Vacant and/or Abandoned Skyscrapers - Page 4

MolsonExport · #61 Posted **Jan 20, 2011, 5:26 PM**

Even though I have read the story, the complete emptiness of the South China mall (in the world's fastest growing large economy) baffles me. Why not just offer the most bargain-basement rent, and make the thing a giant market (a modern version of Namdaemun market in Seoul?)

BUFFALOVE!! · #62 Posted **Jan 20, 2011, 6:49 PM**

It saddens me to say this but this gem, the statler hotel, is 100% vacant and boarded up on the first floor. there is a developer in the process of buying it but it's taking a looooong time.

picture from http://www.buffalorising.com/2010/05...ler-buyer.html

photoLith · #63 Posted **Jan 20, 2011, 6:59 PM**

^
That looks just like the Post Rice Loft building in downtown Houston, hopefully someone does get it restored in the near future before its too far gone.

brickell · #64 Posted **Jan 20, 2011, 9:49 PM**

Miami - there may be more, but this is what I can think of.

Brickell Financial Center - 40 stories. It's basically on hold. I think the made it weather tight and just stopped, waiting for the market to rebound.

Freedom Tower - Miami's first skyscraper. They keep talking about doing something with it, but as far as I know it's empty.

There's also a few midrise buildings in downtown that seem like they're being used just for the lower floor retail and vacant above.

plinko · #65 Posted **Jan 20, 2011, 11:58 PM**

About 5 years ago after AT&T moved out, there was much discussion about converting 611 Place in Los Angeles to residential. That I'm aware of, those plans have gone nowhere and the building is totally vacant. It was the tallest building in the city from 1969 until the completion of the twin 699' Bank of America / ARCO Plaza in 1972.

611 Place, 620ft, 42fl, 1969:

Certainly not pretty, but a good sized structure for future conversion.

MolsonExport · #66 Posted **Jan 21, 2011, 1:47 AM**

How could it be vacant? Is LA that overbuilt?

Roadcruiser1 · #67 Posted **Jan 21, 2011, 2:29 AM**

He's telling the truth

From Wikipedia, and Emporis:

Quote:

Since being vacated by AT&T, there have been plans to turn its upper levels into high-end condominiums, in a re-development scheme similar to the one executed on the nearby Eastern Columbia Building.

213 · #68 Posted **Jan 21, 2011, 3:52 AM**

^ 611 Place has some lower-floor tenancy and ground-level retail. Am unaware of any future plans, but the building is actively managed and maintained. Its garage sees a fair amount of public use.

BUFFALOVE!! · #69 Posted **Jan 21, 2011, 1:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BUFFALOVE!!

It saddens me to say this but this gem, the statler hotel, is 100% vacant and boarded up on the first floor. there is a developer in the process of buying it but it's taking a looooong time.

picture from http://www.buffalorising.com/2010/05...ler-buyer.html

slow and steady wins the race i guess http://www.buffalonews.com/business/article318298.ece
we could have a new owner by march

Dylan Leblanc · #70 Posted **Jan 21, 2011, 7:59 PM**

Beirut Trade Center / Al Murr Tower - http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=8820

Construction was halted in 1975 when war broke-out.

http://www.google.com/maps?q=33.8952...id=po-33723392

Pic from the old SSP gallery

dagobert · #71 Posted **Jan 21, 2011, 11:20 PM**

In addition to the already mentioned Randolph Tower, Chicago has a couple of other abandoned skyscraper. One of them is the Century Building- a 16 story high-rise from 1915 located at 202 South State Street in the Loop. It was designed by the illustrious Chicago architecture firm of Holabird & Roche. It is owned by the federal government and may be demolished in the future to make way for more federal government buildings.

vid · #72 Posted **Jan 22, 2011, 1:25 AM**

When referring to demolition it's spelled "raze".

My city has two terra cotta buildings, one in either downtown. One (a three storey bank) burned down in 2007 but they managed to save the facade, it has turned a really bright yellow colour. It's eerily beautiful.

Hopefully the market improves in time to save it. It would make a nice entrance feature for a stark, modernist office building.

STR · #73 Posted **Jan 22, 2011, 3:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roadcruiser1

but the new owner Carl Icahn can afford the $1.5 billion dollars to finish the project, and that is why he sold out all the furniture.

I assume, by context, you meant "can't afford," but that wouldn't be accurate either. Carl Icahn is one of the richest bastards on the planet and he got that way by grabbing up depressed assets and usually selling them off. He's the world's best corporate raider (they call them "activist investors" nowadays, but he's always arguing for divestitures), with his most recent handiwork the breakup of Motorola into two companies.

The relevance? If Icahn thought it was a good idea to finish this thing in the short term, he would have made it happen. He clearly thinks he's in a good position to sit on this one for years. So...don't get your hopes up. Icahn is going to wait for someone to make him a really good offer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

How could it be vacant? Is LA that overbuilt?

Not likely an issue of general overbuilding, but that this tower was built to fill a very specific need of AT&T's. When you go too far in building to suit, you make a structure less amenable to reuse. My guess is that the floor plates simply don't work well for modern offices. Hence the condo conversion.

M.K. · #74 Posted **Jan 22, 2011, 10:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by vid

When referring to demolition it's spelled "raze".

Hopefully the market improves in time to save it. It would make a nice entrance feature for a stark, modernist office building.

I agree, i hope also this wonderful facade to be integrated in a modern nice contrastant building in some way. Thanks for sharing this pic. Sad if would be not save in that way.

george · #75 Posted **Jan 22, 2011, 9:10 PM**

AAA Chicago Motor Club Building in Chicago, 68 East South Water Street (Holabird & Root, 1928)

z1x2c3v4b5 · #76 Posted **Jan 23, 2011, 3:10 AM**

From Providence, Rhode Island
Rhode Island Hospital Southwest Pavillion (Maternity Ward and Pathology Lab)

Pic from ppsri.org
EDIT:
I found a picture of the original complex (SP in the background with the bay windows).

Pic from Cardcow

MolsonExport · #77 Posted **Jan 23, 2011, 4:32 AM**

It should be a crime to abandon such structures (e.g, that art-deco AAA club blg in chicago), but then, who gets punished, and for what? They just don't build 'em like they used to. More suitable for the modern client, surely, but where is the pride, the dignity, the beauty?

photoLith · #78 Posted **Jan 23, 2011, 5:15 AM**

^
Thats why its such a god damned crying shame whenever any old building gets torn down or abandoned. For the most part, nothing that would rival said old buildings architecture will be put back where it once stood. This applies to small podunk towns to large cities. Even poor people built aesthetically pleasing houses during the 19th century, now they live in crappy trailer homes and the rich live in McMansions. We have just somehow lost the capability to build beautiful things anymore. Of course we still do but they are just very rare which is unfortunate.

Theres a whole mess of abandoned buildings in Hot Springs, AR, just took some photos down there last weekend. Sorry, they arent skyscrapers but this thread is progressing into notable abandoned buildings for cities, not just scrapers, it will keep it going.

These incredible apartments have been abandoned for decades.

Theyre in pretty rough shape.

I was able to get onto the roof of one of em.

This has been abandoned since 2002 or so I was told.

All of the buildings in this picture are vacant but a developer is turning them all into apartments and its going to cost around 30 million.

This is also part of that redevelopment.

Theres a whole bunch of other buildings in Hot Springs that are vacant and or abandoned, the most notable one is an incredible art deco high rise downtown, its about 24 stories or so, Ill get a picture of it when I go back down there in a month or so, its really a shame.

Heres a picture of it from google earth though and its also been abandoned at least since the late 80s.

There seems to be a large number of abandoned art deco buildings in most cities, that pretty strange considering they are the most beautiful usually. I wonder why that is...?

ardecila · #79 Posted **Jan 23, 2011, 5:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by dagobert

In addition to the already mentioned Randolph Tower, Chicago has a couple of other abandoned skyscraper. One of them is the Century Building- a 16 story high-rise from 1915 located at 202 South State Street in the Loop. It was designed by the illustrious Chicago architecture firm of Holabird & Roche. It is owned by the federal government and may be demolished in the future to make way for more federal government buildings.

The Federal government did a preservation study on these, and it recommended saving/rehabbing the Century Building while tearing down the three buildings to the south (the North American Bldg and two small shops). A new tower would then be built and integrated with the Century.

Illithid Dude · #80 Posted **Jan 23, 2011, 6:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

How could it be vacant? Is LA that overbuilt?

No, not really. Actually, as far as I know, the office buildings in LA are almost all full, with plans for a new office supertall underway. I'm actually surprised about this building, I just went downtown for dinner tonight, looked up, saw this building, and thought that it was very interesting with the vertical lines and all. Strange that it is so empty, though I wouldn't be surprised if the plans to convert it into condos comes to fruition. Adaptive Reuse as proved extremely popular over the past couple years.