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Whether or not anything comes of it, this post is interesting:

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2010/01/could_detroits_abandoned_packa.html

Part of Robocop was filmed in the old Bethlehem Steel plant...Some 25 years after Robocop the Bethlehem Valley has pretty much recovered from the hole left by the steel industry. Part has been consumed by Lehigh University, and I think a casino has also taken some property. Perhaps there is a future for Detroit.
There was recently an article in the times about how it is a city where it is super cheap to open a business.

Too bad the author of that article doesn't know the difference between Packard Motor Car Company (Grand Ave factory in picture) and Delphi-Packard which he keeps referring to.

The Lehigh Valley is indeed having a small resurgence, my Dad lived there in Saucon Valley 1974 to 1985 as a VP and Manager of Sales at Bethlehem Steel, having worked for them since 1946, first in Engineering then Management. It is so sad to see it today as opposed to when it was in it's prime. But the casino should bring some money in, and there is talk of making an industrial museum out of some of the old plant and blast furnaces along the river. Bethlehem Steel was THE biggest defense contractor in WWII with over 300,000 workers and when I was growing up in the 50s The Steel was #5 or 6 biggest company in the US, and Sparrows Point in Dundalk MD was the biggest steel plant in the world. Now the company does not even exist.

Quote:

I know, I know...one of the disappointing aspects of the Detroit area is that there's an astounding lack of historical knowledge about the car biz.

...and I've never BEEN on the grounds of the plant, but the pictures I've seen, I have my doubts that ANYONE can refurbish even a part of it to produce 'green' cars.

I think between the fires, and the scrappers cutting out all the structural steel it would be cost prohibitive to restore the building to a usable, structurally sound state. Plus the neighborhood is like a some kind of apocalyptic no-mans land. I had a picture taken on me in front of the famous "P A C K A R D" entrance shortly before it was dismantled and sold at auction.

I think if someone wanted to save a potion of the factory as a museum, the only part that realistically could be used would be the executive office section. The rest of the factory is well beyond saving.

Money at this point is pretty better spent maintaing and restoring the Proving Grounds.

Gentleman as far a Hollywood wanting to use the old Packard plant, they are like the Federal Government, Yes they would use it for their own personal gains ie; "Blow it up" for their Movie and then walk away and leave it as it would serve no further use to them. So Please as with the Hudson Plant I use to pick up Cars with my Father and bring back to the Show Room floor, Just let is fade away with dignity.

Agreed. I would like to remember the factory like this:

I think this picture sums up the feelings of most people who don't care about their past, makes me want to cry:

The optimist in me WANTS to believe that someone is serious about resurrecting part of the old plant to build a 'green' car.

But I don't see it happening.

For one thing, if that's really a possibility, there are plenty of other empty or abandoned plants in the Detroit area that would take a LOT less work.