So Reptile, btpp, and I set off for a day of urbex, only to have every single abandoned location we tried end up a total bust. On top of that, my car's tire blew and I was rolling with my spare on. On the way back we ended up sitting in traffic for 2 hours as a major accident resulting in multiple fatalities forced all lanes of I-4 to close down in both directions. We were determined to not let the entire day be this much of a bust so we stopped in the city to try some non-abandoned urbex.

First, we noticed a door into a private highrise that was usually locked was being held open by a draft of wind. We went in and took the elevator as high as we could go without using a key card. From there we took the stairs the rest of the way, and we were greeted with an unlocked roof access door.


Untitled by michaelbrnd, on Flickr


Untitled by michaelbrnd, on Flickr

Getting to the roof of that building felt easy, almost too easy, so we decided to try another building that was much taller.

I'm not going to share the exact details of how we got to the top of this building, in part because I can't even remember all the details, but it was really complicated. Most of the stairwell doors were locked from inside the stairwell, but it was those few unlocked doors that allowed us to get to the top. Different stairwells had different unlocked doors, and different elevators could access different floors depending on what floor you got on the elevator at. So getting to the top involved going up and down and up and down many times before we found a viable path, the building was like a giant puzzle game.


Untitled by michaelbrnd, on Flickr

Eventually we got in an elevator that would take us higher, and when we arrived at the floor we selected, the doors opened to piles of boxes and other construction equipment stacked up against the door. We didn't even realize the top floors of the building were still under construction! We stepped out of the elevator, squeezing around the boxes, ready to bolt if an alarm went off. We went on some of the balconies of the unfinished rooms to get some pics.


Untitled by michaelbrnd, on Flickr


Untitled by michaelbrnd, on Flickr


Untitled by michaelbrnd, on Flickr

We eventually made it to a chamber in the pinnacle of the building.


Untitled by michaelbrnd, on Flickr


Untitled by michaelbrnd, on Flickr

The blue lighting made everything feel so surreal.


Untitled by michaelbrnd, on Flickr


Untitled by michaelbrnd, on Flickr


Untitled by michaelbrnd, on Flickr

From there we made it to the highest point.


Untitled by michaelbrnd, on Flickr


Untitled by michaelbrnd, on Flickr

We had to go back down a little bit to get to a fully exposed portion of the roof.


Untitled by michaelbrnd, on Flickr

Untitled by michaelbrnd, on Flickr

So yea, that's how a total bust of a day turned into an amazing night.

So I didn't have a tripod with me so most of my pictures didn't come out the way I wanted being either too dark or grainy so I only was able to upload a few that I liked.

Also, the whole night, it was pretty windy and rainy while being around 60°F.


Untitled by UERbtpp, on Flickr


Untitled by UERbtpp, on Flickr


Untitled by UERbtpp, on Flickr

And I borrowed arsytee's tripod for this shot.

Untitled by UERbtpp, on Flickr

You guys killed it. Live it up.

Those inside shots remind me of Mirror's Edge.

That blue lighting made the shots IMO

Fucking stellar. Great job guys

Here are my shots from the night!



014 by uer_reptile, on Flickr



017 by uer_reptile, on Flickr



022 by uer_reptile, on Flickr



045 by uer_reptile, on Flickr



047 by uer_reptile, on Flickr



058 by uer_reptile, on Flickr



059 by uer_reptile, on Flickr



060 by uer_reptile, on Flickr

1 Like for "some non-abandoned urbex" and #12, "highest point" photo.

got some nice shit here arsytee.
good work

48 & 55 are sweet.

I'm late to the party, but those are some rock'n pics. I'd be proud to show any of the three sets. Nice job guys!

Abby Normal

Thanks everyone, it was a lot of fun and a nice change from the usual abandoned explores.

We actually went back to see if this building was still accessible and it seems that they sealed off the roof pretty well. As the top floors of the building are still under construction, a lot is constantly changing. We were able to get to the upmost finished floor but no floors under construction or roof. I guess you just have to be lucky.

Those shots from the roof are rad, and that blue lighting did wonders for the shots it was in. Not giving up damn sure paid off for ya.