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RSS Video: Watch this guy explore Detroit's abandoned Packard Plant on dirtbike


Ringo64

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<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/etc/" rel="tag">Etc.</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/plants-manufacturing/" rel="tag">Plants/Manufacturing</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/videos/" rel="tag">Videos</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/motorcycles/" rel="tag">Motorcycle</a></p><a href="/2014/01/20/packard-plant-dirtbike-video/#continued"><img alt="Screencap from a short film shot at the Packard plant in Detroit" data-credit="Cantini Pictures via Vimeo" data-mep="94007" src="http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/adam/2245ea7d4ed1539b91a851a2db093fb/packard-plant-bike-tour.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/packard/">Packard</a> gave up on its automotive plant in Detroit in 1956, but the 3,500,000-square-foot complex of reinforced concrete remains - if only as remains. It is perhaps just as famous for being ruins as it was when it built cars, still attracting plenty of attention from entrepreneurs, paintballers, vandals and urban spelunkers.<br /><br />Creative types love them some Packard Plant, too, evidenced by the short film produced by Cantini Pictures when they wanted to test out a homemade motorcycle and an aerial drone. The result is a few minutes of "motocross meets the monument."<br /><br />Check it out in the video <a href="/2014/01/20/packard-plant-dirtbike-video/#continued">below</a>. And in case it isn't obvious, you probably shouldn't try this at home... nor at the Packard plant. For a more traditional history with lots of photos, <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20121202/NEWS01/312020100/History-Packard-Plant">a piece in the <em>Detroit Free Press</em></a> can fill you in.<p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2014/01/20/packard-plant-dirtbike-video/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Watch this guy explore Detroit's abandoned Packard Plant on dirtbike</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2014/01/20/packard-plant-dirtbike-video/">Watch this guy explore Detroit's abandoned Packard Plant on dirtbike</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Mon, 20 Jan 2014 20:01:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2014/01/20/packard-plant-dirtbike-video/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20809714/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2014/01/20/packard-plant-dirtbike-video/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><div class="feedflare">

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Due to tax delinquency, the 43 parcels of land comprising the Packard plant were put up for auction in September 2013 by the City of Detroit. The starting bid was set at $975,000 (the amount owed in back taxes) and there were no bidders. A second bid was done by the city in October with the winning bid coming from Dr. Jill Van Horn, a Texas-based physician who said she would team up with “partners and investors from Detroit, Wall Street and international firms,” to turn the site into an “economic engine”, refurbishing the plant grounds for a manufactured-house assembly facility. She missed her first payment on her bid to the city which prompted the City Treasurer to talk to the second highest bidder, Bill Hults, from Chicago. He made a couple of down payments but failed to pay his bid too.



After this, a Peruvian investor, Fernando Palazuelo, expressed interest in securing the Packard Plant. He purchased the plant for $405,000 on December 12, 2013. Palazuelo plans on moving into the plant by April 9th, his 59th birthday. He plans on having six different uses for the Packard Plant Project (residential, retail, offices, light industry, recreation and art) that is estimated to cost about $350 million over the next 10 to 15 years. First, he hopes to bring a big 3 automotive parts manufacturer to the plant in exchange for a few years of free rent. He also hopes to create a work space for local artists. He also hopes to build an upscale go-kart track.



The Packard plant is one of Detroit's most famous ruins. It would be nice to see if rise like the proverbial Phoenix from its own ashes. As the article below states, it will take both capital and vision.




http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nancy-kotting/fernando-palazuelo-and-th_b_4598580.html


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With the condition Detriot is in, I'm surprised anybody wants to take a risk and invest in the city.

Sounds like even those interested were double thinking it too. Really a shame what has come of that city.

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