GreenfundraiserStore.Com: Chrysler Eminem Super Bowl Commercial - Imported F...: "If you watch this commercial and it does not bring goose bumps to your skin... then your either dead, emotionally disabled, or a communist!..."
I've got an interesting side story to this commercial that has generated so much conversation and buzz here in the Detroit market. Last weekend I took my two youngest daughters downtown to the Motor City Winter Blast held each winter in Campus Marcius. Now for those of you have not set foot in the city for a number of years you will be pleasantly surprised with the wonderful activities and goings on in this part of the city.
The park is really like a giant round about in the heart of what was at one time the central shopping district of the city. Of late... it is mostly vacant store fronts and a few businesses that are making a go of it. If you visit my Facebook page you can see the pictures I have posted of our visit to the D. When you visit you will notice that I am a complete architecture junkie and love the 3 dimensional aspect of the city. Living out in the rolling hills of North Oakland County it is a major shift in not only looking along the horizon... but up... up... and you see some wonderful details that many just miss or are uninterested in.
Half way down the photos you will find the first shot of the Guardian Trust building rising into the sky. What is so important about this landmark you say? Well... here is where some of the connections to "the commercial" come into view. The girls and I walked into the lobby late last Saturday (note: the arched ceilings decorated with burnt orange and bright blue Pewabic tiles from back in the 1920's) and were fortunate enough to come across a young security guard behind the front desk (I'm sorry to have forgot his name). He took the time to give us some history and details of what is currently happening with the building. Currently it is 75% occupied by Wayne County offices, several other small offices, houses a branch of Bank of America. Believe me when I tell you... this is just not any ordinary bank branch. Note the photo of the tiled wall mueral of the State of Michigan (again Pewabic tile mosaic done in the 1920's). On this day the Bank was closed and inaccessible other than through the decorative gates.
One special note is that tours are available of this wonderful structure Monday through Friday from 10:30 am to 12 noon. Guess who does the tours? Slim Shady? No... but go back to the commercial and recall the door man standing so straight and proud of this post at the door.... and that guy... he is the doorman to the one and only Guardian Trust Building! Yes... according to my sources you can stop in at the stated times and meet a new star of the Motor City! I don't know about you... but I'm planning to take the tour.... and maybe a few more photos of the rising star.
* Last note on this for now: One part of the building I've not seen up close (until last Saturday) are the giant vaults located in the bowels of the GTB. Note in the FB photos these are still there in all their stainless steel glory. These vaults once held stacks of cash, gold, and other valuables in their cavournous interiors. The girls and I walked into the vaults and imagined what it must have been like. Very cool... must see!
Really... the story behind the story is that back in the glory days of the automotive revolution Detroit was a rising star with cash and wealth piling up and reinvestment in buildings like never before seen in this country. The GTB was in fact created off the interest payments of those original auto workers who Henry Ford put to work for $5 a day. As the industry grew... so did the Guardian Trust assets and ability to trim out this building so lavesly. Funny thing... when the great depression came along after the workers were moslty let go... so went the GTB. The financial giant went broke and the building eventually became vacanct for a short time.
Ironey.... here we are in 2011 looking for a hero to lead us back again... Slim Shady? He's the best we got for now!
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