Has the end finally come for the Packard plant?
03-09-12, 08:17 AM
#3
True,Bob.
I just read on Wiki that Packard merged with Studebaker back then.I didn't know that.
The final Packard rolled off the assembly line in July 1958. That year, Studebaker instructed company personnel to sell their Packards and use only Studebaker.
The one bright spot to come of the company's troubles was a distribution agreement, brokered by Hurley, with Daimler Benz. The agreement was looked on as a necessity both for the income that Mercedes-Benz could add to the company's bottom line and as another product that the Studebaker dealer network could sell in the event that the company quit building its own cars.
Studebaker-Packard Corporation made one last stab at resurrecting the Packard nameplate. The Franco-American Facel-Vega four-door sedan, which was powered by a Chrysler V8 engine, would have been rebadged as a Packard. The plans fell through when Daimler Benz demanded that Studebaker-Packard drop the plans or risk termination of its sales agreement to sell Mercedes-Benz cars.
03-10-12, 09:28 AM
#4
Lexus Fanatic
Packard's sales-slogan used to be "Ask the man who owns one". My late father, in fact, owned one back in the 1950s...it was delivered overseas while he was serving with the Army in Belgium.
Some of the last Packards, though, were actually rebadged Studebakers. Here, for example, is the Packard Hawk...essentially a Studebaker Hawk with a different grille/front bumper. (My dad had a real Packard...not a rebadged Stude)
As far as the old plant goes, though, no building lasts forever, especially with decay and disuse, no matter how much historical-value it might have. Even if they were to somehow restore it or make repairs, it's still probably full of rats/vermin and a health-risk. I say forget about it, replace it with something more modern and up-to-date, and move on.
Some of the last Packards, though, were actually rebadged Studebakers. Here, for example, is the Packard Hawk...essentially a Studebaker Hawk with a different grille/front bumper. (My dad had a real Packard...not a rebadged Stude)
As far as the old plant goes, though, no building lasts forever, especially with decay and disuse, no matter how much historical-value it might have. Even if they were to somehow restore it or make repairs, it's still probably full of rats/vermin and a health-risk. I say forget about it, replace it with something more modern and up-to-date, and move on.
03-10-12, 01:39 PM
#5
Packard's sales-slogan used to be "Ask the man who owns one". My late father, in fact, owned one back in the 1950s...it was delivered overseas while he was serving with the Army in Belgium.
Some of the last Packards, though, were actually rebadged Studebakers. Here, for example, is the Packard Hawk...essentially a Studebaker Hawk with a different grille/front bumper. (My dad had a real Packard...not a rebadged Stude)
As far as the old plant goes, though, no building lasts forever, especially with decay and disuse, no matter how much historical-value it might have. Even if they were to somehow restore it or make repairs, it's still probably full of rats/vermin and a health-risk. I say forget about it, replace it with something more modern and up-to-date, and move on.
Some of the last Packards, though, were actually rebadged Studebakers. Here, for example, is the Packard Hawk...essentially a Studebaker Hawk with a different grille/front bumper. (My dad had a real Packard...not a rebadged Stude)
As far as the old plant goes, though, no building lasts forever, especially with decay and disuse, no matter how much historical-value it might have. Even if they were to somehow restore it or make repairs, it's still probably full of rats/vermin and a health-risk. I say forget about it, replace it with something more modern and up-to-date, and move on.
03-10-12, 04:08 PM
#6
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My grandfather was the plant foreman at Packard on East Grand for years, through WWII, and continued to work there until he retired many moons later as it closed down. My father worked there briefly before it was shut down, too, and it is a monumental site to see that huge area. It's certainly battered and beaten now, and while I can appreciate the history more than some due to the connections my family has with it, it is indeed time to let it come down and be used for something else.
It's a huge project, though, and will be capital intensive. I hope the gentleman planning the tear down has significant resources and people ready to move into a new setting already in place before knocking it down. I see that being a huge showpiece for the city if they do something good with it. Certainly don't need another shopping center or mall...
Big Mack
It's a huge project, though, and will be capital intensive. I hope the gentleman planning the tear down has significant resources and people ready to move into a new setting already in place before knocking it down. I see that being a huge showpiece for the city if they do something good with it. Certainly don't need another shopping center or mall...
Big Mack
03-10-12, 06:32 PM
#7
Lexus Champion
I'd love to wander around these buildings.....very cool....but sad.
the Packard engraved marble entrance was cut out and sold for $160K
the Packard engraved marble entrance was cut out and sold for $160K
Last edited by bagwell; 03-10-12 at 07:03 PM.
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03-10-12, 10:17 PM
#8
Out of Warranty
Sad to see these historic buildings go, but the truth is that 100 yr/old industrial plants are so far out of line with today's building and safety codes that they can't be brought back economically. What's worse is that most of these sites contain high levels of contamination by various heavy metals left behind during the production and coating of steel products over the years, as well as hundreds of gallons of chemicals, lubricants and solvents that are now a part of the landscape.
I have such an old plant near my home that was left behind when a 70 year old oilfield manufacturer went out of business in 1987, but try as they might, the real estate developers have not been able to get any interest in the fairly modern fabrication and assembly plant in the past 25 years. To restore it to service would require a complete overhaul of the facility, including wiring, plumbing, structural elements - not to mention the environmental remediation that would be required before it could be sold. A large industrial park and rail yard has grown up around the site in the last 20 years, but the old buildings can't be touched without a tremendous expenditure required to bring the old site up to code.
Back in the early twentieth century, we had no knowledge of polluted of air and ground water, no real concern with the decay that befalls an abandoned building - we'd just build somewhere else. Now, with government breathing down our necks, we are having to re-examine our environmental responsibilities, and come to some kind reconciliation with them.
I have such an old plant near my home that was left behind when a 70 year old oilfield manufacturer went out of business in 1987, but try as they might, the real estate developers have not been able to get any interest in the fairly modern fabrication and assembly plant in the past 25 years. To restore it to service would require a complete overhaul of the facility, including wiring, plumbing, structural elements - not to mention the environmental remediation that would be required before it could be sold. A large industrial park and rail yard has grown up around the site in the last 20 years, but the old buildings can't be touched without a tremendous expenditure required to bring the old site up to code.
Back in the early twentieth century, we had no knowledge of polluted of air and ground water, no real concern with the decay that befalls an abandoned building - we'd just build somewhere else. Now, with government breathing down our necks, we are having to re-examine our environmental responsibilities, and come to some kind reconciliation with them.
Last edited by Lil4X; 03-11-12 at 06:25 AM.
03-11-12, 08:03 AM
#9
Lexus Champion
you sound like its a bad thing to have govt regulations to prevent ground/water contamination by these industrial sites.
03-11-12, 10:58 AM
#10
Out of Warranty
No, not at all. It's fine if there's a proprietor available when the new rules go into effect, but to let an owner literally walk away from a mess before final legislation and enforcement are in place may not be strictly criminal, but there should be some method of "fining" those companies who picked over the remains of a company that went belly-up in the 80's to take all of the profitable pieces. As it is, anyone purchasing the property is letting themselves in for a HUGE expense to remediate the site. Any wonder why this piece of property remains idle?
Dunno how ex-post facto applies to civil penalties, but you'd think this mess wouldn't be left to superfund remediation. That's your money and mine. I'm for tagging the companies that took over the patents and products.
Dunno how ex-post facto applies to civil penalties, but you'd think this mess wouldn't be left to superfund remediation. That's your money and mine. I'm for tagging the companies that took over the patents and products.
11-30-13, 03:39 PM
#11
Peruvian developer bids to turn Packard plant into upscale go kart track
Peruvian developer bids to turn Packard plant into upscale go kart track
The last time a car was made at Detroit's infamously derelict Packard plant was in 1958. Though it's been used for a variety of purposes since, these days it stands empty, an icon of urban decay. But that doesn't mean nobody's trying to do anything about it. The county recently put it up for auction, the winning bid placed by a doctor from Texas who quickly emerged as a quack. Talks with the second highest bidder have apparently fallen through as well, so now officials are moving on to the third: Fernando Palazuelo.
The Peruvian developer has some interesting ideas for the 40-acre site, whose structures – many of which are still intact – he plans to renovate and turn into a mixed-use facility. Among the uses Palazuelo has in mind for the old Packard plant are residential, retail, commercial, (light) industrial, recreation and art. So... pretty much everything. But the most intriguing element of his development plans is to construct a high-end karting track on the site, something he and his two eldest sons, who were once high-ranked kart racers, would enjoy as much as we would.
Palazuelo also wants to attract parts suppliers from the automotive industry to set up onsite, and could offer them free rent for several years in order to sweeten the deal. He intends to locate the leasing office in the iconic brick bridge that connects the two main buildings across East Grand Boulevard, and also plans to build himself an apartment there so he can live onsite as well. But all this is assuming he makes good on his modest $405,000 bid (of which he has so far put down 10 percent) and raises many times more that amount to get the project out of the rubble and off the ground.
The Peruvian developer has some interesting ideas for the 40-acre site, whose structures – many of which are still intact – he plans to renovate and turn into a mixed-use facility. Among the uses Palazuelo has in mind for the old Packard plant are residential, retail, commercial, (light) industrial, recreation and art. So... pretty much everything. But the most intriguing element of his development plans is to construct a high-end karting track on the site, something he and his two eldest sons, who were once high-ranked kart racers, would enjoy as much as we would.
Palazuelo also wants to attract parts suppliers from the automotive industry to set up onsite, and could offer them free rent for several years in order to sweeten the deal. He intends to locate the leasing office in the iconic brick bridge that connects the two main buildings across East Grand Boulevard, and also plans to build himself an apartment there so he can live onsite as well. But all this is assuming he makes good on his modest $405,000 bid (of which he has so far put down 10 percent) and raises many times more that amount to get the project out of the rubble and off the ground.
11-30-13, 06:49 PM
#12
Lexus Fanatic
Why not rebuild it as much as possible to a modern building code and simply turn it into a Studebaker/Packard Museum? Funds for it could (?) come from the die-hard Studebaker and Packard enthusiasts across the country. I still see some nice examples at old-car shows. That might (?) also include the Avanti owners....which Studebaker designed and sold before the Avanti franchise was bought out by independent dealers, remaining at South Bend.
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-30-13 at 06:59 PM.
11-30-13, 11:13 PM
#13
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Nearly 70,000 license-built Rolls Royce Merlin engines were built during WW2 as Packard Merlins for allied aircraft and PT boats at Packard building 22. Almost no conveyance has a sweeter sound than an overhead single, pair, or quad of Merlin engines!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRVWyZf5MQk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRVWyZf5MQk
12-01-13, 12:55 PM
#14
Palazuelo also wants to attract parts suppliers from the automotive industry to set up onsite, and could offer them free rent for several years in order to sweeten the deal. He intends to locate the leasing office in the iconic brick bridge that connects the two main buildings across East Grand Boulevard, and also plans to build himself an apartment there so he can live onsite as well. But all this is assuming he makes good on his modest $405,000 bid (of which he has so far put down 10 percent) and raises many times more that amount to get the project out of the rubble and off the ground.
12-01-13, 04:20 PM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
But, unfortunately, the early Merlins also had another problem, as Spitfire/Hurricane pilots found out in the Battle of Britain in combat against German planes. Its carburator design allowed the engine to sputter and/or stall during inverted flying and/or high-G-stress turns. That, to my knowledge, though, was corrected in later versions. The German Messerschmitts had mechanical fuel-injection, which delivered a better supply of fuel under all conditions.
Last edited by mmarshall; 12-01-13 at 04:27 PM.
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