Y Tower getting demolished

[wolverine]

I saw the ugly puke green Y tower that had low income housing and drug rehab is getting demoed today. I stopped and asked one of the workers what was going up there. When demo is finished, construction will start on a new addition. I didnt ask how tall it would be or how far out to the river it would go. I don't think it's going to be very big compared to the original structure. I wish I had my camera, unfortunately I will just have to get pics tomorrow. Goodbye ugliness.

[dtown]

sounds like a good thing, im guessing this in saginaw.

yeah i need to see a pic, if you could find a drawing of the new building,(through you architect connections) would be really great too.

[wolverine]

It's located on Saginaw's East Side on Fordney

Crunch! Taken this morning around 8:00 a.m. I checked on it again during my lunch break and not much had happened

[Ka3kab]

That is one seriously, ugly ass building. So long and heres to the hope that something a lot nicer will take it's place.

[RustTown]

I hate seeing high-rises come down, no matter how ugly. The only reason is that in these modern times, something more suburban and shorter usually gets built in its place (i.e. demolition of just about everything in Detroit, demolition of the old Upjohn Headquareters in Kazoo...)

[wolverine]

I completely agree LMich. It sad to lose height, no matter how ugly. It's just like Ann Arbor. Our tallest are the ugliest structures around, but we still love them dearly.

Fortunately this building is located way on the other end of town near Celebration square, so it's not like we are losing a chunk of the skyline or anything. I seriously hope Saginaw can work on attracting more businesses downtown. I'm tired of seeing new office buildings going up in the suburbs when dt has so much to offer them.

[dunveth]

It would may be ugly to the modern eye, but to me, growing up in the 60s, it looked sleek and modern. I loved the green sides, and the clean lines look good to me.

I think it has integrity for what it is, and I am sorry it is being demolished instead of restored. Another piece of Saginaw's history is gone, and you know nothing significant will replace it.

The negative attitude toward mid-century architecture reminds me of the scorn my parents had to the "fussiness' of Victorian houses.

Will the circle be unbroken?

[RustTown]

Nope, that's just human nature. I personally don't find it all that terrible either. I like depression-era Art Deco a lot more, myself, though.

[dunveth]

Lmichigan,

As usual (it seems), I agree with you. Thanks for your input.

[wolverine]

It would look nicer if the spandrels had the deeper green and were actually clean, instead of that vomit colored and grime stained look. The problem with modernist architecture is that it aged poorly. Sleek and streamlined buildings were built of cheaper materials. Looks cool, but doesn't last as long. The building required maitenance, and that's a huge problem. Good buildings shouldn't require a lot of maintenance.

[RustTown]

Michigan State is full of buildings that look alot like the old Y Tower. Seeing as how the campus exploded with growth around the time of this architecture took off, all you see is the "Spartan Green" glass and panels, and the tan brick (sometimes the deep red brick, though). The most notable example if the Student Services Building. Though, you even see it on some of the newer structures of campus. The campus never seemed to get big on PoMo instead sticking to simple, modern architecture. The MSU Library is a great example of this:

I think it's playing it too safe as these buildings are forgettable.

[dtown]

that building wouldnt look that bad if it had nicer windows and better colored paneling.

Hopefully something at least 5 or 6 stories gets built, or 2 or 3 realisticly.

[wolverine]

Yes, but the cladding on the MSU library has a coating over the paneling that makes it longer lasting. Additionally it's windows are tinted and the panels are darker giving it a higher quality feel. I like the window and panel system to an extent. It looks okay on skyscrapers and when it's partially used on buildings. But the old Y still doesn't cut it for me.

[dtown]

yeah, that library looks 100 times better than this building.

[RustTown]

I was just using it as a more modern example of some of the other truly international-styled buildings at MSU. My only point was that they haven't seemed to move away too far from the international style.

Wolverine, exactly where in relation to the city center was the old Y Tower? Hey, maybe on the general Michigan forum I'll ask everyone to post their YCMA buildings, or central YMCA buildings if your area has more than one, as many of these buildings are older.

[VeeFan]

The design may be forgettable, but at least doesn't leave permanent scars on your memory.

Although I would have to change that to say, the concept, because the designs can vary and make the concept work better. Wouldn't you say that the Thompson Library at U of M - Flint has a similar style, except with a lot more glass panelling?

[dunveth]

Great discussion!

I spent some of my happiest hours at MSU in that library, maybe that is why I am partial to green modernist buildings.

I agree on the poor aging of many modernist structures, and perhaps these days are for weeding out the inferior examples.

Many of these buildings were "all electric", a power source that was cheap in the 50s. Many of Midland's modernist buildings had to be refitted (windows bricked in and worse) when the 70s energy crisis hit.

Glad to see everyone's checking back and chiming in. This is the only place I can go for intelligent discussion with likeminded geeks about my homeland.

Keep it up guys ...