Detroit Looks Like the APOCALYPSE. Near East Side Hoods 5K.

The structuring of the Auto Industry over the years has tremendously hurt Detroit. The city has become the poster child of how manufacturing has declined across the whole country.
Chandler Park: 0:00 - 1:25
Connor Avenue: 1:25 - 2:53
How the Auto Industry Ruined Detroit: 2:53 - 23:10
Packard Plant: 23:10 - 30:22
Nicer Neighborhood (Pingree Park): 30:22 - 32:47
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[@ChrisHarden]

Detroit Playlist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/haelZ4yIlKeWrq8 American Hoods Playlist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/npq2Zpybe8aehLM Michigan Playlist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/npq2Zpybe8aehLM Chandler Park: 0:00 - 1:25 Connor Avenue: 1:25 - 2:53 How the Auto Industry Ruined Detroit: 2:53 - 23:10 Packard Plant: 23:10 - 30:22 Nicer Neighborhood (Pingree Park): 30:22 - 32:47 ==================================================================== EVERYTHING THAT I USE IN THE FIELD: Main Camera: amzn.to/3iS4vvF Side Cameras: amzn.to/2WuCYIs Media Mod for Camera: amzn.to/3j7CMGF Lav Mic: amzn.to/3lsMkz9 Drone: amzn.to/3ITcKBV SD Cards: amzn.to/3C2co9O Camera Mounts: amzn.to/2UXVR6p Cables Required for Longer Recordings: amzn.to/3BYnr3Q Computer: amzn.to/3787b2j External Hard Drive: amzn.to/3lb23Tf WHAT I USE AT HOME: Computer: amzn.to/3rKIdiN Sound Mixer: amzn.to/3C15Ubx Microphone: amzn.to/2VaCjvo Microphone Accessories: amzn.to/3v7A35Z INTERACTIVE MAP that shows you all of the places that I've made videos on: (Doesn't always work on mobile devices. Will always work on PC.) www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/edit?hl=en&mid=1Lhzf04ocimPu-ROkg4cfXEYEvKMNnlI5&ll=43.06219876674538%2C-83.82163216337808&z=10 SOCIAL MEDIA & CONTACT INFO: Email: [e-mail] On Twitter: twitter.com/Chris_Harden55 On Instagram: instagram.com/c_harden7/?... On Facebook: facebook.com/ChrisHardenYT/ DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you. As an Amazon Associate I do earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. As always, thank you for supporting my channel!

[@natejennings5884]

At 19:30 you've got one of those BOLA's here in southwest Atlanta and it's in the middle of a ghetto and just as pointless.

[@steve41557]

Agree re: UAW. Parasites who kill their hosts are unsuccessful parasites. Listen up, Unions!

[@michaelkirkland1929]

I was born on the East Side of DETROIT, in 1958. No matter where I go on the face of this earth, I'll never LOVE anyplace like DETROIT.

[@Henry_Jones]

The older multi-level auto plants were not flexable for changing manifacturing processes. Thats why since the 40s all factories have been a sprawling single story building.

[@billyjoejimbob56]

And on the subject of manufacturing plants and flexibility: Ford River Rouge is much more than a "plant". When Ford launched the Model T in 1908, it was hand built. Early success led him to invest in a HUGE plant in Highland Park to house the industry's first moving assembly line. He also invested heavily in vertical integration to gain control of the supply chain and capture the profits of rapidly growing scale economies... that was the River Rouge "complex". It would ultimately include everything from ship docks to receive coal and iron ore, furnaces for iron and steel smelting, an iron foundry and steel mill, steel stamping, engine, transmission, and axle production, glass production, and a rubber factory. Its first vehicle assembly plant was added to produce the Model A that replaced the Model T in late 1927. That extreme degree of vertical integration, and capacity to assemble 1.2+ million model A's per year, accounted for the Rouge employing 100,000 people at its peak. Much of the original complex is still standing but idle 100+ years later. Active manufacturing today on the Rouge site includes a stamping plant, body shop, final assembly of F150 pickups in 20ish year old modern buildings, plus a brand new assembly plant for the Lightning electric pickup. Take a look on Google Earth for a sobering view of a giant post-industrial superfund site... and more of the same on neighboring Zug Island.

[@SU1C1D3xPR4D4]

What’s interesting is auto plants are reverting to multi-story plants. They’ve got a lower footprint which = less cost to maintain. I don’t think you’ll see say a 6 floor plant like the Old Ford Chicago plant, but 2-3 story plants will be more common.

[@wullahblack6452]

When the Better Made factory is frying up some chips, you can smell it for miles.

[@billyboy9034]

I used to go to "raves" at the Packard plant in the late '90's.

[@24kLiLCoeTV]

I grew up on the EastSide of Detroit. I’m familiar with this entire area. Van Dyke and Gunston, was an area we hung out at. We had fun times at house parties on the weekends in these areas. We went to after hours on the EastSide all the time. 2am until 8am in random buildings. I performed my first show at Chandler Park. I don’t watch these videos with fear. I watch to remember and reminisce about the fun times i had growing up in Detroit on the EastSide.

[@wilde.coyote6618]

I live in dearborn heights . Yesterday was a beautiful day, trees were popping and everything.

[@doninmichigan]

@@wilde.coyote6618 Just up the street from you in Livonia. Bout time we got some springtime eh? 😁

[@edwardshort5532]

Grew up on Tacoma at 8 mile

[@24kLiLCoeTV]

@@Msangel06 I’m sorry you didn’t 🤷🏾‍♂️ Maybe it would’ve made you a stronger person. I can go ANYWHERE and hold my head up high. I don’t feel uncomfortable in strange environments.

[@jefferyschirm4103]

That mindset is in part what destroyed it , sad !!

[@Henry_Jones]

One problem with detroit is its 1 massive suburb. The $ to maintain all those roads, water, sewer and other infrastructure, and public services over all those square miles when population starts falling is a downward spiral.

[@richardsanty9063]

I feel sorry for the abandoned pets.

[@ChrisHarden]

For sure.

[@dannydaw59]

Backyard breeders get rid of the less desirable Pit Bulls so that they can win fights in the basements and garages.

[@marblox9300]

The Packard Plant is now famous - should be kept as a tourist attraction. Like the Roman Coliseum.

[@francisjaniewski5990]

Or maybe a museum

[@duckie0892]

Did u see it ??They even stole the toilets.

[@CAROLDDISCOVER-FINDER2525]

You are joking aren't you!?

[@CAROLDDISCOVER-FINDER2525]

​@@francisjaniewski5990a museum of what?

[@mariegross9758]

What was in the packard plant? My dad worked for Ferro Manufacturing downtown when I was a little child girl I remember going to work with him on some Saturdays but I barely remember exactly where it was at.we moved away when I was young.

[@ronhoover5516]

This is professional documentary level material. Very informative and entertaining. Excellent job!

[@ChrisHarden]

Why thank you

[@violetsky2225]

It's nice to learn what actually happened to Detroit and how, why, etc. We are still experiencing these issues today yet nobody has put the pieces together like you. America has lost its way on the world stage. Cerebral power not ego power is needed.

[@45AMT]

I really enjoy Chris's videos! Well edited and entertaining. Thanks for making them.

[@jolly7728]

Very impressive work -- the visuals, narration, subject matter, and music. Beautifully done!

[@larryn1929]

Global manufacturing has caused many locations throughout the USA to become dumps.

[@Henry_Jones]

Ok then enjoy fewer goods and services with lower quality and higher prices and jobs that pay no more than what an amazon guy makes. Only reason autoworkers made good $$$ was because the industry was an oligopoly and the uaw had a monopoly on labor and look where that got them. Most of those dump towns are what happens in a 1 industry town when the industry leaves. Its up to the people to diversify their economy.

[@JOHN-ZOV]

2030 is the year China becomes #1 Largest Economy in the world. There will be many more cities in USA if we don't get our sh*t together and make better choices for our country. Creepy Joe wants to send 33Billion to Ukraine. So much for the (Build Back Better Plan)

[@Henry_Jones]

@@JOHN-ZOV Sleepy joes secretary of defense, us intel, and the dems are bragging about helping ukraine, killing russias generals and sinking their destroyers, essentially asking for payback. Stupid.

[@richard8242]

@@rayrussell6258 Thankyou for your comment

[@Derek-tk4wf]

Would be cool if you did a followup video on the state of the Packard Plant demolition. May 12th is in 6 days. Hopefully the mayor means business and will have heavy equipment out there tearing it down very soon.

[@ChrisHarden]

I’ve been thinking about it. Definitely might be something that I do.

[@glennso47]

“Ask the man who owns one. “ The Packard commercial for years.

[@michaelwhite2823]

10 million to demolish. It needs to be done, but think of all the other things that can be done with that money.

[@chrissawyer901]

Packard wasn't killed by workers seeking fair compensation for their labor, it became an outdated brand, stuck in a 30's mindset when 50's customers wanted forward-thinking, futuristic models. Employee compensation is a small fraction of these corporation's costs.

[@Henry_Jones]

I wouldnt say they were stuck in a 30s mindset. They were more focused on a nitch that wasnt in style in the 50s. Packards focus was high quality percision built luxury at a time when americans wanted flashy space age gimmicks. Fast forward to the 70s and that Packard idea of luxury became the new standard with Mercedes Benz taking over the us luxury car market. If packard had been able to hold on they coulduv been an american mercedes.

[@302Mustang13]

You sure about that? In 2020, it was noted Ford's healthcare cost was $1 billion alone. At that rate, wages likely top $5 billion a year and they haven't bought a single material/part yet.

[@dannydaw59]

Ya, Chris blames the UAW for Packard's demise but it's Cadillac that beat them. Their last cars were less luxurious.

[@red9man2130]

I disagree STRONGLY! However when it became apparent that UNIONS were getting massive wage and benefit hikes, UPPER MANAGEMENT started also looting the profits causing the downward spiral to move much faster.

[@Paramount531]

Packard was way behind Cadillac in the late 40s and 50s, they didn't bring out a V8 until the 1955 model year, that was put in a body that was facelifted but still outdated. They had run out of tooling money. The late 40s early 50s bathtub Packards were just butt ugly, Cadillacs were much more youthful looking and way more popular.

[@lorrainebennett7528]

Your videos are really interesting, I have subscribed! I particularly like that you show the street names as you go.

[@chasingfinancialindependence]

Nice job, Chris! I really like that you discussed the reasons behind the automotive plants leaving Detroit.

[@limyfoot]

I live in Oakland county, crazy how things are different right down the street

[@jlrthebassplayer]

I know this area pretty well. My families old business property is near (shoemaker&st.jean). I appreciate this journey and your excellent overview of the varying problems that got this neighborhood to crumble - you do a very succinct and respectful overview a long the way. Excellent work! --- side note I'd love to know, roughly, where you're from. You did awesome work in your research! Throwing down details and stats that I was unaware of, I used to think I knew a lot when I only knew a little. I remember as a kid being able to smell the fried chips from better made which was about a mile away but the freeway was between us.

[@kris23x36]

We lived in warren my dad worked at GM he made us leave in 1980 due to a coming disaster he saw coming he said this would happen and we left before it was too bad I wonder if we had stayed.

[@lavapix]

Smart. I needed more money to leave so I stayed until 85 after a 3-year pitstop in Westland.

[@Him_Hefner]

My pops worked for GM in Chicago, he worked in the office, years ago he told us we are transferring down south, everything he said before he retired happened just like he said it would. Truly sad.

[@NeonRazer42]

This man is using his gas so we don't have too. What a gentleman.

[@throttleblip1]

Trust me living around here he is definitely wasting gas cuz there's not too many true destinations around... Real challenge is putting your head on the bat spitting 50 times and then trying to find a landmark in Detroit too make your way lol pretty impossible since history just seems to vanish in the city

[@teehud313]

When I see these videos and all my old stomping grounds, all I see is how robust and lively Detroit used to be. All my memories is Detroit from the 80's

[@richarda.burrell6082]

Thanks again for the footage ( getting teary eyed happy of course ) Mannnnnn keep up the good work ! 👍 I remember all them streets ( I'm 54 years old live out west 👌 growup on Dexter and job rd community ( if possible can you do some footage on the old kronk gym ✌️

[@timrose6315]

Chris.....planned a trip to Detroit in October and your videos have been fantastic. I'm fascinated by the rise and fall of the City...and love abandoned buildings. I will definitely be in Highland Park thanks to that video!

[@Michelle00200]

I’m glad I came across this channel. Nicely done videos. I live in the suburbs outside Detroit and would never dare drive through a lot of these places.

[@manbtm1]

You should come into the city more often , we live downtown ,there’s huge areas of the city now that are very nice to live in , trust us we wouldn’t if they weren’t.

[@Michelle00200]

@@manbtm1, downtown isn’t so bad. It’s driving 3 minutes from any direction from downtown that I find sketchy. Not so much during the day. When I do go downtown, it always Gteektown casino and walking around the downtown area.

[@red9man2130]

Chris I grew up in and around Detroit in the 60,s and 70,s. To date this is the BEST VIDEO I have seen on the causes of the downfall of Detroit!!!

[@x360c]

You keep saying that moving out of the city allowed the companies to not pay union wages. That's not how it works. They moved to suburbs for cheap land and lower taxes. Those suburban factories were still unionized and did very well until foreign competitors were able to break through America's protectionist tariff system. Packard failed due to leadership failure when they pivoted to other car market segments and dealt with merger debt.

[@davidruffjr6045]

Great video sir👍🏻👍🏻

[@janineewald1752]

You can place blame for the Packard plant on the Packard family. The infighting in that family is what caused the plant to sit vacant for decades. If they had been able to come together and sell the plant back in the late 50's early 60's, it could have been re-purposed.

[@alcozome]

Excellent documentation----Thank you!

[@bottomsup917]

Grew up all over the city southwest west side east love the city Puritan and Livernois Plymouth and Wyoming all over 💙 great video

[@Henry_Jones]

Since the 80s the US has had 2 auto industries. The uaw represented domestics in the north and the non-union foreign automaker plants in the south. The uaw has tried since Nissan opened their Symra TN plant to organize them. Theyve had elections at most of them, multiple times. Toyota honda nissan mercedes bmw vw kia hyundai... The outcome is always the same NO UAW.

[@Trumpetjoe40]

It always will be too. Those companies pay pretty well and those bargaining units are too big to organize too.

[@geowar20]

I guess the southerners know the unions are what killed Detroit.

[@johnthomas5314]

GM is the top American auto maker today, turning record profits. They are all UAW plants. Most of the foreign auto makers with plants in the US just have their production workers a significant raise, once the big 3 got their new contracts. And as others pointed out, simply moving plants to the suburbs from the city didn't affect their wages at all. Unions definitely can get greedy, but they're about 15% of what happened to Detroit.

[@marcojacobs1351]

When a union job in Michigan moves to the suburbs from the city, the job is still a union job. The relocation of plants did not change the employees pay rate. In many cases the big 3 were willing to pay their workers more to travel to those new locations.

[@dougbrowne9890]

The City of Detroit has a worker tax, meaning that if you work inside the city limits, you are taxed for it. It's not a ton, but lose 100 thousand jobs and try to make up all that lost revenue, isn't an easy thing to do.

[@boe4448]

Thanks Chris, Very well done. I left MI in 1980 due to lack of jobs. The manufacturing company I worked for was established in the late 1800's.The steel workers union went on strike. I came back to work with a dollar an hour raise. With in a year the company went out of business. I moved to the desert SW and worked for GM's R & D as a contract making a quarter of a GM employee. I see both sides of the union/company profits. Also the quality of the GM vehicle's was shameful and they built 5 of each models competing against each other in the market. Management wasn't real smart and slow to turn the company ship around. Very sad. Keep up the good work and quality vids. Boe

[@gabemendoza1052]

My heart truly breaks for places like Detroit. A once thriving community turned into ruins, all in the name of God and country. That's the criminal part of it all. If these leaders and big business types cared, places like Detroit could stand tall forever. But they never are interested in the welfare of others.

[@dannydaw59]

Packard/Studebaker cheapened their cars and lost to Cadillac because of it. Cadillac had UAW workers with pensions too. It wasn't the union that brought Packard down, it was a bad business decision to stray away from luxury.

[@dave3657]

One thing that I have noticed in several cities. When you start seeing a lot of trash on the ground you know your in the bad part of town.

[@pzdf8v]

WOW! I've never heard so much UAW basing on a Detroit base video before. While I'll agree with most of it I have to point out this: Chris stated multiple times that the auto companies musted to the suburbs to avoid "union wages" but failed to mention that when the companies opened new plants in the suburbs the UAW followed them. I will also agree that GM equal "Gross Mismanagement".

[@garyatkins7142]

the greed was at GM and the workers were just trying to get their fair share with multi million dollar CEO Paychecks

[@SU1C1D3xPR4D4]

And out of state. If it’s a big 3 plant in the US, it’s likely UAW.

[@pauldefillippo8490]

Moving the plants out of the city avoided city taxes. None of the suburbs have a city income tax.

[@danman1809]

#1 reason for Detroit's decline, white flight. #2 reason, Japan. Just left Farmington Michigan and the wealth of Oakland county is mind boggling.

[@pzdf8v]

​@@danman1809, but the reason that Japan got a strong foothold in the American market was because before Japan and other come and force the US auto makers to make decent cars, American cars were crap. Had GM, Ford, made decent cars in the beginning ...​

[@Henry_Jones]

Trees growing on the roof and inside of the packard plant...mother nature reclaims everything.

[@randybills3848]

This is interesting I use to deliver sheet plastic back in the I think it was the 80,s to that old packard plant I think it was the only thing still in there I walked through it while they unloaded my truck that took over an hour it was fasinating and spooky at the same time to see it falling apart its really mind blowing to see it now

[@tazerface7071]

would be cool to see some before pictures since detroit looks so different now

[@jacor653]

I've been to the River Rouge Plant. They let you go around the different parts of the factory to watch F-150s get assembled. It's really cool, but they don't let you take pictures.

[@Paramount531]

I did that in the mid 200s, I want to go back again some time. I could have spent the whole day on those catwalks watching the process.

[@biggumstevens1784]

"unskilled labor" no such thing. If someone is paying you to do it, its a skill. Even if that skill is putting up with the bullshit of someone asking you to do something they don't wanna do

[@lavapix]

The only thing that should have Young's name is a prison with a large photo of him saying "I live(d) here". Those neighborhoods around Van Dyke sure went to crap. They were old back in the 70s and early 80s but nothing like now.

[@craigderbin1855]

Chris Thank You for these fantastic videos! Have you done any on the Grixdale farms area? Total destruction between 6&7 Mile East of John R.Road

[@ChrisHarden]

Thank you, and yes I have! Not sure off the top of my head which video that is.

[@stankaftan5816]

Great job, Chris!

[@MazichMusic]

The two schools shown at the end were previously known as Joyce Elementary and the larger school was Barbour (Magnet) Middle School. It was previously known as Barbour Junior High and Barbour Intermediate. I taught music there from 1979 to 1998. Barbour and Joyce closed around 2010 and Joyce later became a charter academy.

[@jaysofresh3482]

That's where I grew up, on co concord. My grandfather use to go to that grocery store behind that building up until they closed down. Damn, East Grand BLVD

[@christopherbuckley94]

An interesting look at areas of the city.

[@aaronchandler2380]

I read that an EF 4 tornado hit Detroits east side and did 5 million dollars worth of improvements…

[@duckie0892]

😆 🤣

[@REPSDirect]

I once lived across the street from Chandler Park on Dickerson near Warren. Growing up I rummaged through the desolate Packard Plant on Conner Ave, and my dad owned a Packard after WW2. The UAW killed Detroit’s auto industry. I saw the writing on the wall and moved to the South.

[@pzdf8v]

Something Chris didn't mention, WW II had a lot to do with the auto industry spreading out. The US government contracted with the auto companies to make war machines and didn't want the majority of the plants located in one area in case Germany and Japan actually invaded the US mainland.

[@neilmadero2816]

Plus politicians all wanted a piece of the pie, and that's also why they were spread out.

[@pamelamoore1203]

On your detroit video. What time was it. I didnt know much traffic

[@franciscodanconia45]

How tragic. Packard was the primary manufacturer of the Liberty L-12 in WWI and more importantly the Rolls Royce Merlin engine used in P-51 Mustangs in WWII.

[@rernardgrant9770]

It is a shame what happened to Detroit over the years. It was a wealthy and prosperous city when I was coming up there. There were plenty of jobs and beautiful neighborhoods. Now most of it is poverty strickened with the exception of downtown, midtown and Palmer Woods.

[@davidp.3170]

Apparently you haven't seen The Rebirth of Detroit in the last 15 years

[@pablotupone4190]

Indian Village?

[@giancarlolugo9586]

@@pablotupone4190 what about Mexican Town.

[@302Mustang13]

Coming to Seattle in 20-30 years.

[@richard8242]

@@302Mustang13 Have you been on Third ave lately, it is about 40% better than it was a few mounts ago but still is a disaster

[@billfeld5883]

At one time it was farm land, and you can't blame unions for wanting more money, the owners wanting profits over people's life quality, someday the same will be said about Amazon and other big corporations!!!! I was UAW in the 80s and my hourly rate was $7.65 locked in for 3yrs!!! In the oil fields I was over $10.00 hr. In the late 70s and early 80s!!!! 2022

[@crazyobservations3080]

Funny how GM moved everything out and now we pay three times more for a crappy car

[@hoopty.]

I don't understand for the life of me why anyone would buy GM. My Toyota Camry has over 400k miles on it, and no way you would get that out of a Impala, Malibu, or a junkyard ass Buick in a dream.

[@SU1C1D3xPR4D4]

GM never “left”? Always confused when people say this about the big 3. None of them employ nearly as many people as they used to, regardless if they opened plants in other place.

[@albertmyers7176]

good job

[@Henry_Jones]

Manufacturing will always drift to where labors cheapest while still being able to support maucaturing operations. Heres an earlier example, Lowell Massachusetts in 1850 was the textile capital of the nation but by 1900 as wages became higher and higher the mills started moving to the southern states to take advantage of cheaper labor. 50-60 years later they began moving overseas for the same reason. When I was in college I explored ruined Lowell textile mills that had been sitting empty for decades. It was sad and exhillerating at the same time. Like being in a time machine to when it was closing, machinery gone, unshipped product but at the same time youre watchinf your back for homeless people that lived in the mills.

[@somerandomvertebrate9262]

On the last block between Leander and Lyford, which you pass at around 9:20, a dumped dead body was found a couple of years ago.

[@greggarbacz2566]

I was just 2 years old when my mother took my sister and I to see the Packard Plant on the last day of operations. I have no idea why she did that but I've never forgotten that day. The people streaming out of that plant. My Dad worked at Jefferson Ave Assembly at that time.

[@alekbeaver4088]

It’s crazy to me how much I’ve learned, even having been to Detroit many times. Downtown is wonderful, extremely extremely nice. But as soon as you get outside of 75/275 and downtown, you get scenes like this. Working with what they’ve had, I’m proud of the 313, but as we can all see, they really still do have a long way to go. Interested/worried to see how that will turn out

[@BonnieHalfElven]

29:00 Do you know what all those orange bags are for on the roof?

[@Henry_Jones]

Packard was the closest thing the us had to mercedes benz. They focused on high quality percision built luxury, not fancy planned obsolessence with wild styling like cadillac. Its too bad because as the germans and japanese showed in the 70s 80s and 90s quality matters more and the big 3 learned the hard way customers that get burned by poor quality dont return.

[@lavapix]

The Chrysler K car was a good example of poor quality.

[@Henry_Jones]

@@lavapix HA i had 2 good k cars in my family. I learned to drive on my dads 87 Reliant and my 1st car was an 85 Reliant with the Mitsubish 2.6! Gm was the worst because (besides 3800 powered cars) their cars were undesirable and unreliable.

[@hoopty.]

I remember my mother 86 Dodge Aries k. That junker use to quit every day in the school line, when my mom would pick us up from school. We begged to ride the bus.

[@lavapix]

@@Henry_Jones The early K cars rusted exceptionally fast. That stigma stuck with the name forever. I'm sure there were a few decent ones along the way.

[@dannydaw59]

Packard still had the flathead V8's while Cadillac had OHV v8's. Packard didn't update their styling so the upscale customer bought Cadillacs instead.

[@djcchicago]

My father worked at the GM Tech Center in Warren, starting in the late 50's. The Tech Center employed thousands of workers, and those that were not management/professional, were union, and well paid. General Motors didn't build their tech center there to avoid paying their workers a union wage. They built there because a massive amount of land was available at a price they found attractive. What people don't realize is that most of the early industrial growth in Detroit happened in the same way. That old abandoned city factory was once a patch of farmland, just outside of the city limits, until someone built there, and the city annexed the land.

[@aaronchandler2380]

The down fall of Detroit had a lot to do with automation too. It takes a lot less hands to build things today.

[@CAROLDDISCOVER-FINDER2525]

Where is cheaper to buy the machines than it is to pay the labor, this is what happens. Especially that labor feels an entitlement.

[@aaronchandler2380]

@@CAROLDDISCOVER-FINDER2525 and management puts greed before quality.

[@juliemccrea5481]

I don't mind the political commentary because you are reporting it correctly. I prefer to hear dialogue with videos when the person has done their research, which you have. I guess I didn't realize the Packard plant has been vacant since 1956. This was a great video & I enjoyed watching it.

[@tlcode]

Point of clarification. The moves to the suburbs were not to avoid a city mandated union wage. EVERY auto plant in Michigan is fully UAW. You did not mention the sweetheart tax abatement made by the cities that the big 3 moved to. If it wasn't for union wages, the non union plants in the south would not have nearly the wage scale they have today.

[@jayhpaq]

Excellent point as the narrator seems to have bought into some BS conservative talking points. The real reason for Detroit’s decline has much more to do with the greedy auto companies not wanting to pay a fair wage than it does the unions. You can argue about city taxes vs abatements offered by the suburbs being an insurmountable obstacle, but pointing the finger of blame at unions is typical right wing garbage. Were it not for the unions we would all be working seven days a week for very low wages. The reasons for Detroit’s decline are quite complex and not a simplistic as it being the fault of workers wanting a fair wage and benefits. I don’t know if it was avoidable, but blaming the working man over the corporations is really naive and is exactly what conservatives want us to believe.

[@shaunaandersen7179]

There's no question that the Packard Plant has been seen as the epitome of blight in Detroit for years. It's talked about, joked about, and seen as a reason to lose hope that the area will ever be developed. Therefore it will be a blessing once the entire complex is demolished and trucked away. 40 acres of empty space will be a welcome sight compared to the shell of what once was.

[@dandeclerck6742]

the monster chip maker, Frito Lay, was located in Detroit until 1980, when they left for Plano Texas.

[@marz_mitzi]

there's an Airport Sub neighbourhood lookalike, basically just 6 empty blocks with 1-2 probable houses remaining,. any chance i can donate so i can get to see them in a 2022 vid? xD street view has only 2019 and 1 street with 2021, so would be interesting to see what its in 2022.

[@josephalfonsoamantia7028]

I had a question about the streetlights in those abandoned neighborhoods. Do they actually light up at night?

[@imjusthereforthecomments4920]

Doubtful, they were probably vandalized and the city didn’t replace them.

[@duckie0892]

No, people have to work n pay taxes to keep lights on. 🙄

[@jetsons101]

Just subscribed..... I was last in Detroit in the mid 80's, it was nothing like this.

[@kevinpaige4902]

There was a TIGER found in that plant some time back.

[@AyKlay]

How old is this footage? A year +?

[@TheDullMansClub]

Such a shame & such a waste, not to mention the human damage to nature itself. I find these video enlightening. I watched another video on Detroit & how the actual city area is changing for the better. Would be nice if the local government paid some attention to the outer areas, whether that be programs with the homeless working with contractors to rebuild & give jobs, or to actually turn these run down areas in to nice parks & nature reserves whilst getting rid of the left over human waste ( a lot of those bricks can be reused) The whole area is just asking for some kind of revival

[@ChrisHarden]

Despite how many people rip on Detroit for the state that it's in today, I think that the city as a whole is getting better slowly but surely. I personally get ripped on for that opinion all the time, but that's alright. I think it's getting better. The Packard Plant for example is finally on schedule to get demolished.

[@TheDullMansClub]

@@ChrisHarden I never see your videos as ripping on it, I find them informative & just saying it as it is. When I see the empty streets and just a typical straight American road going through it to nowhere, am just like, someone come with a digger, and turn it into grassland lol or better still, turn the empty lots into veggie plots & give them to the homeless/deprived The problem we face in modern society today is how we treat the needy, people mainly turn to crime because they are stuck in a never ending circle. With a bit of input & community spirit (something else lost over the years), these types of places can be made better and more pleasing Community farms have been popping up all over the UK, you put the effort in & you get free food. Detroit looks like its perfect for that kind of program, unfortunately as always, and im guessing it will be the same in Detroit, other people/city owns the land and has no interest in doing anything with it

[@Tenebarum]

@@TheDullMansClub it’s not that easy. You have people who are suspicious of each other and outsiders. Social programs in the 60’s that provided subsistence took away peoples sense of community and spirit. Part of the problem is getting enough free stuff to merely exist. That’s not the answer.

[@violetsky2225]

Since foreign entities are buying our real estate (China and Caifornia farm lands) Detroit's Urban Jungles could be poised for farmlands.

[@Tenebarum]

@@violetsky2225 Not in Florida. Other states need to wake up. Having other countries, especially that particular one, having control of the vastest fertile farmlands on the planet is a disaster for the world.

[@wooddawg4868]

The city of Detroit has made fast improvements City wide to many of its parks, roads, and freeways as of 2023 March. Bridges have been torn out and replaced, building like the old packard plant being torn down and many abandoned homes boarded up and torn down city wide. The downtown river walk is constantly being expanded which is a major draw. But these missing neighborhoods where the houses are gone but the streets remain is depressing even though they are being taken out. In 2016 I did a series of videos on KZbin called Detroit Bike Blight Patrol where I did narration on many issues about blight.

[@davewallace8219]

there are many reasons for the failure of detroit...and the auto industry....

[@PenelopePeppers]

My Mom grew up on West Beaubien at 5 or 6 th streets back in the 30s and 40s. She went to school with the Buscemi's boys

[@non-yajbusiness6503]

Wow the bridge is gone?

[@randybills3848]

YEP I used to turn left into the place there to get unloaded

[@NYRM1974]

What destroyed Detroit was a combination of several issues the car industry, local government.... and the people

[@hitechredneck6366]

Such a waste and incredibly depressing. Sad.

[@josephalfonsoamantia7028]

Sad how its all abandoned. The one thing I will say is these Detroit neighborhoods have some beautiful trees.

[@chriswil5919]

Stop believing everything You think you see ..!! Smh

[@edgraham3567]

Wow! Detroit is so Beautiful!!! I can watch this All Day !!!

[@dandeclerck6742]

The biggest decline in the US auto production happened after 1978. Foreign companies, mostly Japanese, had fuel efficient, high quality cars, during the various oil crises. US automaker market share has declined since. They are still declining today.

[@eddiewillers1]

I'm somewhat surprised that the crims haven't stripped the power cables or CATV cables - it's starting look like S'th Efrica.

[@dianec9860]

you know you can go to any large city in the US and find areas that need to be cleaned up. The problem is these are private property, and it can take the city along time and court cost to force the owner to clean it up or tear it down.. I live outside Detroit in a very small conmmunity and we have areas of blite and it is a struggle to get owners to correct it. Detroit is working on this area but there are laws you have to follow.. We do live in a free counrty and owners do have rights..

[@duckie0892]

They ruined Detroit

[@Klaatu-ij9uz]

While enjoying the historical and frankness of these episodes, one can't help but wonder what the "End-Game" will be with all of the massive amounts vacant properties. One can't even "guess" the next stage. Perhaps annexing to bordering communities? Very perplexing!

[@cashed-out2192]

These auto plants pay lower than MS or AL? in these foreign countries?

[@bettejudyjoan]

Chris how great it was to see you drive around the Better Made potato chips plant where I would visit my grandmother back around 1972. I recently ordered a box of assorted chips through Amazon which came from Detroit. Since we don’t have them in California, I thought I would try. I guess when you are a kid you don’t notice the amazing amount of sodium they contain. Anyway, I tried them but gave most of them away. Still nice to know they are still around. 😎

[@juliemccrea5481]

There is a lower sodium version which my family loves. In my opinion, it's the correct amount for a decent tasting potato chip.

[@bettejudyjoan]

@@juliemccrea5481 Great, I’ll look for it!

[@1940limited]

The Packard plant is the largest abandoned industrial complex in the world. That it stands today is a tribute to the rugged construction used when it was built. Dismantling it will be a formidable and expensive undertaking. I hope someone has money. It's a tragedy what happened to Packard.

[@Getyourdoe]

The City doesn't even look half as bad as it did 10 years ago, since they've torn down much of the abandoned and burned up structures, it's not the same.

[@scooby3133]

I just went walking through a part of the Packard plant last weekend. Gonna rip my quadcopter through it.

[@purplefreak3]

6:27 last I heard, workers at GM working the assembly line depending how long they been there make as high as $30 an hour.

[@EarthAngel504]

I never lived in Detroit nor even been but this is very depressing.

[@manbtm1]

Sadly this most certainly doesn’t show what Detroit is all about, but very selective areas, that are realistic in what this video says, however there is many many great areas to visit in the city ,not unlike many large older cities.

[@billserantoni9210]

Stop hating on the UAW. The union protected the workers and now cooperates with management.

[@bhough410]

There's a difference in "hating" and pointing out the fact that over compensated employees is what pushes the big 3 to the brink every time there's a recession.

[@1940limited]

Naming an airport after the city's first black mayor really accomplished a lot, didn't it?

[@jerryf5931]

Harper and Chandler were my best times….1950’a S and early 1960’s….was nice then.

[@Henry_Jones]

You should do a Flint MI drive next.

[@ChrisHarden]

A series on Flint will definitely be happening. Not sure when yet.