Detroit eats its own- destroying Motown artifacts

A really disturbing story: Motown Center Torn Down.
  
What makes it so bad isn’t just the loss of a building with history attached to it but also the fact that the history itself was literally still inside there being destroyed: “As the building was being torn down, papers blew out into the street. These documents included recording schedules for The Supremes and the Vandellas and business reports for Gladys Knight and the Pips. ”  The truly sad thing is that people working on a Motown center for Barry Gordy were comfortable with this demolition taking place, reasoning that it would be good to help make way for the Superbowl.  Why they didn’t think to preserve anything inside the building (ever hear of moving crates?) is going to be a sore subject for dispute.

As “compensation,” the Superbowl will have its own Motown tribute though a nicer tribute would have been to take more care with the demolition.

Thanks to Andy Schwartz for pointing this story out, including a great site with photos of the demolition and some historical artifacts found there.