The facade of Ford's original plant on Piquette Avenue in Detroit, where the first 12,000 Model Ts were assembled, has been restored. The plant now looks exactly the way it did when Henry Ford opened up the place, back in 1904.
During the summer, Quinn Evans Architects of Ann Arbor, a firm that specializes in historic preservation, worked on rejuvenating part of the century-old building. The restored front façade was the most deteriorated part of the structure. Bricks were repaired or replaced, windows were fixed and elaborate masonry was done. Old photographs were even brought out to help restore the original arched office entry of the 1904 building.
The "new" façade was unveiled Monday during a ceremony. The motorcade celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Model T was present for the event.
"We were thrilled to take on this assignment," said Lis Knibbe, AIA at Quinn Evans. "The Piquette plant is a national and even an international landmark in industrial history. It was the birthplace of the Model T and the incubator for the moving assembly line. It had enormous impact not only on the auto industry, but on every industry that followed and on the whole of society."
Founder and CEO of the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant, Jerald A. Mitchell, seemed happy with the results.
"Restoring this plant inside and out has been a labor of love for me and for our entire team of volunteers," he said. "The restored façade is a huge and exciting step that brings the place back to life. It shows that we truly respect what Mr. Ford did here and ensures that the memories will live on."
The Michigan Department of Transportation provided a $250,000 grant for the restoration.
photo:Ford
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During the summer, Quinn Evans Architects of Ann Arbor, a firm that specializes in historic preservation, worked on rejuvenating part of the century-old building. The restored front façade was the most deteriorated part of the structure. Bricks were repaired or replaced, windows were fixed and elaborate masonry was done. Old photographs were even brought out to help restore the original arched office entry of the 1904 building.
The "new" façade was unveiled Monday during a ceremony. The motorcade celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Model T was present for the event.
"We were thrilled to take on this assignment," said Lis Knibbe, AIA at Quinn Evans. "The Piquette plant is a national and even an international landmark in industrial history. It was the birthplace of the Model T and the incubator for the moving assembly line. It had enormous impact not only on the auto industry, but on every industry that followed and on the whole of society."
Founder and CEO of the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant, Jerald A. Mitchell, seemed happy with the results.
"Restoring this plant inside and out has been a labor of love for me and for our entire team of volunteers," he said. "The restored façade is a huge and exciting step that brings the place back to life. It shows that we truly respect what Mr. Ford did here and ensures that the memories will live on."
The Michigan Department of Transportation provided a $250,000 grant for the restoration.
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photo:Ford