Downtown Detroit Eyesore Could Be Eliminated
An eyesore at Detroit's Hart Plaza could soon be demolished.
Ford Auditorium could come down as early as May to make way for a 5,000 seat amphitheater similar to Chene Park. Built in 1955 by the Ford family and auto dealers, the auditorium has sat vacant on the city's riverfront since the Detroit Symphony Orchestra left in 1989.
The mayor's group executive of planning, Carla Henderson, says it's like a monster sitting in the middle of all the progress going on, so the vacant auditorium needs to be eliminated.
Mayor Dave Bing's Chief Governmental and Civic Affairs Officer Kirk Lewis says the mayor is looking for a company to demolish Ford Auditorium.
"Mayor Bing is very concerned about the transformation of the city of Detroit. And as we look at the riverfront, we see Ford Auditorium as a symbol of blight," says Lewis. He adds that, right now, they're focused on transforming that area into the gateway for the city.
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