about the erection and decline of so many of the buildings we drive past on a regular basis, but I feel heavy and a bit hopeless after reading this. Beautiful architecture and rich histories are falling apart around us and there don't seem to be any good ideas or actions to halt or reverse it. The awareness and appreciation for whats been lost that Lost Detroit helps create is a step in the right direction, at least.

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sympathetic, well-researched and filled with gorgeous photographs of Detroit's still-standing "ruins." Let's hope it becomes a historical text soon.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Photographs save the slight historical journalism on some of Detroit's better-known architectural ruins. Probably no single book tackles all of the buildings left to rot--from Belle Island botanical gardens to Ford's Rouge Plant, businesses to residential dwellings. If you're into the pornography of ruins, Detroit is a good place to start--as is this book, mainly because it's far less expensive than other, more posh photography books about 138 square miles of ghost town.

[Jeannette · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a recent visit to Detroit, I was curious to find out more about this once majestic city that had gone to ruin. The book details 12 abandoned buildings that have gone to ruin in photos along with a short historical essay. The historical details seem a bit slim and seem to skip a lot of the political and socio-economic upheavals that Detroit has encountered along its history, but the photos are great and it's interesting regardless.

[Deborah Schuff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Dan Austin and photographer Sean Doerr began the website BuildingsofDetroit.com to show off and talk about the architecture and history of Detroit. This book is a continuation of their love for Detroit and its past. Twelve abandoned but still magnificent buildings are featured here, among them the castle-like Grand Army of the Republic Building(my favorite)and the now-famous/infamous Michigan Central Station. This slim book of 176 pages was a delight to read.

[Lindee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sean Doerr is a good friend of mine, and his work is always so amazing. He puts so much of him self into to his work and to getting these images and it shows.
I own this book and I have heard that it has sold out in a lot of local book stores and is in High Demand. Its a great gift for a family member that grew up in Detroit or someone who just want to know more about these buildings histories and might never get the opportunity to explore them.

[Kelly K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found it interesting that the photographer had graffiti-ed his web address in one of the buildings, took a picture of the area surrounding his graffiti while still leaving the web address visible, and it was published in the book. Kind of odd.
Anyway, I loved learning the history of these buildings. One of the most interesting I found was a baroque style theater that was built over the garage that Henry Ford build the first automobile, that is now a baroque style parking garage.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one more than I expected. Like the way the tell the entire story of the building... who built it, why it was built, how it was used, what brought on the decline and what, if anything, is being done to save the building. I've looked it up and at least two of these amazing structures have actually been saved since this book was published. So, in a way it has a happy ending. (Not just Detroit in ruins porn.)

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating stories and gorgeous photos. I knew next-to-nothing about Detroit and her history, and certainly nothing about the buildings of Detroit. This book gives a glimpse of a not-so-distant past in the Motor City and its legacy. The author has a true passion for Detroit and her storied history. Recommended!

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book with beautiful pictures of 12 landmark buildings in Detroit, the people behind them, from the day they opened until the day they closed. A must read for anyone who ever lived in the area.