Posts Tagged ‘infiltration’
Monday, October 20th, 2008
2900 Slaughter House
This 3 story, 60,000 square foot structure was built in 1920 and originally served as an industrial distribution warehouse. A now defunct tannery operated across the street. The Thorn Apple Valley Inc. meatpacking company ran an operation from this facility till 1998.
The exterior is composed of unadorned red brick typical of industrial warehouse construction during the 1920’s. Large graffiti pieces adorned the outer walls above several loading dock bays. It rained the the night before so water was dripping through the leaky roof. Pipes and boilers were The only remaining artifacts of interest.
Koenig Coal Silos (Detroit, MI)
Koenig Coal Coal Yard silos were built in the 1920’s. Koenig Coal was established in 1870 and were dealers that sold coal and wood. They had two office locations in Detroit (circa 1878). The 362 Atwater Street location contained a dock and the 368 Gratoit Ave location contained a coal and wood yard.
An artificial valley was used by trains running through the Milwaukee Junction. Train tracks have been removed and the area is a well known area for graffiti murals. There are always a few outstanding pieces to see and they get replaced regularly.
Reference
A61 Archive
Tags: 2900 Slaughter House, 35mm film, abandoned architecture, abandoned buildings, abandoned factories, abandoned silos, American Industrial ruins, analog photography, B&W photos, black and white photography, Canon t70 camera, Dequindre Cut, Dequindre Cut graff, Detroit, Detroit architecture, Detroit industrial archeology, Detroit Industrial buildings, Detroit manual photography, fine art prints, industrial ruins, infiltration, Koenig Coal Yards, meatpacking company, Michigan, modern ruins, photography, silentbuildings, steam train coal silos in Detroit, Thorn Apple Valley Inc. Detroit, UE, urban exploration, vintage, W Roland Hamilton 2008
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Friday, September 26th, 2008
It was a quiet Sunday afternoon at the Don Valley Brick Works. A few people walked their dogs as some wetland birds earnestly called out to each other. An earlier expedition contains information on the history of this site.
Inside the Brick Works subdued shafts of light illuminated the interior like a cathedral of industry. Amongst a row of old kilns, a Parkhill Martin brick machine lay silent as it’s rusted metal surface gleamed in the evening light. It was manufactured by G. Baird, Son & Co. and built in Parkhill Toronto. This soft mud brick machine was placed in the Brickworks after 1956.
Evergreen started renovations at the Brick Works in 2009. Several of Toronto’s landmarks were built from bricks made at this factory. Restoration of this site will leave a piece of Toronto’s history intact.
References
(*1)
Rick McGinnis, Don Valley’s Abandoned Brick Works Finally Coming Back To Life, October 8, 2009
www.blogto.com/city/2009/10/
Evergreen Brick Works
ebw.evergreen.ca/
Reference
A60-1 Archive
Tags: 35m film camera, abandoned architecture, abandoned buildings, abandoned factories Toronto ON, abandoned places, analog photography, brick making kilns, brick manufacturing in Toronto, Canon t70 camera, Don Valley Brickworks Toronto, Don Valley nature preserve, Don Valley watershed reclaimed land, fine art prints, heritage bricks Toronto, historic preservation, industrial and institutional ruins, Industrial ruins Toronto, infiltration, Kodak 35mm color film, Kodak Ultracolor 100 ISO, manual photography, Milkman's Trail, modern ruins, Parkhill-Martin soft mud brick making machine, photography, silentbuildings, Toronto abandoned buildings, Toronto architecture, Toronto Industrial buildings, Toronto industrial history, UE, urban exploration, Urbex, vintage, vintage industrial fixtures, W.Roland Hamilton
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Monday, August 11th, 2008
Forest Arms apartments was built in 1905, a corner stone beside the front entrance verifies this date. This stately Victorian era building is similar to other residences near the Wayne State University campus. (*1) On February 6, a major fire destroyed the entire site. Forest Arms has no roof or top floor.
This building has a striking design and stands out. Unfortunately its windows are gaping portals to the sky instead of apartments.
References
(*1)
Benefit raises over $6,000 for Forest Arms Disaster Relief Effort
media.wayne.edu/2008/02/14/benefit-raises-over-6000-for-f…
Up from the Ashes: Tracking the Forest Arms Restoration in Midtown
Jon Zemke, May 05, 2009
http://www.modeldmedia.com/features/forestarms19009.aspx
Update: Forest Arms Apartments hosted an interesting experiment.
womanaboutdetroit.wordpress.com
hanging-gardens.org
A59-2 Archive
Tags: 35mm film camera, abandoned architecture, abandoned buildings, abandoned places, analog photography, black and white photography, Canon t70 camera, Detroit, fine art prints, Forest Arms apartments, historic architecture in downtown Detroit, historic preservation Detroit, industrial and institutional ruins, infiltration, manual photography, Michigan, ornate buildings in downtown Detroit, photography, silentbuildings, UE, urban exploration, Urbex, vintage, W.Roland Hamilton
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Friday, November 2nd, 2007
Fred and Charles Fisher started the Fisher 21Body Plant in 1908. The company became a corporation in 1916 and built bodies for an expanded client list of companies such as Abbot, Buick, Cadillac, Chalmers, Chandler, Chevrolet, Churchfield, Elmore, EMF, Ford, Herreshoff, Hudson, Krit, Oldsmobile, Packard, Regal, and Studebaker. Fisher bodies soon became the industry standard.
In 1919 the Fisher 21 Plant was built in the heart of the Milwaukee Junction. The six story plant was built with reinforced concrete after Albert Kahn’s designs similar to Packard Motors and Ford’s Highland Park Plant. Fisher 21 built car bodies for Buick and Cadillac from1919-1925.
After Buick moved to Flint Fisher 21 continued to produce bodies for Cadillac. In 1956 the plant started producing Cadillac limousine bodies until 1974. Fisher was dissolved when it merged with other General Motors operations in 1984. The last tenant was Carter Color till the mid 1990’s.
Harsh late evening light made for some interesting exposure and contrast studies. This type of illumination presented interesting combinations of patterns, shapes and shadows.
References
www.fishercoachworks.com
A49_Roll-DD1 Archive
Tags: 35mm film camera, abandoned architecture, abandoned buildings, abandoned Fisher 21, abandoned places, American Industrial ruins, analog photography, black and white photography, Cadillac car body manufacturing, Canon t70 camera, Carter Paints, Detroit, Detroit abandoned buildings, Detroit abandoned factories, Detroit architecture, Detroit auto manufacturing plants, Detroit automotive history, Detroit Industrial buildings, Detroit industrial history, fine art prints, Fisher 21 Body Plant Detroit, Fisher 21 Detroit, historic preservation Detroit, industrial and institutional ruins, infiltration, manual photography, Michigan, photography, silentbuildings, UE, urban exploration, Urbex, vintage, W.Roland Hamilton
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Thursday, September 27th, 2007
Grand Trunk Cold Storage is located in the heart of the Milwaukee Junction area. Ghost signs on the south and north sides of the building state “Division of Beatrice Foods Co.”. The east loading docks were demolished in late 2006. This resulted in a partial collapse in the northern side of the east section. Exploring the interior is similar to being in the midst of a wind tunnel with no lights. The first floor is a stark arrangement of concrete columns’ and empty space. The view from the roof was memorable… after the noxious smell, which intensified in the upper floors.
Beatrice Foods Cold Storage Warehouse Research
Niel Gazels’s book “ Beatrice: From Buildup Through Breakup (*1)” verified that Beatrice was likely responsible for building the cold storage site in Detroit. His book chronicles Beatrice Foods dairy research and expansion during the 1930’s. The same chapter also covers warehouse development as he explains “Cold-Storage warehouses were essential to Beatrice’s operation… warehouse operations grew hand in hand with the dairy, egg and frozen food distribution business”.
A possible date for the Detroit warehouse is given with the quotes ”Chicago Cold Storage, built during World War 1… The general office was located in this building until 1944” and “The company also had warehouses in Detroit and Scranton as well as the Soo Terminal in Chicago”. Beatrice’s Detroit Cold Storage facility was likely built between 1944 and 1952. After 1952 Beatrice Foods constructed cold storage depots in other cities like Denver and Los Angeles, or purchased existing facilities run by other operations..
Reference
(*1) By Niel Gazel (Author), William G. Karnes (Designer), Beatrice: From Buildup Through Breakup (Hardcover), Publisher: Scholarly Book Services Inc (Jun 27 2002, ISBN-10 0252017293, ISBN-13: 978-0252017292), p24
A46-1 Archive
Tags: 35mm film camera, abandoned architecture, abandoned buildings, abandoned places, American Industrial ruins, analog photography, Beatrice Foods Cold Storage Warehouse, black and white photography, Canon t70 camera, Detroit, Detroit abandoned buildings, Detroit abandoned factories, Detroit architecture, Detroit Industrial buildings, fine art prints, ghost signs in Detroit, Grand Trunk Cold Storage, historic preservation Detroit, industrial and institutional ruins, infiltration, manual photography, Michigan, modern ruins, photography, reinforced concrete architecture in Detroit, silentbuildings, UE, urban exploration, Urbex, vintage, vintage water towers in Detroit, W.Roland Hamilton
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Friday, August 24th, 2007
Another R.L Plant expedition awaited me after picking up a roll of 100 ISO Color film. After meeting Paul V (Studios of America Corporation) at the front entrance, I put my safety equipment away. During an investigation of the marina nearby, I managed to capture a panoramic picture of the plant from across the lake.
Several vintage fixtures that were present during my last visit were absent this time. Control panels, valve wheels and miscellaneous McAvity fixtures were in neat piles in the south yard. After taking photos of the south façade, upper floors and second floor control room it was time to go.
References
A45-8, A48 (col) Archives
Tags: 35m film camera, abandoned architecture, abandoned buildings, abandoned factories Toronto ON, abandoned places, analog photography, Canadian Industrial ruins, Canon t70 camera, color photography, decommissioned coal power plants in Ontario, fine art prints, Fuji pro H series film, Fuji professional 100 ASA color film, General Electric Canada, Hearn UE, historic preservation, industrial and institutional ruins, Industrial ruins Toronto, infiltration, inside the Hearn Plant, manual photography, modern ruins, photography, R L Hearn 2nd floor control room, R L Hearn interior, R L Hearn Toronto ON, silentbuildings, Studios of America, Toronto, Toronto abandoned buildings, Toronto architecture, Toronto industrial history, Toronto Portlands, UE, urban exploration, Urbex, vintage, vintage General Electric controls 1950's, W.Roland Hamilton
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Tuesday, August 21st, 2007
The Roosevelt Warehouse was designed by Albert Kahn and originally served as a post office. DPS used the facility as a book depository until a fire in 1987. DPS abandoned the building and it has remained so ever since.
Piles of supplies were destroyed and left to decay from years of water damage. The exterior is uneventful except for some art deco detailing found around entrances and windows. A conveyor machine, loading dock, and boiler room were the only items of note on the first floor. Second and third floors of the DPS were strewn with remnants of burned supplies. An unexpected surprise awaited, a forest growing at the top floor. Not just grass but trees too.
Reference
A45-7 archives
Tags: 35mm film camera, abandoned architecture, abandoned buildings, abandoned places, analog photography, black and white photography, Canon t70 camera, Detroit, Detroit abandoned buildings, Detroit architecture, DPS Book Depository, DPS Storage Warehouse, fine art prints, historic preservation Detroit, industrial and institutional ruins, infiltration, manual photography, Michigan, modern ruins, photography, Roosevelt Post Office circa 1945, Roosevelt Warehouse, silentbuildings, UE, urban exploration, Urbex, vintage, W.Roland Hamilton
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Sunday, August 12th, 2007
This expedition was made possible with the generous support of Paul V. of Studios of America Corporation.
1st Expedition
After meeting Paul in the evening several photos were taken inside the perimeter. Huge vents on the south side of the plant were partially demolished. A short tour of the plants vintage machines and fixtures was a point of interest.
2nd Expedition
A nice sunny day, proper safety equipment and several rolls of film made for a great start. Arrived at 11 am along with several architects visiting the site. After donning safety equipment a short tour was given. Fearsome banging and crashing in a far section of the plant announced that serious construction work was in progress. As we approached the south side a large funnel like object about 2-3 stories high lay on it’s side while gleaming in the sun. Its past use was later explained as a storage, funnel and transport system for waste coal. Waste coal would likely be shipped to the Leslie Spit, an artificially created from landfill.
The outside buildings housed some interesting apparatus, however the interior was just as impressive. Main attractions of the Hearn Plant were the coal chutes, turbine fans on the third floor, and the second floor electrical control room. The great hall where the turbines were kept was also impressive because of its scale. Attractions on the roof were vintage boilers, valve controllers, coal conveyers and the Buffalo Vanexial Fan systems. I noticed that Buffalo Vanexial fan systems on the site were identical to those found at the Fisher 21 Body Plant in Detroit. R. L Hearn’s heating and cooling system was made by the Canadian division of Buffalo Forge Co. (*1) The Buffalo Forge Co had a famous employee, in it’s drafting department, Willis Carrier who started the Carrier Engineering Corp. in 1915. His most notable invention was the air conditioner. It only came to my attention after seeing the name at two unrelated industrial sites.
After exploring the upper floors I returned to the second floor take pictures of the control room. Vintage bright green electric control panels made by General Electric filled the entire room. Each panel was filled with various dials and gauges. To the uninitiated such as myself, the controls seemed like a random jumble of signal paths. Vintage electric panel controls from the 1950’s made the control room seem like a set for an old sci-fi film. Valves, dials and gauges were covered in dust along with old manuals, binders and loose papers with printed schematic diagrams. Unfortunately for me, I forgot to bring my flash. With long exposures, no flash or tripod, it’s a miracle that any of the control room pictures turned out. Exploration concluded in the early afternoon and I left satisfied with two full rolls of film.
References
A45-3, A45-4, A45-5 Archives
Tags: 35m film camera, abandoned architecture, abandoned factories Toronto ON, abandoned places, analog photography, black and white photography, Canadian Industrial ruins, Canon t70 camera, decommissioned coal power plants in Ontario, fine art prints, General Electric Canada, Hearn UE, historic preservation, industrial and institutional ruins, Industrial ruins Toronto, infiltration, inside the Hearn Plant, manual photography, modern ruins, Ontario, photography, R L Hearn interior, R L Hearn Toronto ON, silentbuildings, Studios of America, Toronto, Toronto abandoned buildings, Toronto architecture, Toronto Industrial buildings, Toronto industrial history, Toronto Portlands, UE, urban exploration, Urbex, vintage, vintage General Electric controls 1950's, W.Roland Hamilton
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Friday, August 10th, 2007
The Don Valley Brickworkds is a former quarry and industrial site. It is now a park with a series of naturalized ponds. For almost 100 years the Brickworks made bricks used to construct many Toronto landmarks such as Casa Loma, Massey Hall and Osgoode Hall.
In the 1830’s a paper mill stood on the site. The Taylor brothers founded The Don Valley Brickwords in 1889. During it’s operation the company changed hands many times. Robert Davies bought the Don Valley Pressed Brick Company in 1909 and changed the name to the Don Valley Brickworks Company Limited. In 1928 Strathgowan Investments bought the company and renamed it the Toronto Brick Company. United Ceramics Limited of Germany took ownership of the site in 1956 and over the next 25 years constructed a new sand-lime plant. During this time a Parkhill Martin Brick Machine was moved to the site to produce soft-mud bricks.
The Brickworks was sold in the 1980’s for residential redevelopment. Clay and shale deposits were exhausted thus making the Brickworks cease to function as an industrial site. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority expropriated the land in 1987. In 1994 restoration of the landscape began and opened as the Weston Quarry Gardens in 1997. Since it’s creation the wetlands preserve have attracted many species of birds.
A large brick smokestack with the word valley written on one side announced the location. The control rooms contained rows of defunct switches, fixtures, meters and gauges. Parkhil-Martin’s brick machine was impressive accompanied by rows of kilns. Pipes and walkways snaked around the kilns and the concrete floor sported rails running parallel to the tunnels
References
ebw.evergreen.ca
A39, A45-1, A45-3 Archives
Tags: 35m film camera, abandoned architecture, abandoned factories Toronto ON, abandoned places, analog photography, black and white photography, brick making kilns, brick manufacturing in Toronto, Canadian Industrial ruins, Canon t70 camera, Don Valley Brickworks Toronto, Don Valley nature preserve, Don Valley watershed reclaimed land, fine art prints, heritage bricks Toronto, historic preservation, industrial and institutional ruins, Industrial ruins Toronto, infiltration, manual photography, Milkman's Trail, modern ruins, Ontario, Parkhill-Martin soft mud brick making machine, photography, silent buildings.com, silentbuildings, Toronto, Toronto abandoned buildings, Toronto architecture, Toronto Industrial buildings, Toronto industrial history, UE, urban exploration, Urbex, vintage, vintage industrial machines, W.Roland Hamilton
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Wednesday, August 1st, 2007
The Guild Inn was originally a private residence built for Colonel Harold Child Bickford (1876-1956), eventually becoming an Arts and Crafts colony in the 1930’s. Spencer Clark and his wife later purchased the land and were known for their art patronage and preservation projects. In 1996 various branches of the City of Toronto took over maintenance of buildings, park facilities and sculptures.
The Guild Inn is nestled within a quiet suburban neighbourhood deep in the heart of Scarborough. This unique park boasts classic Beaux Arts architecture of former bank buildings. Facades and sculptures are from buildings demolished during Toronto`s drive towards modern architecture. The park is a frequent destination for wedding photo shoots. Historical plaques near each piece made research easier.
Ionic capitals, from University of Toronto medical building, 1904-1967.
Banting and Best did diabetes research in this building.
Architects – Darling & Pearson.
Bank of Ontario (King & Bay, S. West corner), 1912-1966.
Architect/firm: Carrie & Hastings (NY), Eustace Bird, Toronto Associate.
Ionic columns. Bank of Nova Scotia (39 King St W),1903-1969.
Architect/firm: Darling & Pearson
Robert Holmes, 1881-1930.
Resident Guild sculptor – 1968-1970
Bank of Nova Scotia (39 King St. West), 1903-1969.
Architect/firm: Darling & Pearson
Quebec Bank est 1818 (37 King St. West), 1912-1969
Architect/firm: G Curry
Lions heads and plaques Toronto General Trusts Bldg, 1919-1969.
Pediment – Provincial Paper Building, 388 University Ave.
Architect/firm: Marani, Lawson & Morris – 1930-1968
3 ionic capitals, 394 University Avenue - ABITBI bldg (1930-1968)
Canadian Bank of Commerce (Yonge and Bloor N-West corner), 1899-1972.
Architect/firm: Darling & Pearson
Bank of Toronto – 1912-1966
Corinthian column & capitals (King & Bay, S. West corner)
Architect/firm: Carrere & Hastings (NY), Eustace Bird (Toronto associate)
Toronto Star Building (80 King St. West), 1929-1972 Strong Art Deco influence
Architect/firm: Chapman & Oxley
North American Life Assurance building (112 King St West), 1932-1976Architect/firm: Marani, Lawson & Morris
Temple Building (Bay & Richmond, N. West corner), 1895-1970.Independent Order of Foresters
Architect/firm: G.W Gouinlock
Bank of Montreal (King and Bay N. West corner) 1948-1972.Architect/firm: Chapman, Oxley & Facey/Marani & Morris
Artists who worked on separate panels representing each province of Canada
- Frances Loring (1887-1968)
- Jocobine Jones (1898-1976)
- Emanual Hahn
- Elizbeth Wyn Wood
- Donald Stewart
References
City of Toronto archives
www.toronto.ca/culture/the_guild.htm
References
A45-5, A45-6 Archives
Tags: 35m film camera, abandoned architecture, abandoned Guild Inn, abandoned places, analog photography, black and white photography, Canon t70 camera, fine art prints, Guild Inn historic sculptures, haunted Guild Inn, historic bank buildings in Toronto, historic preservation, infiltration, manual photography, modern ruins, photography, prominent architects in historic Toronto, Scarborough Bluffs, silentbuildings, the King and Bay financial district before modernization, Toronto, Toronto abandoned buildings, Toronto architecture, Toronto Industrial buildings, UE, urban exploration, Urbex, vintage, W.Roland Hamilton
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