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A judge has ordered the demolition of the deteriorating Packard auto plant in Detroit, finding that it had become a public nuisance.

Packard Plant Update

dp

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There are many myths and misunderstandings today about the so-called "Packard plant" as it presently exists in Detroit. These myths persist despite my numerous efforts to correct them. I have written many times about this subject...

1.) Contrary to what is believed, Mr. Palazuelo only bought PART of the Packard plant, not all and not even most of it. And while Arte Express or whomever was doing the work at the site was there when the reporters and TV cameras were rolling, what happened when the reporters were gone and the TV cameras turned off? What happened to the claim that the new owner was moving into a specially-built apartment IN the plant?

2.) All (or most) sections of the main Packard Plant south of East Grand Blvd. are NOT owned by Palazuela but rather by others AND the City Of Detroit... which caused the mess that presently exists today. The city got greedy (they naively thought they had a bonanza on their hands) and evicted paying tenants and businesses that were generating tax dollars–even if the property itself was behind in tax payments. And don't forget that at one time, working in Detroit meant your work salary was taxed by the city.

But the "enterprise zone" and federal funds some said were coming never appeared. Everyone would have been far smarter to fund J.J. Nance's original 1957 Packards and keep Packard in business instead of throwing the company under the bus. So what has the great city done with THEIR section of the plant? It is falling down even more than some of the rest!

3.) Contrary to belief, several sections of the Packard Plant continue to be occupied to this day. These are NOT owned by Arte Express or Palazuela. Or the meddling City of Detroit. The former Packard Styling Studio along Concord Avenue off of Harper Avenue (and I-94) is in fact presently occupied and has even undergone remodeling. The second floor, which for a while had all of the windows bricked-in now has the windows replaced and is looking good. That area indeed today is an operating video studio. Ever heard the recent stories of the famous "Black Ghost" 1970 Hemi-powered Dodge Challenger? Well? Today, the grandson of the original Black Ghost owner displays the car and runs a large video studio IN this part of the former Packard Plant. He says his studio "only makes high-end professional video productions." Apparently no one today seems to know this but (I'll tell you here) one entrance to the video studio is actually the former Packard H.R and Employment Office. Other parts of the plant are also occupied today by businesses. Essex Wire Company originally took over this section of the plant after Packard's demise.

4.) There is no such thing today as THE Packard Plant. Only remaining sections that have– one way or the other– managed to survive. The original Packard Plant as it existed on East Grand Boulevard when Studebaker-Packard (actually Curtiss-Wright) shut down operations in Detroit was over a mile long. North of Harper Avenue were the foundry buildings and metal operations (and once-upon-a-time, a small test track). This area was still being auctioned off and cleared in the mid-to-late 1950s. Some of the foundry bits ended up out in the new engine and transmission plant (once adjacent to the Packard Proving Grounds) in Utica. Part of the engine plant off of Harper and Mt. Elliott was whacked off when the Edsel Ford Expressway (I-94) was constructed (after Packard was gone). This section was occupied for many years by Stone Container Corporation. There continues to be some kind of business operating there at present (I just photographed it recently). People today don't even realize this was part of the plant.

There were other buildings off of Mt. Elliott and Medbury and Mt. Elliott and East Grand Blvd. that people today don't even realize were either once part of Packard and/or Packard operations. Packard new car storage was originally the whole area from the train tracks to Mt. Elliott to north of Medbury to Harper Avenue! A super market was later built inside the north end of Packard new car storage and shipping area... and the lot became the store's parking lot. The super market changed branding a few times and ended up today as some kind of food distribution enterprise. Originally, this was ALL part of the Packard plant!

Ironically, in later years when the Utica Engine and Transmission plant was gutted and sold, much of the machinery and items from that plant ended up back at East Grand Blvd! A lot of this machinery and items were still sitting in the old plant in a building off of Concord Avenue, south of East Grand Blvd. in the late 1970s (I know, I took photographs). For all I know, some may still be there today!

5.) South of East Grand Blvd. and adjacent to the eastern side of the train tracks was still more of the plant and the huge Packard Power Plant. This was one of the first structures torn down after Packard left. Again, another super market (this time an A&P) took over this area and made the land adjacent to East Grand Blvd. into a parking lot. A boarded-up remnant of the A&P still stands on the spot. But again this was all originally part of the Packard Plant.

6.) Still south of East Grand Blvd. and west of the train tracks was the fuel and petroleum depot. THIS was once part of "The Packard Plant." Today a newish building (purpose unknown) occupies this land.

7.) There was also once a leased building on Mt. Elliott that was also part of "The Packard Plant." This building is even mentioned in company Annual Reports.

... And there were other parts of "The Packard Plant" unfortunately lost to today's awareness. Here (below) is what the remains of the styling studio section of "The Packard Plant" look like today. Concord Avenue is barricaded (for years) and the traffic lights are long, long gone. No traffic at all. However the building, as you can see, is indeed occupied and far, far from a "derelict eyesore." You can see that the second-story windows have now recently been replaced and the ugly brick plugs removed. Even the small former north-end Packard Employee parking lot (here on the left) still exists and is still being used for parking! Somebody has even taken the time to make new curbs, a curb cut ramp and even planted grass next to the lot!

As for the judge's ruling... there is only one response: WHY is Palazuelo's section of the Packard Plant more of an eyesore (it isn't) and more derelict (it isn't) than the City of Detroit's section? And why do news reports show photos of sections owned by City of Detroit and imply they are owned by Palazuelo????? And then there is this legal principle known as... "equal protection under the law"...hmmmmm?

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The brevity of the statement, and lack of detail is completely on Corey Williams.

Seems to me if a circuit court judge is/was involved then where was likely litigation on the issue of ‘public nuisance’, and the defendant was likely Palazuelo & Arte Express Detroit et al. So the first round resulted in an order to demolish and clean-up some 30 parcels, perhaps contiguous, but that would be immaterial, as would the previous use of the land, and the clean-up activity shall start within 42 days from 31Mar22, and be completed within 90 days . . . and if you don’t comply we’ll do it for you. There’s likely an appeal process if Mr. Palazuelo would like to exercise it. Seems like a clock is ticking and it’s not the one on the now collapsed bridge.

As to the question of why Mr. Palazuelo’s property is any more or less derelict/eyesore than the City of Detroit’s portions. That question was not likely before the Judge this time, and would more than likely require a separate piece of litigation to bring that subject to the court’s attention. I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting of the City of Detroit to being action against itself, but perhaps Mr. Palazuelo could bring suit against the city to resolve that issue. You could argue that demolition has been ‘on-going’ for the last 67 years . . . not so much the clean-up task.

A good ‘rule of thumb’ is to follow the money. That begs the question, “why now”, was it nothing more than the collapse of the bridge and the cycle time of the court system, or has a future tenant been identified? If Mr. Palazuelo lets the city pay for all of the work, isn’t that just another contest for Detroit to recoup the money
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The plant where I worked was to be cleaned-up and turned around for other purposes. Twenty seven years later that hasn’t happened. The buildings are being maintained by the Corps of Engineers, so other than empty they’re in good shape. A few small out-buildings have been demolished, but not the several main structures.

dp

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Legally if you don't even show up to the trial/hearing then you're basically guaranteed to lose the case. Keep in mind that it's a civil matter, not criminal. That being said, I'm not sure a "whataboutist" defense would have good legal standing in the first place, but it may well have been able to be successfully argued. But if the owner doesn't even show up to court, that's on him.

I always thought Mr Palazuelo's plans sounded crackpot. I think he is just another real estate crook who figured he could use it to get loans that he could use for something else. And collect deposits from people gullible enough to swallow his line of crap. Sound familiar? The place does illustrate that real estate isn't always a great investment.

Obviously, the city will not see a dime from the guy and will foreclose and try selling it to some other crook.