Crews start demolishing old Packard factory, long a symbol of Detroit blight

Crews have started demolishing Detroit's Packard auto factory complex, more than 50 years after the last car was produced there.

Heavy machinery tore chunks of wood, brick and concrete from the hulking plant on Friday.

A developer from Peru bid $405,000 for the property during a tax foreclosure auction last year. Fernando Palazuelo hopes to breathe new life into the 40 blighted acres with homes, retail, offices, recreation and light industry.

British graffiti artist Banksy is credited with painting a mural at the site with the message, "I remember when all this was trees."

The art was moved to a gallery, but Palazuelo would like to get it back.