Hemi Joel Posted October 3, 2023 Share Posted October 3, 2023 (edited) This beautiful building in St Paul was built by the Ford Motor Company in 1914 for production of model T's and other purposes. In 1952 it was acquired by the State of Minnesota to use as an office building. Sadly they have let it run down from lack of maintenance and are now planning to demolish it. Another piece of history lost. I wish I could move it on to my property. https://finance-commerce.com/2023/10/new-bids-sought-for-demolition-of-ford-building/?utm_term=New bids sought for demolition of Ford building&utm_campaign=U of M seeks building study proposals for Hormel Institute&utm_content=Editorial&utm_source=Act-On+Software&utm_medium=FNC&email=hemi67gtx@yahoo.com Edited October 3, 2023 by Hemi Joel (see edit history) 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordy Posted October 3, 2023 Share Posted October 3, 2023 Fairly soon there will be no significant places of historical interest left! Here in Australia the government puts things as "Historical Listed" to stop that sort of thing happening. All sorts of hoops for owners or developers to jump through to do anything to them. It's one sided though - here we have built in our parklands a police barracks from colonial times that the cops use for their horse mounted branch that is on that list. The government have announced that they are bulldozing it to build a new hospital and there is nothing any protest will do to have them play by the rules the rest of us have to! Steve 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted October 3, 2023 Share Posted October 3, 2023 15 minutes ago, Hemi Joel said: Sadly they have let it run down from lack of maintenance and are now planning to demolish it. For that evening arm chair reading study up a little on the financial laws governing capital expenses and operations expenses (school districts in particular). You will have a whole new perspective on counter-intuitiveness. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trulyvintage Posted October 3, 2023 Share Posted October 3, 2023 Few folks actually take the time to read the article fully that they start a topic about and provide a link. The building was used up until 2004. Like most buildings of that period it has lived a useful life and that life has come to an end. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemi Joel Posted October 3, 2023 Author Share Posted October 3, 2023 (edited) If they would have properly maintained it during their ownership, it would not now need expensive repairs. Or better yet if they would have sold it to someone who would have maintained it. Edited October 3, 2023 by Hemi Joel (see edit history) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemi Joel Posted October 3, 2023 Author Share Posted October 3, 2023 4 hours ago, 60FlatTop said: For that evening arm chair reading study up a little on the financial laws governing capital expenses and operations expenses (school districts in particular). You will have a whole new perspective on counter-intuitiveness. I deal with the state on a business level. I understand. The expense of renovation projects is about 20% actual value to the building, 80% meeting social and political objectives. But we ought not go there. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hemi Joel Posted October 3, 2023 Author Share Posted October 3, 2023 This Ford building is about 6 miles east on University Avenue from the former Duesenberg plant on University that was torn down about 20 years ago. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trulyvintage Posted October 3, 2023 Share Posted October 3, 2023 1 hour ago, Hemi Joel said: If they would have properly maintained it during their ownership, it would not now need expensive repairs. Or better yet if they would have sold it to someone who would have maintained it. Do you have any idea what it costs to remove asbestos legally ? Or lead ? Why do you think the demolition has been delayed ? Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leif in Calif Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 Very happy our local Ford plant (Richmond CA) was taken over by the park service. My little town (Petaluma CA) has three Historic Districts where you are not allowed to alter the exterior of your building without review. History is a tremendous asset to a community and needs to be safeguarded! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_S_in_Penna Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 6 hours ago, Trulyvintage said: Like most buildings of that period it has lived a useful life and that life has come to an end. As one in the engineering and building field, I can assure car fans that a building like that has a useful life of HUNDREDS of years. Just look at 500-year-old buildings in Europe. Should Europe's beautiful buildings have been torn down by developers and rebuilt every 60 or 100 years? I've also noticed that "structural problems" may be an excuse to the public to tear down a landmark. What foundation problems develop in a building like that? It's unlikely they are insurmountable, if they even exist. And it is much less expensive to renovate or refurbish a building than to build the same thing all over again. It sounds like they are giving excuses only partially valid-- not looking for ways to save a part of history. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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