The J.L. Hudson Department store built along Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit was one of the most iconic buildings in any major American city. As the flagship building for the Hudson’s department store chain, it was constructed in various stages between 1911 and 1946 before it was closed and vacated in the late 1980s. It sat vacant for nearly a decade before it was demolished in 1998. The old J.L. Hudson Department store is just one example of commercial buildings located throughout America that have sat vacant for long periods of time before they were demolished to make way for new developments. And being that these buildings are largely not maintained, they become eyesores. Some developments are still sitting vacant and waiting for the wrecking ball or for a significant renovation or remodel, several decades after being vacated. It begs the question: Why aren’t abandoned buildings demolished? The answer, as you might expect, is somewhat complicated. In this post, we’ll discuss why...
