I like the statues & columns visually but they serve no purpose. I think it is interesting to preserve it to show how American cling to past roots they don't have. It like watching a struggle to rise over gods of the past but in the end it is nothing but a giant dismal caricature propped up by the dollar. In some ways I find American architecture more interesting then most as it tries in vain to capture something the nation isn't & has never been. The only thing it captured that is American, is big & expensive?
@@arnijulian6241 how do you talk about past roots that we Americans don't have? I can already tell your Marxist beliefs as you have to bring the 💵 into your comment. Funny how this great country is being destroyed by the rights and free speech we were granted in our constitution.
@@arnijulian6241 although Americas empire doesn't date back 1000s of years you do realize that the sky scraper, mid century modern style and steel bridges are all American architectural inventions and styles along with many great inventions in the last 170 years that we all still use are the same. As for saying the United States copies of history that it doesn't have is pure ignorance of architectural design. The Roman empire copied Greek architecture 2000ish years ago and built things that were uniquely Roman but influenced by previous empires the same goes with the USA at the turn of the last century. You could argue the gothic architecture chruches from the middle ages are copies of Roman architecture with their high arches being a modern (for the time) spin on classic design and one could argue that any tall building is a copy of American engineering and American architecture. As for building things extravagant or large is a sign of a free enterprise economy it is no coincidence that most of the successful nations in the world have either directly or somewhat copied the United States Constitution that allows for prosperity and progress. I am not telling you to admire the USA but you should really give credit where it is due, not to many nations rise to a world leader is such a brief period of time with so many contributions to the world as the USA did between 1860 and 2000ish even most modern music has heavy ties to USA cultural influences and that includes the electric guitar but I digress.
This is such a good example of Midwest Gothic. Everything in Detroit that's important looks like it came out of a medieval setting. It's very iconic of Detroit
@@RellupNorth nah Midwest Gothic definitely exists. Cities like Chigago, Detroit, Milwaukee, Indianapolis and South Bend all have these amazing gothic style buildings with beautiful limestone and gargoyles
I went to Detroit a few years back and was amazed by Book Tower when i saw it, and I knew nothing of its history or even its existence at the time. I love all the details, statuary and ornamentations. I thought it was a beautiful old building and was absolutely amazed that it was standing empty
It’s absolutely gorgeous now after it’s been totally renovated and restored. Was in it last week absolutely beautiful. Let’s forget about the decay., And on with the present and the future
Hello, I am a former tenant of the Book Tower. I was one of the tenants who had to abruptly move out in 2007. I have a great story behind my time there (2004-2007). My suite was located on the 20th floor (ste 2037), on the same side as Bookies Bar and Grille. I converted the suite into a recording studio for those few years. I actually left my furniture up there, but I'm sure the huge moths had a feast. Great video!
@@jestinrobinson5115 The owners (at that time) went into default. The power and elevators were cut months prior to closing. All of the tenants got together to write the mayor's office, proving that we were all current on our rent. They restored power, but it was eventually cut again.
If everything is still in working order and the apartments are still in good condition. The state government should take over the building painting all the apartments and make it a building for the elderly those living on social security that are still in good health. If the building is full the low rent paid by those on social security shu
I worked on the book for years. In one of the first couple weeks there i stumbled on that studio! I took home an Allman Brothers record from up there lol
I've lived in Detroit for a few years and Book-Crysler is one of those buildings you look at in awe before remembering that it was empty. They're working on it now, should be incredible.
I moved to the Metro Detroit area in the late 1990s, and one of the first things I noticed about Detroit is the amazing architecture. I've lived in many US cities, including NYC, but Detroit stands out as having some incredibly beautiful buildings, including Book Tower. Even some of the old apartment buildings in Detroit are architectural marvels.
All this WONDERFUL Architecture comes from the fact that Detroit at one time Many Decades ago was the WEALTHIEST CITY in the country ! When it had been the fourth most populated
The company I used to work for sent me to work in Detroit for a few months. I was amazed at the architecture of not only the old buildings but also the old homes. Many of the homes were beyond repair. That architecture will be lost forever because the newer homes being build are cheap cookie cutter types.
Always an oddity, knew a girl who lead phoney ghost tours... We found a dentist's office on the middle floors with all kinds of personal information left behind.
The 'renovation and restoration' you mention, is that like when they alter all the statues from men to women and pretend it's the female being celebrated rather than the male.
We as Americans do not hang onto our heritage. Newer is better is the mantra. But in tearing down old buildings instead of repairing, renovating and remodeling, we lose a little bit of our soul.
probably b/c America really has not "heritage" like England or Rome, or Greece in the grand scale of the world America is probably the youngest country on the planet give it another few thousand years (provided we dont keep the same level of trash presidents we've had over the last 30 years) maybe then the people will hang onto their heritage a little more
I’m in Downtown Detroit almost everyday. I always loved Book Tower because of the staircases on the side. I’ve never been in it but they are doing a lot of renovations on it now. It’s a beautiful building.
As a youth, far back as 1970, I was utterly drawn to The Book Tower and looked forward to gazing close up, for long periods, from the unique perspectives of my father's downtown office and penthouse. The Book, it's frosting and all, still holds the same allure for me 50 years on. The fire escape, then as dire looking as now, forced me in my young mind's eye, to think just how bad that disaster would need to be for me to set foot out there. Some heavy childhood philosophy it begat. The top is especially transfixing, just full of wonderful and 'wtf?!' The elaborate roof captivating my young imagination. And of all the fantastic, vacant Detroit buildings I've 'accessed' to suit curiosity (or before permanent loss,) I'm glad this one eluded me - the interior up there, beneath that fantastic, weird green mess of a roof, still the same, sweet mystery. Book's folly not withstanding, I'm damn glad this building of all, still survives.
The first time I visited Detroit and saw Book tower, though it was freshly boarded up, I thought it was one of the most beautiful and interesting buildings I had ever seen. It's definitely iconic.
I think that all of the Skyscrapers that were built in the late 19th Century and the early 20th century was the best Building construction in the World. It represents a time in our history and should be preserved at any cost . I am glad to see the Book Building still standing and under renovation .Way to go Detroit....... Ken B.
So cool to see all the skyscrapers in Detroit being renovated or being currently used rn. Detroit is coming back there’s also a new one being built on the old Hudson site. Detroit is a great city to visit one of those rust belt cities that is back on the come up but also has a lot of cool abandon shops, church’s and sites around the city that are almost like tourists attractions
When I visited Detroit this was the the building that caught my eye the most, whether this building is beautiful or not, it surely is Iconic and memorable, and that's more that can be said for most modern glass towers.
I've live in Detroit my whole life and have always dreamed of having the top of that building as a house in the sky. Its my favorite building to veiw when I'm downtown. I hope who even owns it are able to bring it back to life
I'm from Detroit. If I were you, I think I would have mentioned and showed the Book Cadillac building and it's awesome restoration. The buildings are only a hundred yards are so apart. The new apts and hotel are amazing.
Agree. I used to walk past it on my way to the bus stop from school and it was just a wide open wreck of a building that anyone could walk into(about around 2000 I think). Then they boarded it up around 2002 so I guess that's when they started trying to save it. They also had a trolley running around past it at that time as well. Wasn't profitable I guess cuz I didn't see another one until the q line was put in.
@@DETSRC313 Oof! Didn't hear about that. Thanks for the update! According to some articles found, indeed a residential unit was raided at the hotel building recently. And sadly it also looks like the Book Cadillac and a few others are facing foreclosure as a result of loss of revenue due to the COVID crisis. Sad considering how far it's come just to end up back where it was.
This video was instantly dated by about a decade. Not only did you fail to mention the building is under renovation, many others downtown have been brought back to life. Detroit has made incredible strides past being just a place of urban decay without any hope for the future. If you do any future videos on Detroit, look up *Frankai Videos* and *Detroit Walk and Roll* so you have an up to date picture of the city.
It’s been incredible seeing the progress. Many people don’t know that over the last several years, Detroit has had more money being invested in it than the next four most invested in cities in America, combined.
@@jestinrobinson5115 It is pretty clear that there's been a major attitude shift in willingness of people to invest money in Detroit. But to be honest, I had not heard that factoid before. And it isn't just the so called touristy gentrified areas like downtown. Several main streets in various neighborhoods have gotten extensive streetscape improvements to be more pedestrian and bike friendly.
Ya, this video definitely dropped the ball on the historical context of the building. Seems like more of a 90s video than a modern day video. Just try to buy a multi million dollar apt a block away and this guy would understand.
@@Knightmessenger Yes, Brush Park, Corktown, Woodbridge, Arden Park, even the North End/New Center area is being cleaned up with tons of houses under restoration.
I look at this Building and can't stop smiling. The whole design and the vibe it has, makes me admire it constantly. The angles, the roof-line, the way the upper floors are designed, it all shows that you can built a tall building but giving it the coziness of a smaller building. I am not an architect but to me THAT effect is really a stroke of genius and even after all these decades it just looks like it BELONGS where it is. It looks urban without being cold & de-humanized like all those post-modern steel-glass Tetris blocks everywhere.
A stroll through a heyday Detroit would be on my shortlist of time machine tourism. When you are downtown the reality of what it used to be is unignorable.
My hometown Paducah Ky. has done a fantastic job restoring the downtown but on a much smaller scale of course. Most of the buildings were vacant after the mall opened up west of town. The managers found old pictures of the buildings original colors etc and people have to restore them to original status. Today they serve as a model for smaller towns trying to recover downtown areas. I’ve never been to Detroit but I hope they can successfully come back. They seem to be making a good effort.
Also, if you're looking for cool buildings for this series, the Fischer tower and Cadillac Place on West Grand Blvd are amazing and from roughly the same time period. These buildings were part of GMs world hq before they moved to the Renaissance Center.
@@drewconlin9452 true, but the fisher bldg was built shortly after and for most people the whole new center area was a GM construction. Which makes sense, because without GM, none of it would have been built.
ACTUALLY, the "Fisher" building was built by the Fisher Bros. Of fisher auto body . An esrly Car company that got brought out by GM. And its one of the GREATEST examples of the transition between Adt Nouveau and Mosern. There were supposed to be 4 towers in all, completed in a square, but the Stock market crash of 1929 stopped all that! Anyway, The building is being renovated!!! . And we will see how it goes!!!!!
Having been born in a very close suburb, Detroit will always be "home" and though it may have fallen on rough times, my memories haven't and that's what counts, I may see a run down piece of urban squalor, but my brain still perceives the modern neon splendor I grew up in.
This was my first video from this channel. And I absolutely love that you covered one of my absolute most favorite buildings in all of the Detroit and probably all of the world. I went to school at college for creative studies in Wayne between September 2007 and may 2009 but lived into the city until 2011. I moved around quite a bit during my time there and I used to ride my bike from ccs's campus all the way to Belle Isle for fun on those hot summer days. I still recall my time in Detroit looking at my old pictures and the ones that I did catch book Tower in are some of my favorite and lasting memories. No matter where I lived in that city whenever I woke up and I looked out onto the skyline, it was book tower that always drew my eyes up to the day and brought my mind to calm in such a crazy crazy world I was living in. Thank you so much for making this video from people like me that have fond memories of Detroit and the locals that live there and can honestly tell you with all the passion and conviction how much City means to them, thank you for highlighting such a wonderful piece of American history.
You love that he covered the Book Tower but how did you feel about how the focus on how most thought it was ugly (and its tragic past)? It was wonderful how the narrator turned the negativity around at the end. Indeed, beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.
Or just all American cities in general. It's like this country is full of people who has a dream of buying a historic building to just demolish it for a parking lot, how original and innovative 🙄
It's tragic what is done with some buildings. The theater in the Michigan theater is now an indoor parking structure. They didn't even remove the interior, they just built 3 concrete floors in the theater seating area. The spotlights are still in the light loft and the remains of the tattered curtains still wave in the wind from the stage that is now missing it's roof.
@@peterwill9660 You can say that again, very discouraging to see history just getting wiped away. Any architecture those buildings had will never be seen again compared to all non historic building built nowadays.
Interesting factoid: You can see moon towers in some of the postcards from Detroit. Eventually the City of Austin would purchase 31 of these towers as they got retired out of Detroit. Many of these towers still stand in Austin
@@collinhunter9792 A moontower is a tall narrow structure with lights up top. They were a precursor to the street lights we know today and helped transition from gas streetlights to electric light bulbs. They could often light up several blocks at once, but were often more expensive to maintain so eventually smaller electric streetlights took their place
It's great that people do care about these old and historic buildings. I thought I was a weirdo for liking these buildings becuase they are attractive. I prefer these buildings instead of those modern ones that don't look attractive at all.
I love this building. I love gothic and American Art Deco style architecture. They're beautiful to look at.. Its so important that we don't throw away our history just to be replaced with cheap looking glass towers everwhere.
It's interesting how tied to its time the reception of architecture can be. Maybe it was garish to it's contemporaries, but as someone sick of ugly glass boxes the intricate "cake decoration" is absolutely beautiful and refreshing to me.
Yes! Book tower IS under renovation! By none another than the real estate SAVIOR than Dan Gilbert himself! If not Dan, Detroit would be in dire straights! Rock Finacial aka rocket mortgage, etc, is what has empowered Dan to invest in the city the way NO ONE has for decades!! Bravo Dan!! And kudos to you! We Detroiters LUV!!!!!for this!!! And thank you to It's History for showcasing one of the many GEMS 💎 🔴🟠🟡🟢🔵 of Detroit!!!! 1 💕❣
The Fire Escape is the scariest part of the entire building. Could easily become overloaded and you'd have a scene right out of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World
@@JJ-zx5qs Yeah, so the Democrats came up with the brilliant idea to give the auto manufacturers over $500 billion dollars to send those manufacturing jobs to Mexico where they remain to this day. Sounds darn near like treason to me. Also, let me throw this back in your face: jUsT tHiNk oF aLl ThE pOoR pEoPLe tHaT mOnEy CoUlD hAvE fEd.
I used to skip school out in the suburbs and take my friends downtown to the book tower and other buildings to explore Detroit's amazing architecture we would climb the stairs to the top so we could look out over the city. I worked in downtown for 40+ years from 1970 to 2013 and am glad to see our once great city being returned to it's glorious past! Keep it going Detroit.
I lived close to detroit in the 80s and everything was decay. Churches with bars on the windows, industrial shops next to schools, the detroit metro museum of art beside a crack house. There was a golden age theatre turned into a parking garage. Cobo hall and joe louis arena were the only safe places downtown. Detroits "famous" greektown was one city block! The chaos was palpible.... I kind of miss it.
Well you should if possible visit ASAP your head will be spinning in every direction as you will see all the different developments going on I the areas you spoke of , You may not recognize or believe you are walking the in the same locations as b4 !
The building is done in Italian Renaissance style, and I've never heard much in the way of criticism aside from it being quirky. The top portion looks like a ship perched atop a post, but at least it's not a deformed glass tower (cough, Walkie Talkie building, cough cough). The good thing is that it, along with many other buildings, are being saved. I was downtown tonight as a matter of fact, and construction cranes are all over the place with renovations and new construction. There's just so much going on, and it's nice to see the city coming back so well.
Had to quit watching this. I fondly remember so many of the great buildings in Detroit, especially downtown. Just got back in Cali from three weeks in the D. Its nice that Ford is redoing the train station but using it as anything besides a train station is alarming. There are tracks all around that building.
It looks like 3 buildings stacked on a fourth. The top two “layers” while artful, dont match whats below. The top “layer” reminds me of Luigi’s Mansion, lol.
I concur. If this thing was 20 stories high - ie just the top 1/4 it might be worth renovation Plenty of turn of the century building have a unifying beauty to them, I dont see it with this one. This video didn’t address whether this thing has good “bones”. Is there demand for this type of building ? A renovation is interesting, but we have all seen how hard it is just to keep “alive” a 100 year old building in Detroit with only 3 stories. Is there a vision, or did someone get it for a song and not really have a plan? Any way- appreciate seeing the video, always curious about what the penthouse at the top looked like inside. Whoever is doing the Reno- wish you the best!
I did a lot of work on the current renovation. Great video. The part that talks about dangers of the building gave me chills...I seen some dangers works there. It's a miracle no one died
This is rather interesting to look at now, it’s the typical ruin porn ,decay and desperation video about Detroit, the funny thing is now just in recent months after five years plus of total renovation the place has opened again as a hotel, apartments, some fabulous restaurants and bars and totally restored and renovated. It’s absolutely beautiful, I wonder if this poster will put a video of it on now? Too funny, these posters always love to post the negatives but mysteriously don’t even show you what’s going on presently..
I live in the suburbs west of Detroit, and have spent a lot of time downtown, and I can safely say that the Book Tower is my favorite building in Detroit. In fact, I have a print of the book tower in my living room from a print shop in the city.
It's quite an attractive building. The eye-catching bits of ornament and exuberance give it character and interest. It's a pity that it gets dirty so easily, but at the same time the dark streaked patina gives it special aura of arcana and mystery. (Hope they can find an effective way to disguise or internalize that ugly fire escape.) ...and, screw stuffy art critics
It's a stunning building in person. The building has been cleaned and sealed, so the stone looks as it did when new....a buff colored limestone. And I love the fire escape....the tallest one in the world I was told...
It is now the Westin Book Cadillac and a shining example of the revitalization of Detroit. If you haven't been to the D in a few year, you would not recognize it. Once again Detroit has risen from the ashes. Now if the Lions could just have a winning season :)
I'm born and raised in Detroit and yea its rough but it's still a beautiful city and has amazing history and architecture I only wish I could have seen it in its prime
Well YOU WILL get your chance to see it in ALL of its original splendor…. It’s nearly completed it’s REBIRTH last time I was downtown I saw someone running on a treadmill several floors up from the round floor where a restaurant was either open or about to .
Detroit is such an interesting city. Tragic and beautiful and an example of American history and cultured summed up in one city. I learned about this building, but you taught me so much more. I'm glad it's being restored. Kinda bittersweet such an interesting abandoned skyscraper is being restored, but it's much better than decaying more and more until its inevitable demolition.
What do you think of the Ground breaking renovations Book Tower is undergoing? More coverage here on UA-cam, they're going to attempt to bring it back, but better than ever📏 ua-cam.com/video/RuP3L394f68/v-deo.html
"Detroit is effectively the dictionary's definition of Urban Decay and poverty" ...truly spoken like someone who has never been there. Seriously, Detroit is a beautiful, wonderful city. Any one who says it isn't in 2021 hasn't been there in the last decade.
I have always liked this building. To me it looks really Gothic and over the top. The rough shape its in added to the asthetic. As a huge advocate for historic preservation, I'm happy to see them restoring it.
As a Detroiter this was a common site in the 70’s 80’s and 90’s but Detroit I’m happy to say is now going through a second renaissance. Many of these older buildings are being brought back to life and are looking Beautiful again. Let’s just hope that we can learn from our mistakes of the past.
I live an hour north of the outskirts of Detroit. I love this city, and it's already seen so much improvement. Things are definitely getting better here.
@ 9:19 Actually, ATLANTIC CITY isn't ' Trump's Atlantic City '. Trump wanted to make ATLANTIC CITY a destination resort like Monte Carlo. He didn't get support from the City or the State of New Jersey. Would his concept have worked? Who knows? An international airport and a specialized training for the workers would have been required. What ATLANTIC CITY became instead was a local attraction, and unfortunately, most of the hotel/casino's failed. Had Trump gotten his way, would the outcome have been better? I don't know, but you can't say ATLANTIC CITY was Trump's vision. It wasn't, and isn't. ;-)
Atlantic City could have been as great as Vegas if the people who ran it weren't so corrupt. Also the population of that city is not up to the task of making it great.
I worked in downtown Detroit for 10 years, when I was 18 in 1985 through 1995, various jobs. There were two sorts of people, those who were scared of downtown, and those of us who experienced it and enjoyed all that offered. There are so many beautiful buildings in downtown Detroit. It’s upsetting when I think about them falling to ruin, but love when I hear about someone taking an interest to beautify it again. Thank you for your attention to a city that deserves a little recognition / Native Detroit now in Nashville
Book Tower has always been my favorite building in Downtown Detroit. I love the complexity of the design. Its definitely more ornate than anything else downtown aside from maybe the Whitney Building and Broderick Tower.
I am 75 years old and I remember when I worked in a hair salon we used to have hair shows at the Book Cadillac Hotel it was beautiful and it still is beautiful somebody needs to help that poor building live again🥰🙏💓👍
Buildings that have stood for a minimum of 50 years should be considered historic and preserved. The building's interior should be gutted and brought up to current safety standards. The exterior should remain a visual part of the city's history.
My coworkers and I went to Detroit for some training and stayed in the Book Hotel for a week some years ago. I think it was the same building as this but our rooms were newly remodeled and very comfortable. The best bed I ever slept in as a matter of fact. We even ran into a famous mx racer in the elevator that is considered the GOAT.
Sadly, the publisher of this video failed to complete his research. The Book Brothers commissioned Louis Kemper to design what would be one of Detroit's most beautiful buildings, the Book Cadillac Hotel (Today's Westin Book Cadillac) on the opposite side of Washington Blvd. This building was completed in 1924 and is 29 stories. Also, the Penobscot Building you show from 1916 was not taller than the Book Tower. There are three buildings that form the Penobscot complex. The original 13 story Penobscot Building at 131 W. Fort Street, completed in 1905; The Penobscot Building Annex, a 23 story tower at 144 W. Congress completed in 1916, and the Greater Penobscot Building, the 47 story tower at 645 Griswold St. Only the 1928 Tower eclipsed the Book Tower. In fact, the Greater Penobscot Building would remain the tallest building in Detroit until the 73 story center tower of the Renaissance Center was completed in 1977.
I grew up in Detroit 70's and 80's and always loved book tower. I didn't know anything about the building but it always stuck out from the rest of the pack. Beautiful building as far as I'm concerned, but I'm a little bias because I love everything about Detroit. Respect to IT'S HISTORY for putting a spotlight on Book Tower and Detroit.
@@garyjones2582 Real Talk. Such a trip. Taking over and we’re all just let it happen and continue to. From the South it’s the ese’s and you’ve described the north Should see Seattle. Wowzerz
Detroit has been on the comeback and has been cleaning up blight for at least the last ten years. I would like to argue that to call It the “textbook definition of urban decay” is highly outdated.
This tower is part of Detroits history. I hope, that the Book Tower will be saved and will offer people a fine place to live and to work again in the near future. This tower has character, which a lot of modern highrises do not have at all.
It is kind of an oddball design but it works as its own thing. One thing is for certain I dealt wherever see another one like it and it absolutely should be cleaned up and preserved. I know there are arguments for and against ceiling limestone but in this case it might be necessary. I also would like to thank that there may be some more elegant way to address the fire escape situation. Either way we've already lost so much of our architectural history, I hate to see any more of it go. Bring back the Book!
I never considered the Book Tower beautiful during my architecture school days but as I've aged I've gained a greater appreciation for this building. I very happy that it's been completely restored and it stands as proudly above Washington Blvd. as it ever did if not more so
I always hate to see these neat old buildings die, but the reality is at some point everything dies, even buildings. The sad reality is that rehabbing them and bringing them up to modern day codes is incredibly expensive.
Agreed. It’s a shame to lose these old buildings but modernizing, upkeep, etc. are all very expensive. The floorplans aren’t attractive to the modern ‘open concept” office design. One option would be to tear down the “tower” part, to make it a more manageable size. Even keeping the top section and rebuilding it lower, right about the level of the “wings” (or probably cheaper just to rebuild that section it as a copy).
Not in Europe it doesn't. Europe keeps it's old buildings with pride and love. Germany was built up sterile and new because it was bombed to smitherines, but if it wasn't it would still look like it did in the 1900's.
@@Subject82 they were fighting with the last women and children to defend berlin! LIterally CHILDREN were enlisted to fight the last bit of the war. And yes they asked for it, attempting to rule europe as a whole through war and genocide. Even the majority of germans today are embarrassed with the course their country took.
My father worked in the Book Tower for the United States Lines. Yes, the shipping line that took people to Europe on the S.S. United States and the S.S. America. So, he worked in a Detroit historical building, but also an employee of the company that owned the fastest ship to cross the Atlantic. We visited him there in Detroit several times.❤
I stayed in downtown Detroit for the first time in 2008 and of all structures Book Tower caught my attention the most. I described some of the architectural details to my mother (a Detroit native) during a phone call and it took all of two seconds for her to identify it. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder for sure, and as my mother always says, "usually if you've got nothing nice to say then it's better to say nothing at all." : )
Really wanted to explore this place, but it isn't abandoned anymore. 0:23 That is the City Methodist Church in Gary, IN not in Detroit. We filmed a documentary about it last winter.
Agreed, it’s ugly. Like someone tried to decorate a giant brick at the last minute. IDK how this building survived, but the Singer and Pennsylvania Station didn’t.
I lived a few blocks from this building for 4 years and it has always been one of my favorites. This video was so informational and I learned a few things I didn't know. There is a building named the Louis Kamper building and now I know why it has that name.
I for one think Book Tower is a beautiful building. Yes it may be floored, but it still has a wonderful European inspired facade that deserves to be preserved and brought back to life, as does the once great city of Detroit. All the best from North Yorkshire England.
I'm excited to see the Keppler glass dome restored and relit....as well as the interior finished like the gilt cherub clock.....used to love going in there when it was still open.
It’s a beautiful building really. My favorite building in the city and that’s saying a lot. Detroit has a lot of very beautiful buildings, sadly they are usually neglected.
The way our economy, this country... honestly more or less the world, is structured does this. Often owners are not individuals or own so much property they'd rather let it rot than not make profits. I'm not even talking about losing money but counting profit as an entitlement so the lack of it on any property is seen as a loss. This kind of thinking. There could be so many uses in the interim.
Though I was tempted to stop watching/listening after the first sentence. (What dictionary? Is this another tired "ruin-porn" unoriginal, politicized, and opinionated hit-piece? Or is it, as the title states: "The Story of Book Tower?). Anyway, I'm glad I stuck it out, and learned some things I didn't know. Namely, that this building was so ridiculed by the architectural elite. I've always found it eye-catching, for better or worse, but that's more than I can say for many of the newer, generic buildings going up these days...
Respect to Detroit - for saving their historic buildings! BOOK TOWER is under renovation and will return!
I like the statues & columns visually but they serve no purpose. I think it is interesting to preserve it to show how American cling to past roots they don't have.
It like watching a struggle to rise over gods of the past but in the end it is nothing but a giant dismal caricature propped up by the dollar.
In some ways I find American architecture more interesting then most as it tries in vain to capture something the nation isn't & has never been.
The only thing it captured that is American, is big & expensive?
damn you loud
@@arnijulian6241 how do you talk about past roots that we Americans don't have? I can already tell your Marxist beliefs as you have to bring the 💵 into your comment. Funny how this great country is being destroyed by the rights and free speech we were granted in our constitution.
@@arnijulian6241 although Americas empire doesn't date back 1000s of years you do realize that the sky scraper, mid century modern style and steel bridges are all American architectural inventions and styles along with many great inventions in the last 170 years that we all still use are the same. As for saying the United States copies of history that it doesn't have is pure ignorance of architectural design. The Roman empire copied Greek architecture 2000ish years ago and built things that were uniquely Roman but influenced by previous empires the same goes with the USA at the turn of the last century. You could argue the gothic architecture chruches from the middle ages are copies of Roman architecture with their high arches being a modern (for the time) spin on classic design and one could argue that any tall building is a copy of American engineering and American architecture.
As for building things extravagant or large is a sign of a free enterprise economy it is no coincidence that most of the successful nations in the world have either directly or somewhat copied the United States Constitution that allows for prosperity and progress.
I am not telling you to admire the USA but you should really give credit where it is due, not to many nations rise to a world leader is such a brief period of time with so many contributions to the world as the USA did between 1860 and 2000ish even most modern music has heavy ties to USA cultural influences and that includes the electric guitar but I digress.
@@arnijulian6241 I like it they could of made the wing just as grand
Book Tower is 1000x more beautiful than a modern, drab, glass and concrete box. I’ve always thought the tower was great.
Or bleak glass towers like one Vanderbilt
It’s an eyesore
I always thought the architecture of Detroit in its prime was very beautiful.
I love our downtown Architecture.. the Book Tower is an exceptional weird beauty...
EXCEPT for the friggin fugly fire escape ..that has to go.
This is such a good example of Midwest Gothic. Everything in Detroit that's important looks like it came out of a medieval setting. It's very iconic of Detroit
Yep You nailed it!
Absolutely! Check out he metropolitan building if you love gothic
It's the real life Gotham City
No such style as Midwest gothic but it is a pretty building
@@RellupNorth nah Midwest Gothic definitely exists. Cities like Chigago, Detroit, Milwaukee, Indianapolis and South Bend all have these amazing gothic style buildings with beautiful limestone and gargoyles
Not mentioned is the fact the building is under going a COMPLETE restoration! Another beautiful Detroit landmark being brought back to life!
Thank god 🙏
Converting offices to apartments/offices at reasonable prices will bring Silicon Valley business- California is dying in debt.
Couldn't be abandoned then. I heard it was bought recently by a New York developer.
@@archiebunker7688 lol no
Renovated building opening this year
I went to Detroit a few years back and was amazed by Book Tower when i saw it, and I knew nothing of its history or even its existence at the time. I love all the details, statuary and ornamentations. I thought it was a beautiful old building and was absolutely amazed that it was standing empty
The rest of the building has been occupied for about a decade
Happy the grand central station is redone and Roosevelt park
It’s absolutely gorgeous now after it’s been totally renovated and restored. Was in it last week absolutely beautiful. Let’s forget about the decay., And on with the present and the future
Hello, I am a former tenant of the Book Tower. I was one of the tenants who had to abruptly move out in 2007. I have a great story behind my time there (2004-2007). My suite was located on the 20th floor (ste 2037), on the same side as Bookies Bar and Grille. I converted the suite into a recording studio for those few years. I actually left my furniture up there, but I'm sure the huge moths had a feast. Great video!
That’s fascinating. Can I ask why you had to get out so fast?
@@jestinrobinson5115 The owners (at that time) went into default. The power and elevators were cut months prior to closing. All of the tenants got together to write the mayor's office, proving that we were all current on our rent. They restored power, but it was eventually cut again.
If everything is still in working order and the apartments are still in good condition. The state government should take over the building painting all the apartments and make it a building for the elderly those living on social security that are still in good health. If the building is full the low rent paid by those on social security shu
@@jeffnordquist9231 that’s all great in theory but there’s no way that would happen.
I worked on the book for years. In one of the first couple weeks there i stumbled on that studio! I took home an Allman Brothers record from up there lol
I've lived in Detroit for a few years and Book-Crysler is one of those buildings you look at in awe before remembering that it was empty. They're working on it now, should be incredible.
Book tower*
I moved to the Metro Detroit area in the late 1990s, and one of the first things I noticed about Detroit is the amazing architecture. I've lived in many US cities, including NYC, but Detroit stands out as having some incredibly beautiful buildings, including Book Tower. Even some of the old apartment buildings in Detroit are architectural marvels.
All this WONDERFUL Architecture comes from the fact that Detroit at one time Many Decades ago was the WEALTHIEST CITY in the country ! When it had been the fourth most populated
The company I used to work for sent me to work in Detroit for a few months. I was amazed at the architecture of not only the old buildings but also the old homes. Many of the homes were beyond repair. That architecture will be lost forever because the newer homes being build are cheap cookie cutter types.
I always liked the Palmer Park Apartment district. It's at the northwestern corner of Woodward Ave. and six mile road (McNicolls hwy).
This building is currently undergoing renovation and restoration to be completed sometime next year!
Always an oddity, knew a girl who lead phoney ghost tours...
We found a dentist's office on the middle floors with all kinds of personal information left behind.
Lets hope. That lack of fire exit internally sounds funny.
@@BKNewrd 😮
@@ReachingHigher001 ... It was a bit surreal, like they had left for a long weekend and never came back.
The 'renovation and restoration' you mention, is that like when they alter all the statues from men to women and pretend it's the female being celebrated rather than the male.
We as Americans do not hang onto our heritage. Newer is better is the mantra.
But in tearing down old buildings instead of repairing, renovating and remodeling, we lose a little bit of our soul.
probably b/c America really has not "heritage" like England or Rome, or Greece in the grand scale of the world America is probably the youngest country on the planet give it another few thousand years (provided we dont keep the same level of trash presidents we've had over the last 30 years) maybe then the people will hang onto their heritage a little more
You will never have heritage while you keep tearing it down!
Amen!!! We need to always hold on to our past! It informs the futre!!
@hey it's pete i agree your comment is dumb
Doesn’t America have local or state laws protecting heritage buildings?
Book Tower has helluva lot more character than most of the stuff they build these days.
I’m in Downtown Detroit almost everyday. I always loved Book Tower because of the staircases on the side. I’ve never been in it but they are doing a lot of renovations on it now. It’s a beautiful building.
As a youth, far back as 1970, I was utterly drawn to The Book Tower and looked forward to gazing close up, for long periods, from the unique perspectives of my father's downtown office and penthouse. The Book, it's frosting and all, still holds the same allure for me 50 years on.
The fire escape, then as dire looking as now, forced me in my young mind's eye, to think just how bad that disaster would need to be for me to set foot out there. Some heavy childhood philosophy it begat.
The top is especially transfixing, just full of wonderful and 'wtf?!' The elaborate roof captivating my young imagination. And of all the fantastic, vacant Detroit buildings I've 'accessed' to suit curiosity (or before permanent loss,) I'm glad this one eluded me - the interior up there, beneath that fantastic, weird green mess of a roof, still the same, sweet mystery.
Book's folly not withstanding, I'm damn glad this building of all, still survives.
Wonderful comment!
@@kostasjezuz4846 *blushes* ;-)
The first time I visited Detroit and saw Book tower, though it was freshly boarded up, I thought it was one of the most beautiful and interesting buildings I had ever seen. It's definitely iconic.
I think that all of the Skyscrapers that were built in the late 19th Century and the early 20th century was the best Building construction in the World. It represents a time in our history and should be preserved at any cost . I am glad to see the Book Building still standing and under renovation .Way to go Detroit....... Ken B.
At one point in time there was 12 abandoned skyscrapers in Detroit. All 12 have been restored.
So cool to see all the skyscrapers in Detroit being renovated or being currently used rn. Detroit is coming back there’s also a new one being built on the old Hudson site. Detroit is a great city to visit one of those rust belt cities that is back on the come up but also has a lot of cool abandon shops, church’s and sites around the city that are almost like tourists attractions
It's a vicious cycle.
When I visited Detroit this was the the building that caught my eye the most, whether this building is beautiful or not, it surely is Iconic and memorable, and that's more that can be said for most modern glass towers.
I read that this building has been renovated and completed in 2022. Glad to see it was saved.
I've live in Detroit my whole life and have always dreamed of having the top of that building as a house in the sky. Its my favorite building to veiw when I'm downtown. I hope who even owns it are able to bring it back to life
It’s absolutely been gorgeously renovated and restored, opened up a couple of months ago, go see it , it’s breathtaking
I'm from Detroit. If I were you, I think I would have mentioned and showed the Book Cadillac building and it's awesome restoration. The buildings are only a hundred yards are so apart. The new apts and hotel are amazing.
Agree. I used to walk past it on my way to the bus stop from school and it was just a wide open wreck of a building that anyone could walk into(about around 2000 I think). Then they boarded it up around 2002 so I guess that's when they started trying to save it. They also had a trolley running around past it at that time as well. Wasn't profitable I guess cuz I didn't see another one until the q line was put in.
That building was recently raided for drugs I believe when leading up to that the hotel company who owned it for the last decade I believe closed.
@@DETSRC313 Oof! Didn't hear about that. Thanks for the update! According to some articles found, indeed a residential unit was raided at the hotel building recently. And sadly it also looks like the Book Cadillac and a few others are facing foreclosure as a result of loss of revenue due to the COVID crisis. Sad considering how far it's come just to end up back where it was.
@@DETSRC313 Lmao, of course it was, because I forgot this was Detroit for a couple minutes.
I agree with the importance of the Book Cadillac to Detroit's history. Where can we learn about this iconic building?
This video was instantly dated by about a decade. Not only did you fail to mention the building is under renovation, many others downtown have been brought back to life.
Detroit has made incredible strides past being just a place of urban decay without any hope for the future.
If you do any future videos on Detroit, look up *Frankai Videos* and *Detroit Walk and Roll* so you have an up to date picture of the city.
It’s been incredible seeing the progress. Many people don’t know that over the last several years, Detroit has had more money being invested in it than the next four most invested in cities in America, combined.
@@jestinrobinson5115 It is pretty clear that there's been a major attitude shift in willingness of people to invest money in Detroit. But to be honest, I had not heard that factoid before.
And it isn't just the so called touristy gentrified areas like downtown. Several main streets in various neighborhoods have gotten extensive streetscape improvements to be more pedestrian and bike friendly.
Ya, this video definitely dropped the ball on the historical context of the building. Seems like more of a 90s video than a modern day video. Just try to buy a multi million dollar apt a block away and this guy would understand.
@@Knightmessenger Yes, Brush Park, Corktown, Woodbridge, Arden Park, even the North End/New Center area is being cleaned up with tons of houses under restoration.
I look at this Building and can't stop smiling. The whole design and the vibe it has, makes me admire it constantly. The angles, the roof-line, the way the upper floors are designed, it all shows that you can built a tall building but giving it the coziness of a smaller building. I am not an architect but to me THAT effect is really a stroke of genius and even after all these decades it just looks like it BELONGS where it is. It looks urban without being cold & de-humanized like all those post-modern steel-glass Tetris blocks everywhere.
Grand style that's still standing!
😮🙏🎵🙏
This video is at least five and probably ten years out of date.
Though it was literally posted today😅
Not really, there were some more current pics, the crane from the current renovation is in a few pics
A stroll through a heyday Detroit would be on my shortlist of time machine tourism. When you are downtown the reality of what it used to be is unignorable.
My hometown Paducah Ky. has done a fantastic job restoring the downtown but on a much smaller scale of course.
Most of the buildings were vacant after the mall opened up west of town.
The managers found old pictures of the buildings original colors etc and people have to restore them to original status.
Today they serve as a model for smaller towns trying to recover downtown areas.
I’ve never been to Detroit but I hope they can successfully come back.
They seem to be making a good effort.
As some one who is scared of heights, that fire escape is terrifying. I would have a panic attack, at the thought of using it.
Also, if you're looking for cool buildings for this series, the Fischer tower and Cadillac Place on West Grand Blvd are amazing and from roughly the same time period. These buildings were part of GMs world hq before they moved to the Renaissance Center.
The only building part of GM was the GM building now Cadillac place and yes they are grand bldgs
@@drewconlin9452 true, but the fisher bldg was built shortly after and for most people the whole new center area was a GM construction. Which makes sense, because without GM, none of it would have been built.
ACTUALLY, the "Fisher" building was built by the Fisher Bros. Of fisher auto body . An esrly Car company that got brought out by GM. And its one of the GREATEST examples of the transition between Adt Nouveau and Mosern. There were supposed to be 4 towers in all, completed in a square, but the Stock market crash of 1929 stopped all that!
Anyway, The building is being renovated!!! . And we will see how it goes!!!!!
Future suggestion: “The Call Building” that survived the Great Fire of San Francisco. Not many people know about it, and it’s “transformation” sadly
Ugh, that one is such a tragedy. Use to be a glory
Having been born in a very close suburb, Detroit will always be "home" and though it may have fallen on rough times, my memories haven't and that's what counts, I may see a run down piece of urban squalor, but my brain still perceives the modern neon splendor I grew up in.
This was my first video from this channel. And I absolutely love that you covered one of my absolute most favorite buildings in all of the Detroit and probably all of the world. I went to school at college for creative studies in Wayne between September 2007 and may 2009 but lived into the city until 2011. I moved around quite a bit during my time there and I used to ride my bike from ccs's campus all the way to Belle Isle for fun on those hot summer days. I still recall my time in Detroit looking at my old pictures and the ones that I did catch book Tower in are some of my favorite and lasting memories. No matter where I lived in that city whenever I woke up and I looked out onto the skyline, it was book tower that always drew my eyes up to the day and brought my mind to calm in such a crazy crazy world I was living in.
Thank you so much for making this video from people like me that have fond memories of Detroit and the locals that live there and can honestly tell you with all the passion and conviction how much City means to them, thank you for highlighting such a wonderful piece of American history.
You love that he covered the Book Tower but how did you feel about how the focus on how most thought it was ugly (and its tragic past)? It was wonderful how the narrator turned the negativity around at the end. Indeed, beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.
Historic buildings getting turned into parking lots is a unending theme of Detroit "progress".
Or just all American cities in general. It's like this country is full of people who has a dream of buying a historic building to just demolish it for a parking lot, how original and innovative 🙄
It's tragic what is done with some buildings. The theater in the Michigan theater is now an indoor parking structure. They didn't even remove the interior, they just built 3 concrete floors in the theater seating area. The spotlights are still in the light loft and the remains of the tattered curtains still wave in the wind from the stage that is now missing it's roof.
@@peterwill9660 You can say that again, very discouraging to see history just getting wiped away. Any architecture those buildings had will never be seen again compared to all non historic building built nowadays.
@@peterwill9660 That was an absolute crime! When I first saw the photos in "Movie Palaces" (book), I cried.
I think that it's a very interesting building. Unlike the current trends that really aren't memorable at all.
Interesting factoid: You can see moon towers in some of the postcards from Detroit. Eventually the City of Austin would purchase 31 of these towers as they got retired out of Detroit. Many of these towers still stand in Austin
what is a moon tower please?. new zealand here
@@collinhunter9792 A moontower is a tall narrow structure with lights up top. They were a precursor to the street lights we know today and helped transition from gas streetlights to electric light bulbs.
They could often light up several blocks at once, but were often more expensive to maintain so eventually smaller electric streetlights took their place
Now I know what they meant in "Dazed and Confused" when they went to party at the moon tower!
@@camaro72man yeah there is a bar in Austin named after the moontowers
Tomdnyc did a video about these towers
What year was this film made? Nothing is mentioned of Dan Gilbert's renovation completed this year, 2023. i was there last week.Stunning!
It's great that people do care about these old and historic buildings. I thought I was a weirdo for liking these buildings becuase they are attractive. I prefer these buildings instead of those modern ones that don't look attractive at all.
I love this building. I love gothic and American Art Deco style architecture. They're beautiful to look at.. Its so important that we don't throw away our history just to be replaced with cheap looking glass towers everwhere.
It's interesting how tied to its time the reception of architecture can be. Maybe it was garish to it's contemporaries, but as someone sick of ugly glass boxes the intricate "cake decoration" is absolutely beautiful and refreshing to me.
Yes! Book tower IS under renovation! By none another than the real estate SAVIOR than Dan Gilbert himself! If not Dan, Detroit would be in dire straights! Rock Finacial aka rocket mortgage, etc, is what has empowered Dan to invest in the city the way NO ONE has for decades!! Bravo Dan!! And kudos to you! We Detroiters LUV!!!!!for this!!!
And thank you to It's History for showcasing one of the many GEMS 💎 🔴🟠🟡🟢🔵 of Detroit!!!! 1
💕❣
I lived in Highland Park,MI many years ago. I loved JLHudson's, Grand Circus Park, Grosse Ile, and all the rest. The riots drove me out.
Well, that is what happens when voters don't care and get paid to vote. Look across at canada, how many burned out houses and neighborhoods are there?
The Fire Escape is the scariest part of the entire building. Could easily become overloaded and you'd have a scene right out of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World
Detroit used to be one of the best cities to live in. . before the dark times
It's better now 😁
Yeah trump supporters love to blame it solely on democrats but don't know anything about the collapse of the American auto industry.
@@JJ-zx5qs Yeah, so the Democrats came up with the brilliant idea to give the auto manufacturers over $500 billion dollars to send those manufacturing jobs to Mexico where they remain to this day. Sounds darn near like treason to me. Also, let me throw this back in your face: jUsT tHiNk oF aLl ThE pOoR pEoPLe tHaT mOnEy CoUlD hAvE fEd.
@@JJ-zx5qs Yet what have democrats done to fix the city in the past 59 years they've been in charge...? I think it's a failure of both parties.
"before the dark times" Literally this
I used to skip school out in the suburbs and take my friends downtown to the book tower and other buildings to explore Detroit's amazing architecture we would climb the stairs to the top so we could look out over the city. I worked in downtown for 40+ years from 1970 to 2013 and am glad to see our once great city being returned to it's glorious past! Keep it going Detroit.
I lived close to detroit in the 80s and everything was decay. Churches with bars on the windows, industrial shops next to schools, the detroit metro museum of art beside a crack house. There was a golden age theatre turned into a parking garage. Cobo hall and joe louis arena were the only safe places downtown. Detroits "famous" greektown was one city block! The chaos was palpible.... I kind of miss it.
Well you should if possible visit ASAP your head will be spinning in every direction as you will see all the different developments going on I the areas you spoke of , You may not recognize or believe you are walking the in the same locations as b4 !
Detroiters get paid to vote to be slaves to their corrupt government, do the research. They don't care.
The building is done in Italian Renaissance style, and I've never heard much in the way of criticism aside from it being quirky. The top portion looks like a ship perched atop a post, but at least it's not a deformed glass tower (cough, Walkie Talkie building, cough cough). The good thing is that it, along with many other buildings, are being saved. I was downtown tonight as a matter of fact, and construction cranes are all over the place with renovations and new construction. There's just so much going on, and it's nice to see the city coming back so well.
That external fire escape has to he reengineered into the bldg. That shit is bogus
@@broncomcbane6382 Yeah, it's the worst thing about the building. An option would be to make an enclosed one that blends in.
Had to quit watching this. I fondly remember so many of the great buildings in Detroit, especially downtown. Just got back in Cali from three weeks in the D. Its nice that Ford is redoing the train station but using it as anything besides a train station is alarming. There are tracks all around that building.
It looks like 3 buildings stacked on a fourth. The top two “layers” while artful, dont match whats below. The top “layer” reminds me of Luigi’s Mansion, lol.
Glad I'm not the only one who noticed that. Lol
I concur. If this thing was 20 stories high - ie just the top 1/4 it might be worth renovation Plenty of turn of the century building have a unifying beauty to them, I dont see it with this one. This video didn’t address whether this thing has good “bones”. Is there demand for this type of building ? A renovation is interesting, but we have all seen how hard it is just to keep “alive” a 100 year old building in Detroit with only 3 stories. Is there a vision, or did someone get it for a song and not really have a plan? Any way- appreciate seeing the video, always curious about what the penthouse at the top looked like inside. Whoever is doing the Reno- wish you the best!
I did a lot of work on the current renovation. Great video. The part that talks about dangers of the building gave me chills...I seen some dangers works there. It's a miracle no one died
Hello, did you do any work on the 20th floor?
This is rather interesting to look at now, it’s the typical ruin porn ,decay and desperation video about Detroit, the funny thing is now just in recent months after five years plus of total renovation the place has opened again as a hotel, apartments, some fabulous restaurants and bars and totally restored and renovated. It’s absolutely beautiful, I wonder if this poster will put a video of it on now? Too funny, these posters always love to post the negatives but mysteriously don’t even show you what’s going on presently..
I live in the suburbs west of Detroit, and have spent a lot of time downtown, and I can safely say that the Book Tower is my favorite building in Detroit. In fact, I have a print of the book tower in my living room from a print shop in the city.
Individual pieces look great. However with so many unrelated to one another it looks busy.
It's quite an attractive building. The eye-catching bits of ornament and exuberance give it character and interest. It's a pity that it gets dirty so easily, but at the same time the dark streaked patina gives it special aura of arcana and mystery. (Hope they can find an effective way to disguise or internalize that ugly fire escape.) ...and, screw stuffy art critics
The fire escape is part of it's charm i feel.
It's a stunning building in person. The building has been cleaned and sealed, so the stone looks as it did when new....a buff colored limestone. And I love the fire escape....the tallest one in the world I was told...
It is now the Westin Book Cadillac and a shining example of the revitalization of Detroit. If you haven't been to the D in a few year, you would not recognize it. Once again Detroit has risen from the ashes. Now if the Lions could just have a winning season :)
I'm born and raised in Detroit and yea its rough but it's still a beautiful city and has amazing history and architecture I only wish I could have seen it in its prime
Well YOU WILL get your chance to see it in ALL of its original splendor…. It’s nearly completed it’s REBIRTH last time I was downtown I saw someone running on a treadmill several floors up from the round floor where a restaurant was either open or about to .
You gained a subscriber the second you said "by hiding behind auto tune and dancing" I Love IT!
Detroit is such an interesting city. Tragic and beautiful and an example of American history and cultured summed up in one city. I learned about this building, but you taught me so much more. I'm glad it's being restored. Kinda bittersweet such an interesting abandoned skyscraper is being restored, but it's much better than decaying more and more until its inevitable demolition.
In Warren, MI. 20 minutes from Book Tower.
Stayed in Westin Book Cadillac Hotel a few years ago. Beutiful room. Beautiful view.
Is there anything more American than knocking down a historic building to have more parking.
Pave paradise ...
@@michaelwhite2823 these millennials don't know Joni Mitchell
@@saltypatriot4181 Young lady, I listen to music way before my time. 😃 always did
@@michaelwhite2823 I'm not talking about you
@@saltypatriot4181 You mean you don't care about me?
What do you think of the Ground breaking renovations Book Tower is undergoing? More coverage here on UA-cam, they're going to attempt to bring it back, but better than ever📏 ua-cam.com/video/RuP3L394f68/v-deo.html
WRIF ROCK needs Peter Werbe and Juline Jerdan back and on the air with Night Call.
"Detroit is effectively the dictionary's definition of Urban Decay and poverty" ...truly spoken like someone who has never been there. Seriously, Detroit is a beautiful, wonderful city. Any one who says it isn't in 2021 hasn't been there in the last decade.
I have always liked this building. To me it looks really Gothic and over the top. The rough shape its in added to the asthetic. As a huge advocate for historic preservation, I'm happy to see them restoring it.
As a Detroiter this was a common site in the 70’s 80’s and 90’s but Detroit I’m happy to say is now going through a second renaissance. Many of these older buildings are being brought back to life and are looking Beautiful again. Let’s just hope that we can learn from our mistakes of the past.
I live an hour north of the outskirts of Detroit. I love this city, and it's already seen so much improvement. Things are definitely getting better here.
Really lets be honest. It had to get better. It couldnt get much worse.
@@SomeGuy-hd4cn True, if it had gotten worse, there would be no city left.
I was in Detroit a couple months ago and loved it. There is no way to see it all unless you dedicate every minute to finding these old gems.
That looks like a building that would get regular visits from the Ghostbusters.
I'd live there.
That fire escape looks completely out of place...
@ 9:19 Actually, ATLANTIC CITY isn't ' Trump's Atlantic City '. Trump wanted to make ATLANTIC CITY a destination resort like Monte Carlo. He didn't get support from the City or the State of New Jersey. Would his concept have worked? Who knows? An international airport and a specialized training for the workers would have been required. What ATLANTIC CITY became instead was a local attraction, and unfortunately, most of the hotel/casino's failed. Had Trump gotten his way, would the outcome have been better? I don't know, but you can't say ATLANTIC CITY was Trump's vision. It wasn't, and isn't. ;-)
I had a nice lap dance at Taj Mahal.
AC could be so much more
Atlantic City could have been as great as Vegas if the people who ran it weren't so corrupt.
Also the population of that city is not up to the task of making it great.
What's the need for the political cheap shot ? How about sticking to Architecture like the title would suggest ?
Always loved Book tower glad Dan Gilbert brought it back
Ive driven by Book Tower a few times, and have always marveled at its uniqueness and beauty. I can't wait to see it restored to its former glory!
I worked in downtown Detroit for 10 years, when I was 18 in 1985 through 1995, various jobs. There were two sorts of people, those who were scared of downtown, and those of us who experienced it and enjoyed all that offered. There are so many beautiful buildings in downtown Detroit. It’s upsetting when I think about them falling to ruin, but love when I hear about someone taking an interest to beautify it again. Thank you for your attention to a city that deserves a little recognition / Native Detroit now in Nashville
Book Tower has always been my favorite building in Downtown Detroit. I love the complexity of the design. Its definitely more ornate than anything else downtown aside from maybe the Whitney Building and Broderick Tower.
I am 75 years old and I remember when I worked in a hair salon we used to have hair shows at the Book Cadillac Hotel it was beautiful and it still is beautiful somebody needs to help that poor building live again🥰🙏💓👍
Buildings that have stood for a minimum of 50 years should be considered historic and preserved. The building's interior should be gutted and brought up to current safety standards. The exterior should remain a visual part of the city's history.
The Penobscot Building is not 13 stories. It’s 47 stories.
My coworkers and I went to Detroit for some training and stayed in the Book Hotel for a week some years ago. I think it was the same building as this but our rooms were newly remodeled and very comfortable. The best bed I ever slept in as a matter of fact. We even ran into a famous mx racer in the elevator that is considered the GOAT.
Ricky Johnson 👍
It was Ricky Carmichael, but Johnson is up there with the greats too.
Detroit was called "the Paris of the Midwest" once. One little riot in 1967 and they never let you forget it
Sadly, the publisher of this video failed to complete his research. The Book Brothers commissioned Louis Kemper to design what would be one of Detroit's most beautiful buildings, the Book Cadillac Hotel (Today's Westin Book Cadillac) on the opposite side of Washington Blvd. This building was completed in 1924 and is 29 stories. Also, the Penobscot Building you show from 1916 was not taller than the Book Tower. There are three buildings that form the Penobscot complex. The original 13 story Penobscot Building at 131 W. Fort Street, completed in 1905; The Penobscot Building Annex, a 23 story tower at 144 W. Congress completed in 1916, and the Greater Penobscot Building, the 47 story tower at 645 Griswold St. Only the 1928 Tower eclipsed the Book Tower. In fact, the Greater Penobscot Building would remain the tallest building in Detroit until the 73 story center tower of the Renaissance Center was completed in 1977.
Nice to have someone who truly knows the history and current state
I grew up in Detroit 70's and 80's and always loved book tower. I didn't know anything about the building but it always stuck out from the rest of the pack. Beautiful building as far as I'm concerned, but I'm a little bias because I love everything about Detroit. Respect to IT'S HISTORY for putting a spotlight on Book Tower and Detroit.
As someone who grew up close to Detroit, this makes me sad.
I believe the great city will return
@@garyjones2582
Real Talk. Such a trip. Taking over and we’re all just let it happen and continue to.
From the South it’s the ese’s and you’ve described the north
Should see Seattle. Wowzerz
@@kingdingaling2469 racist bigot
@@detroitfunk313 I haven't been in Michigan in several years now
@@ilihcsydnew6870 😘
Detroit has been on the comeback and has been cleaning up blight for at least the last ten years. I would like to argue that to call It the “textbook definition of urban decay” is highly outdated.
It was for a long time but I agree it has fought long and hard to shed that image.
This tower is part of Detroits history. I hope, that the Book Tower will be saved and will offer people a fine place to live and to work again in the near future. This tower has character, which a lot of modern highrises do not have at all.
It is kind of an oddball design but it works as its own thing. One thing is for certain I dealt wherever see another one like it and it absolutely should be cleaned up and preserved. I know there are arguments for and against ceiling limestone but in this case it might be necessary. I also would like to thank that there may be some more elegant way to address the fire escape situation.
Either way we've already lost so much of our architectural history, I hate to see any more of it go. Bring back the Book!
I never considered the Book Tower beautiful during my architecture school days but as I've aged I've gained a greater appreciation for this building. I very happy that it's been completely restored and it stands as proudly above Washington Blvd. as it ever did if not more so
I always hate to see these neat old buildings die, but the reality is at some point everything dies, even buildings. The sad reality is that rehabbing them and bringing them up to modern day codes is incredibly expensive.
Agreed. It’s a shame to lose these old buildings but modernizing, upkeep, etc. are all very expensive. The floorplans aren’t attractive to the modern ‘open concept” office design. One option would be to tear down the “tower” part, to make it a more manageable size. Even keeping the top section and rebuilding it lower, right about the level of the “wings” (or probably cheaper just to rebuild that section it as a copy).
Not in Europe it doesn't. Europe keeps it's old buildings with pride and love.
Germany was built up sterile and new because it was bombed to smitherines, but if it wasn't it would still look like it did in the 1900's.
@@Subject82 true, but Germany pretty much asked for it....
@@speedbuggy16v They din't ask for it. They had already surrendered when the allies "good guys" bombed German cities full of indefensible civilians.
@@Subject82 they were fighting with the last women and children to defend berlin! LIterally CHILDREN were enlisted to fight the last bit of the war.
And yes they asked for it, attempting to rule europe as a whole through war and genocide. Even the majority of germans today are embarrassed with the course their country took.
My father worked in the Book Tower for the United States Lines. Yes, the shipping line that took people to Europe on the S.S. United States and the S.S. America. So, he worked in a Detroit historical building, but also an employee of the company that owned the fastest ship to cross the Atlantic. We visited him there in Detroit several times.❤
What single factor do all American cities in decay have in common?
People.
ALL Leftist Democrat controlled since the 50's.
I stayed in downtown Detroit for the first time in 2008 and of all structures Book Tower caught my attention the most. I described some of the architectural details to my mother (a Detroit native) during a phone call and it took all of two seconds for her to identify it.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder for sure, and as my mother always says, "usually if you've got nothing nice to say then it's better to say nothing at all." : )
Really wanted to explore this place, but it isn't abandoned anymore. 0:23 That is the City Methodist Church in Gary, IN not in Detroit. We filmed a documentary about it last winter.
It's been 50 years since I was at the Magnificent Book Tower. I look forward to seeing it restored to its former glory.
Sorry but it is a very ugly building. Putting faux-classical ornamentation on a big slab isn't great architecture and I can see why it was ridiculed.
Agreed, it’s ugly. Like someone tried to decorate a giant brick at the last minute. IDK how this building survived, but the Singer and Pennsylvania Station didn’t.
Agreed. There are good elements there, but they were applied in far to excessive a manner. "Less is more".
I lived a few blocks from this building for 4 years and it has always been one of my favorites. This video was so informational and I learned a few things I didn't know. There is a building named the Louis Kamper building and now I know why it has that name.
I for one think Book Tower is a beautiful building. Yes it may be floored, but it still has a wonderful European inspired facade that deserves to be preserved and brought back to life, as does the once great city of Detroit. All the best from North Yorkshire England.
Thank you England!! A fellow 2nd generation Scotsman whose great grandparents emigrated from Glasgow Scotland. Thx for liking US?!!!
I work for the company that owns book tower and the restoration is coming along beautifully I was just in there two weeks ago
I'm excited to see the Keppler glass dome restored and relit....as well as the interior finished like the gilt cherub clock.....used to love going in there when it was still open.
It’s a beautiful building really. My favorite building in the city and that’s saying a lot. Detroit has a lot of very beautiful buildings, sadly they are usually neglected.
The way our economy, this country... honestly more or less the world, is structured does this. Often owners are not individuals or own so much property they'd rather let it rot than not make profits. I'm not even talking about losing money but counting profit as an entitlement so the lack of it on any property is seen as a loss. This kind of thinking. There could be so many uses in the interim.
I'm guessing that you have never been in the Fisher building?
I for one think the building is beautiful. We need more architecture like this -- not less.
Unfortunately this is from a bygone era that will NEVER return.., Most buildings NOW are bland flat spaces covered with glass
I visited detroit 6 years ago, is sad to see the decay. It has some stunning architecture
Downtown Detroit is nice now barely any abandoned buildings
Born and raised in Detroit, and Book Tower has captivated me since I rode in a car seat. 38 now, and it's still my favorite building.
Though I was tempted to stop watching/listening after the first sentence. (What dictionary? Is this another tired "ruin-porn" unoriginal, politicized, and opinionated hit-piece? Or is it, as the title states: "The Story of Book Tower?). Anyway, I'm glad I stuck it out, and learned some things I didn't know. Namely, that this building was so ridiculed by the architectural elite. I've always found it eye-catching, for better or worse, but that's more than I can say for many of the newer, generic buildings going up these days...
The problem has always been keeping the outside clean. The dirt destroyed the design. When clean, it's amazing.
Somehow the dirt on THAT PARTICULAR BUILDING NEVER bothered me at all . But cleaned up as it is NOW LOOKS GOOD TOO !
Just missed a live post I guess. 🤔
Such Dope Videos. Especially loved The NYC PENN Stattion
Thanks so much!!