What does the city of Detroit have against Tiger Stadium?

The city of Detroit, in typically incomprehensible fashion, seems determined to obliterate any remnant of Tiger Stadium, despite the efforts of the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy. Detroit Economic Growth Corp. Vice President Waymon Guillebeaux says the stadium will be leveled as soon as a contract is negotiated with a contractor.

And what is Waymon's rationale?

“We cannot have a partially demolished building remaining indefinitely,” Guillebeaux told The Associated Press.

Of course! Detroit has a long-standing policy against buildings in disrepair. They do such a great job of enforcing this rule that I bet you can't find a single vacant, crumbling building in the entire city. It makes perfect sense to tear down what remains of a landmark to keep the city looking clean and tidy. And think of the development possibilities for the corner of Michigan & Trumbull. With Motown's booming economy, you can't waste valuable land on a memorial to one of the city's greatest structures and a ballpark for kids, which is what the Conservancy is proposing.

Unbelievable.

UPDATE: Statement of Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy:

The Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy is shocked and dismayed that a decision was made by the Economic Development Corporation to demolish the Navin Field portion of Tiger Stadium without consulting the Conservancy. The Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy has made considerable progress to move the redevelopment of this property forward by securing millions of dollars in earmarks, grants and tax credits, as well as state recommendation of historic designation.

Plans are well underway to redevelop this property into a viable and self-sustaining commercial property, a much-needed venue for supporting local youth and amateur sports, and a usable and attractive community green space as exemplified by similar preservation efforts by the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. The Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy project will be a major contributor to the economic development of the City of Detroit, connecting southeast Michigan to the state and the entire region.

With a new administration in place, we demand that the City not be shortsighted in its vision for the future. We ask that development officials stop demolishing our heritage and instead, develop mixed-use opportunities that promote economic vitality, cultural tourism and healthy green spaces that interlink and sustain neighborhoods. By demolishing, the City loses $22 million in credits and earmarks and adds another vacant lot in the City of Detroit. Apparently, the policy is to save the City by demolishing it. We encourage citizens to contact the Mayor’s office as well as Detroit City Council to voice their concerns.

Tiger Stadium Hangs On

Tiger Stadium — or what's left of it — gets another reprieve.

The end is near

(Photo by Rashaun Rucker of The Detroit Free Press)

Demolition has begun on Tiger Stadium. Bill McGraw of The Detroit Free Press reports:

"Amid the dust and bulldozers and roving bands of middle-aged men with cameras on the first real day of demolition at Tiger Stadium on Wednesday, it emerged that the city is planning to save three of the stadium's historic elements -- the flagpole and both foul poles."

Ernie Harwell, who is still fighting to save part of the stadium through the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy, remembers the good times at the corner of Michigan & Trumbull.

Field of weeds

Photo courtesy of Fabrizio Costantini for The New York Times

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick may have perjured himself to hide an affair, but his biggest crime just might be what's happened to Tiger Stadium on his watch. Joe Lapointe of The New York Times reports:

"The stadium sits empty. Late last year, the city auctioned mementos like grandstand seats, a dugout urinal, Al Kaline’s locker and the fence in front of the right-center-field light tower, hit by a Reggie Jackson home run in the 1971 All-Star Game. Last month, the city tentatively awarded a partial demolition contract for the stadium, which opened in 1912 as Navin Field.

"An opposition group, the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy, has until June 1 to raise $369,000 to try to save part of Tiger Stadium, even temporarily. The group includes Ernie Harwell, the retired Tigers radio broadcaster.

"If that goal is reached, Senator Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat, said he would seek greater financing in the 2009 federal budget to preserve the oldest part of the structure around the infield and redevelop the playing field for amateur teams.

"'The field is sort of sacred ground,' Levin said in a telephone interview."