.
The Packard Motor Car Company and its 5-million square foot plant became a symbol of the American Dream in the heart of the Motor City. Packard left town in 1954, but its plant still stands as a symbol of bankrupt Detroit. The half-mile stretch of rubble and ruin tells a story of failed politics and criminal activity, of scrappers and arsonists, and of the perseverance of one business to stick it out. The lawless plant has become a haven for street artists and curiosity seekers from around the world.
Directed by Brian Kaufman, Packard: The Last Shift, which is split between a poem by Pulitzer Prize-winner Philip Levine and interviews with residents of the city, is excerpted from an eponymous 2014 feature-length documentary on the plant.
Email subscribers may click on the title of this post to watch the video.
.
