That abandoned factory tour that flipped my view on urban renewal

Last spring I visited the Packard Plant in Detroit on a guided tour. I expected a depressing ruin but instead saw artists, small workshops, and even a pop-up gallery inside those crumbling walls. About 200 people showed up for the open studio event that day. I used to think we should just tear down old industrial sites and start fresh. But seeing how that space gave local creators cheap rent and a sense of history really got me. Have any of you visited a decaying building that surprised you with its energy?

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nancyj115mo ago

That Pittsburgh flea market sounds like a perfect second chance for that old mill.

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charles_mitchell5mo ago

Did you read that piece in The Atlantic about old factories becoming community hubs?

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jakejones5mo ago

Yeah, my uncle worked in a textile mill outside Pittsburgh that shut down in the 80s. Now it's a giant indoor flea market with a brewery in the old shipping dock area. Weird to see people drinking IPAs where they used to make denim.

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