Lost places in Detroit
We're going to Detroit mid-November to see some of the famed "Lost Places" (think Michigan Central Station), but I'm not sure how to approach this subject.
Most places which are easy to locate are off limits or no longer in existence (which is why people are willingly sharing their location) and vice versa I don't know how to research lesser known locations.
I believe the most promising approach would be to book photo tours and talk to the people there. (Edit: Or try to contact photographers / instagrammers who have a portfolio of lost places ...)
Does anyone know of a good strategy to research "lost places" in Detroit? I'm looking for everything: books, forums, owners which might be willing to give a tour of their property for a small fee, etc.
Edit: General advice on how to approach "lost places" is also appreciated. With stories like the Cooley High School arson, I imagine that wandering around an abandoned building will quickly raise suspicion? Would it be a problem to ask a cab driver to take us e.g. to the Packard Automobile Plant?
Edit 2 - Permits: I just found out that the City of Gary, Indiana apparently issues filming permits (read: UrbEx permits) for four of its properties. While the UrbEx community is in disdain, this seems like a legal and harmless way to explore some buildings. Does anyone know whether such permits might be issued in Detroit? Is there any in use in mailing the Board of Education and asking for a permit to enter an abandoned school for private photography?
Edit 3 - Trespassing: I want to avoid the issue of trespassing, but some photography groups make the case that there might be cases where you can enter a building legally, namely if nothing prevents you from doing so (no doors, signs, fences, etc.). Can anyone comment on the legality of such action? To give an example, I have found a small store which has it's facade missing and no signs or writings of any sort. Could I enter that store?
Edit 4 - MCPW: Does anyone know what's going on with "Motor City Photography Workshops"? From my understanding, they seem to be the premier adress for "Urbex photography", but I just couldn't reach them (phone, E-Mail, contact form) ...
Best Answer
You are looking for places like that ?
Maybe this.
I'd first start by looking at the Detroit Atlas Obscura (maybe too tame for what you are looking for)
Secondly, I'd look at Detroit photographer groups (for example on flickr) and ask for suggestions.
Normally when doing things like there, there are always risks of trespassing and getting caught (part of the thrills of doing some style of urban photography)
Pictures about "Lost places in Detroit"
Quick Answer about "Lost places in Detroit"
- The Packard Plant. Detroit, MI.
- St. Agnes Church. ...
- Woodward Avenue Presbyterian Church. Detroit, MI.
- Historic King Solomon Baptist Church. Detroit, MI.
- Abandoned Belle Isle Children€™s Zoo. Detroit, MI.
- Abandoned Boat Club. Detroit, MI.
- Michigan Central Station. ...
- Michigan Theater (parking garage)
How many abandoned places are in Detroit?
DETROIT \u2014 The city of Detroit has been going though abandonment issues since as early as the 1960's. Around 70,000 buildings, 31,000 homes, and 90,000 vacant lots all abandoned in Detroit.Are there still abandoned neighborhoods in Detroit?
Brush Park is a neighborhood near downtown Detroit that experienced a sharp decline in population. Grixdale is a neighborhood on the north side of the city steadily losing population. New Far East Side is an abandoned housing development project on the east side of Detroit.Does Detroit still have abandoned buildings?
The Motor City is now home to hundreds of abandoned factories and warehouses. Pictures of buildings taken a few months or years apart, illustrating how they change over time. Locations outside of Detroit.Is Detroit still a ghost town?
The city's population peaked in 1950 with a population of 1.85 million but in 2020 that had fallen to only 640,000 - that's a fall from around 700,000 in the 2010 census. Its decline led to the largest municipal bankruptcy in US history. Today only around a third of its population remains to call Detroit home.Abandoned Detroit - The City of Neglect Documentary
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Andrew Neel, Jens Johnsson, Kindel Media, Engin Akyurt