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A couple months ago, a friend and I decided to visit Swift! I'd heard so much about this place and being an artist, I was looking forward to seeing what they had to offer
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I've been avoiding this location due to rumors of gang activity? Did you see any signs of that while you where there?
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Posted by Pear I've been avoiding this location due to rumors of gang activity? Did you see any signs of that while you where there?
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It's full of gangsters
better not go and be safe
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Posted by Pear I've been avoiding this location due to rumors of gang activity? Did you see any signs of that while you where there?
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We didn't spot anyone except for some high school kids with cameras and other explorers. I think as long as you go during the early day and with another person, you'll be fine!
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Last I heard, a few days ago, there were hazmat folks and higher ups walking around inspecting. I'm curious if they're considering demolishing it.
Flickr: https://www.flickr...9156858@N05/albums | |
Posted by tiffers Last I heard, a few days ago, there were hazmat folks and higher ups walking around inspecting. I'm curious if they're considering demolishing it.
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Yeah, they have already been approved for the permit to demo it. Its just a matter of time now.
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Looks like i'd better get out that way sooner than later. I've been putting it off because there are more "in tact" buildings out there that I want to hit first. But, when time is of the essence, it's time to shift priorities.
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Update on this spot: Drove by it today and noticed a new sign up stating that there was video surveillance and threatened prosecution. No idea if it's a scare tactic or legit yet. If anyone else happens to know, feel free* to share. It could mean we're moving even closer to the sad, inevitable destruction of this one. * I assume it's ok to discuss this one here since it's (a) a relatively well known hot-spot and/or (b) coming down any time now.
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Posted by denton_robo Update on this spot: Drove by it today and noticed a new sign up stating that there was video surveillance and threatened prosecution. No idea if it's a scare tactic or legit yet. If anyone else happens to know, feel free* to share. It could mean we're moving even closer to the sad, inevitable destruction of this one. * I assume it's ok to discuss this one here since it's (a) a relatively well known hot-spot and/or (b) coming down any time now.
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Its on the Public DB, im pretty sure its fine.
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Swift Meatpacking Plant is going to be demolished in the VERY near future. A friend of mine sent me a photos asbestos tarp along some of its walls (Tiffers mentioned the hazmat people I believe.., I'm pretty sure they were removing asbestos). People seem to either love swift or hate swift, with only a few in between. Regardless, I highly recommend going to see this location of you haven't already. It's been somewhat of an Urbex icon for a very long time in DFW (the second-largest Swift Meat packing plant in the US while in operation, with the first being in Chicago). I daresay this location is/was an Urbex staple location within UE circles across the United States - and it will only be a memory this time next year, so go check it out before it's too late. It's a horrible feeling to have put something off like that only to find out it's gone and you're stuck regretting your hesitation. I highly recommend going there for a sunset or sunrise, it can be really impressive if you catch a good one. Pear, as to your concern about the safety/crime at Swift: There was probably a good amount of illegal/drug/gang activity going on at this location for decades, but this is not so much the case now. Don't get me wrong, I cannot say it doesn't exist, but I can say I've been there almost a dozen times and I've never seen anything remotely close to gang-related while I was there. Night or day. It also might be worth mentioning I have spent most of my time at Swift alone, unarmed, and have never been bothered by anyone or anything. The only exception to this trend would be the incredibly persistent mosquitos. Bring your deet, your camera, some pepper spray for good measure, and you'll be fine.
One last thing. There is an armed security guard that patrols the property. I've had the pleasure of meeting him one time, (it was an inevitability on that day anyways), and he was not at all interested in causing issues for anyone he caught on the property that day. He was even kind enough to let me finish up my "golden hour" pillar shots prior to leaving. I've never known of anyone being prosecuted for simply being at Swift, if that eases your mind at all.
I wandered till the stars went dim. | |
Posted by denton_robo Looks like i'd better get out that way sooner than later. I've been putting it off because there are more "in tact" buildings out there that I want to hit first. But, when time is of the essence, it's time to shift priorities.
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I would if I were you (see above).
I wandered till the stars went dim. | |
Posted by Dee Ashley Swift Meatpacking Plant is going to be demolished in the VERY near future. A friend of mine sent me a photos asbestos tarp along some of its walls (Tiffers mentioned the hazmat people I believe.., I'm pretty sure they were removing asbestos). People seem to either love swift or hate swift, with only a few in between. Regardless, I highly recommend going to see this location of you haven't already. It's been somewhat of an Urbex icon for a very long time in DFW (the second-largest Swift Meat packing plant in the US while in operation, with the first being in Chicago). I daresay this location is/was an Urbex staple location within UE circles across the United States - and it will only be a memory this time next year, so go check it out before it's too late. It's a horrible feeling to have put something off like that only to find out it's gone and you're stuck regretting your hesitation. I highly recommend going there for a sunset or sunrise, it can be really impressive if you catch a good one. Pear, as to your concern about the safety/crime at Swift: There was probably a good amount of illegal/drug/gang activity going on at this location for decades, but this is not so much the case now. Don't get me wrong, I cannot say it doesn't exist, but I can say I've been there almost a dozen times and I've never seen anything remotely close to gang-related while I was there. Night or day. It also might be worth mentioning I have spent most of my time at Swift alone, unarmed, and have never been bothered by anyone or anything. The only exception to this trend would be the incredibly persistent mosquitos. Bring your deet, your camera, some pepper spray for good measure, and you'll be fine.
One last thing. There is an armed security guard that patrols the property. I've had the pleasure of meeting him one time, (it was an inevitability on that day anyways), and he was not at all interested in causing issues for anyone he caught on the property that day. He was even kind enough to let me finish up my "golden hour" pillar shots prior to leaving. I've never known of anyone being prosecuted for simply being at Swift, if that eases your mind at all.
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Extremely informative, thank you.
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Here's an update on this location, from a quick visit today: The sign I referenced earlier was actually in a spot that wasn't actually part of this complex, but a whole other section. My apologies for the misinformation. That being said, the place was a nice little trip. We got hassled by no one during the couple of hours we were there. We ran into three other groups of photographers during that time, so there was certainly no shortage of people walking around there either. With all the rain we've had, it was muddy and wet in quite a few places, but it added a little something to the whole experience. My advice? Do like Dee said and get out there before it's gone. I plan to go back if i can make it work. Mainly because I was pressed for time today and, to add insult to injury, I lost my battery charger and didn't get many shots...even after switching to a half-charged backup camera. It was not my day in the power department. (here's a few shots from my visit: https://www.flickr.../72157668887779222)
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For anyone that hasn't spent time out there, make a day of it. The Stockyards are awesome in their own right, and there are several of Fort Worth's best explores nestled throughout that area. It's a perfect place to find some great explores of all types if you take some time to look.
I wandered till the stars went dim. | |
Swift is my favorite spot to practice light painting techniques. It was also my first "official" explore years ago. I have almost 600 Swift photos on Flickr alone... Yikes.
Bated Breath by Dee Ashley, on Flickr
Untitled by Dee Ashley, on Flickr
Forsaken By Us
Father Time has Lost a Battle Another Against the Ravages of Mother Nature by Dee Ashley, on Flickr
Untitled by Dee Ashley, on Flickr
Swift II by Dee Ashley, on Flickr This last one is a photo that my friend took of me on that historic first visit to this location and my introduction to urbex. Obviously, it was hotter than hell that day. Every time I see this photo, I think it looks like I'm spray painting the wall , but it's actually a point and shoot camera, lol.
Tag and Shoot. BTW, Pear, I tried to recommend you for FM status but the pop-up said your request was already under review (this then begs the question, why the hell does the "do you know so-and-so" pop-up appear when it's too late to answer the question?)!
I wandered till the stars went dim. | |
Posted by Dee Ashley Swift is my favorite spot to practice light painting techniques. It was also my first "official" explore years ago. I have almost 600 Swift photos on Flickr alone... Yikes.
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600 pics? You win. It really was a cool spot and obviously a very popular one. Heck, one of the buildings even smelled "freshly tagged"...so, it's obviously getting hit up a lot before being stricken from the landscape. Even after only one visit I'll be sad to see it go, that's for sure. My "peeps" and I already have a plan to get back out there before summer gets too...summery. (read: hotter, sunnier, buggier, snakeier.) Though, drier would be ideal. Certainly worth more than one visit, in my book.
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SWIFT UPDATE:
They finished that stupid second perimeter fence. It now encases the entire explorable property. It's still passable, but much less convenient than it used to be.
I wandered till the stars went dim. | |
PENITENSARIA SONA I mean... SWIFT! Gawd, I loved this place, so sad to hear it will be gone soon. I visited this location twice with Yeya back in 2013 and never got tired of it, even though I hate graffiti. The graffiti makes the place look so terrible. Dee Ashley, do you have any photos of the sign that reads "SONA" which was used for the Prison Break show?
[last edit 7/7/2016 8:14 PM by A Through Z Explorations - edited 1 times]
"It's just a dance, not romance." | |
Here's an update on the the Ol' Swift Plant from the local paper. It sucks, but it's coming down in fall... *sigh* http://www.star-te...ticle91355377.html "Demolition work will begin Monday and will first include a hay barn and scale house behind the Exchange Building on East Exchange Avenue. By Aug. 1, workers will begin taking down a structure on the so-called Back 40 lot behind Stockyards Station, and by mid-August, they’ll be removing a utility room and a portion of the cattle run north of East Exchange Avenue. Come September, developers will begin razing about a dozen buildings on the former Swift & Co. meatpacking property, east of Niles City Boulevard. Demolition permits were issued by the city last November."
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Here's a video showing the demo starting today...it's sad... https://www.facebo.../1121808177877498/ The first building to come down happens to be the last one I was in when I posted pics from my last visit. Sure, it was all in pretty bad shape before the demolition...but i'm still feeling a little misty-eyed seeing it torn apart.
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