Hello Dan, new sub here and addicted to your videos. A little more information if I may on this Atlantic Electric Control Center. I actually work at a similar facility for the Houston, TX electric grid. These kind of facilities are very important and usually very secure. If there were an attach on a major city, these kind of facilities would be a high priority target as they control the power flow for the city as well as a major portion of the electrical grid for the interconnection they reside in. The elevated floors you saw are indeed for wires and cables. You also filmed a standby generator which is very important for a facility such as this. The ones for our facility store enough diesel fuel to run for 10 days. The very large room that you called the alien room would have probably been the customer service department for Atlantic Electric. Most facilities like this usually have so have cafeterias and full locker rooms and showers. This is for when employees are called in to stay on site for emergency situations like hurricanes and winter storms. Here's the good stuff that you probably didn't gain access to...That elevator you saw very close to the round desk had a Down button, which probably means that it was the one and only entry point to get into the main control center for the actual power grid operations. They are almost always underground for added protection against security threat and hostile attacks. This particular are would have been extremely large and very tall as well, possibly with 40-50' ceilings and multiple system control consoles which would have been horseshoe shaped like most all dispatch desks. The reason it would have been so tall down there is to allow room for the huge map board of the transmission and generation grid. Sounds like you need to go back and try to gain access to that grid control room, you would be very impressed. There's a reason the copper thief was trying to get down that elevator shaft...there would have been a goldmine of copper down there! Keep up the awesome work....you're helping me stay awake on these nights shifts so I can keep the lights on in Houston...lol
Atlantic city electric was bought out at this time by a utility conglomerate called Connectiv power.they probably combined call centers and had no use for this one anymore. as of recent Atlantic city electric and its parent company were bought out by exelon. their call center is in Philly
The design of that architecture is stunning! So sad to see it abandoned! Wish more buildings had character like this nowadays. Now everything is going *modern* and losing anything special it could have.
I don't have the "balls of steel" required to wander through these places where people once worked or lived or shopped, but I always find it interesting as well as saddening that something went wrong, and the people are all gone.
The places were time stands still. I love abandoned buildings because time is frozen to when ever people left. So many things tell the story of the last day by the owners. You ignore whats broken and try to create it in your mind. I like finding a desk. You wonder what job the person had that sat here. For me it brings back the imagination I had when I was younger. Also its enjoying watching someone else do the walking. You make art Dan.
+blackandblue10 ....LOL I got a really good laugh outta that one too. As for that building; it went on and on and on, it's Gi-huge-ic, I knew it looked really big but, damn, it looked so much larger inside than out, that just surprised me!! Carpeting on the walls to tone down the sounds from all those computers/modems..etc. When I worked for a semi-conductor company, they had the same thing on the walls for just that reason.
every now & then, i like hearing descriptions that u added later over the video. but most of the time, i enjoy the sounds u make when exploring, & ur conversations w ur friends
what fascinates me is the sort of frozen in time these places can be. would love to do this but I don't think i have the guts to do it without someone else who does.
Get yourself a good pair of steel toed boots. It also would not hurt to wear a hardhat into places like that. You could bump something and a wall or ceiling could collapse.
combat boots are a safer choice because while both help with keeping your feet safe,if something heavy falls on the toes of his boots the steel could shatter his toes and part of his foot completely if it gets crushed downwards.thick combat boots are a safer option because theyre made for combat and glass,needles and other sharp objects will have a hard time getting in while the boot structure will keep debris from getting lodged or stuck inside the shoe
+This is Dan Bell. As of November of 2015. Walmart won a case against Shoprite and Walmart is now allowed to build a Walmart at that location. If anyone wants to explore it. I suggest that you explore it soon because Walmart is going to build at that location.
Your rules are probably the reason you aren't getting arrested, even when the cops caught you at Fairgrounds Square Mall. You're not taking anything, you found an unsecured entrance, did not break in, you're not carrying spray paint and you have video running. The police take it as mostly harmless, not malicious, and respond accordingly.
The comm floor we just call it a "raised floor" system in the industry. I've seen those because I work in Architectural design. The newer ones are really easy to install but they can be pricy. A standard classroom sized space can easily cost 5 figures. The extra space allows for receptacles in the floor too - which allows for a more spread out furniture system without power and data cables running everywhere.
***** I never am. I always assume the power is cut, especially if it is a mess, so even if the power is on, the corresponding breaker would have been cut off from shortage. Of course though, you never honestly know. It looks like all of the wires were covered anyways, so it would be safe.
22408aaron I have seen an abandoned house with running electricity 10-15 years after been abandoned. There was a light bulb hanging on the ceiling in one room that could be switched on, when I was a kid in 1997 I went to there sometimes to turn it on until one year later cable thieves stole the overhead aluminium power lines plunging the whole village without power for months.
+DjResR Same here. The house we went in had been abandon since the 70's but the lights still worked. The last time we went there a pipe had broken and the well pump was running filling up the basement
Been binge watching your videos for the past few days. I'm so fascinated with them! I've been wanting to say something about you not wearing boots to better protect your feet, but I'm happy to hear you've already considered that LOL Keep up the great work and please be safe!
Interesting you mentioned the creative graffiti. When you first went in someone sprayed 'Catch me if you can', which is allegedly how Jack the Ripper signed one of his letters to Scotland Yard.
Hi, Dan! By the way, buy the best boots you can affort for exploring. They do not only protect you - you have to buy them only one time, for a long long time. The bes thing I had done was buying specialboots while visiting the us. I do spent nearly 700 bucks BUT I have used them, I think in 80% the time - the last fourteen years and last month they was restored for about 100,- and they are like new - no swetting - absolutely watherresistent - so think twice! Claus!
Very 70s! It maybe have opened in the 20's but it looks like they did a rebuild of it all. The brutalist architecture, coffer ceiling lights and tiling are all great. I would have loved to explored the place in its heyday !
I love how your narrating your videos more now.. You are really good at conceptualizing what we the viewer are seeing. Its strange that i am just now seeing this video as I thought I saw all your videos. Anyway keep it up and im going to try to make a donation next month to help you with your travels.. Keep em coming. Josh from OHIO
I love the part where you were referring to the Sequel of Aliens (love that movie) in that one large room, my imagination goes wild to when I explore abandoned or secluded places, both man made or natural.
I giggled pretty good when you were near the end of your narration, and right after you said "you can visit my website" "goodie" showed up written on one of the building's windows. I don't know if you planned that, but if you did, the timing was perfect. Lmao. In any case, you made another thrashed on building come alive for us once again. Your advice to urban explorers was albeit very sane and really good advice. We can always find somewhere to take vids and pictures, so it's not worth $50,000 and some time in a hospital to get some pictures. I might want to tell people that fire alarms can still be functional up to as many as five years after the main a.c. power has been disconnected, so pulling a pull station cuz you think the power is off may land you with a considrable fine on top of public mischief, and trespassing, and other stuff.
+Atmos I just never got the gang signs nonsense. Good, you can scribble letters that only YOU understand to mark your territory. ... of an abandoned mall. Talk about conquest !!
I'll admit that I've taken things from abandoned houses before. Things I considered worth it. Antique books and photos. Stuff that should never be left to rot in my opinion. Is it wrong? Yeah. Is it satisfying knowing that I saved a first edition? Oh fuck yes.
Drew M I used to as well. But the mixed feelings went away after a while. Most of the houses I saved stuff from were scheduled for demolition and the antiques would have been destroyed anyway.
Better that you save stuff than it end up in landfill. Same with the metal in these types of places. I’d rather someone get the metal and recycle it so that we don’t have to mine as much ore in the future for more metal.
hey dan, I'm not sure if it's abandoned, but I don't ever remember seeing cars at this place called "Aero Lab". It's located on Route 1 in Laurel, Howard County Maryland. If its not abandoed it is worth checking out the archetechture.. It's a clear typical example of late 1950's, early 1960's design. Also, there is an old abandonded women's school outside of washington D.C. with buildings that are based on archetechture from around the world, japan, holland, etc. that's worth checking out as well.
One Eyed Eric I remember that Movie! and the short lived series after. REM was my Favorite character. kind of a distant cousin to DATA on Star Trek TNG. I was in 6th grade when the movie came Out
Another great job. What puts your videos ahead of the rest is the background info you provide. A video of an abandoned building with no narration is ok but not the same as having a dialog to go with it. Watching some of the other explorers can get pretty boring. Sometimes the viewer is not always sure of what they are looking at. The stories behind the paces are what turn it into an adventure rather than looking at piles of trash. Just keep doing what you are doing and don't change a thing. Also I completely agree with your ethics of exploration. Explorers are basically guests, invited or not, in these places.
I think one of my favourite parts of this amazing video is your legal-ethical bit on what not to do in urban explorations. Against the visual backdrop of the claustrophobic complex, it's a powerful moment!
THIS IS WILD I used to explore this building in college! so sad it got torn down to build a walmart 🙄😩 one time we found a newspaper from the 70s. i feel like there were parts of the building that closed down before 2000. also to answer your question:: i used to work for a health insurance company. "crime" is a specific exclusion in many health insurance contracts. if injury was incurred by means of illegal activity, it's usually not covered.
Wow that ceiling... Being the vintage tech guy I am, I immediately noticed some very cool art deco style ceiling speakers. Gotta wonder if any of them would still be good. Would imagine those paper cones probably would be bad from all the water and mold
Well when people paint a piece then other people will too and then more and more people will go to these places and it will be like a museum of art for graffiti artist a lot of people won't see it as that thought they will see it as vandalism (although it is) and that's it
OMG! The squishy ceiling tiles that feel like thick mud when you step on them. You feel my pain. I hate stepping on that stuff in while wearing my five fingers. You can feel it in-between your toes and I always have to pop them in the wash after a day of exploring.
Not sure if anyone mentioned it before me. but this complex is in the process of demolition. believe its going to be a shopping center with a super Wal-Mart and other stores. I actually work off Delilah Rd right down the street from this building.
Great explore! I'm fairly new to urbex and don't have as much time for it as I'd like, but one of my biggest fears is running into someone in an abandoned building. If it's not another explorer or just kids, chances are it's probably someone you don't want to encounter. I wish I could find another explorer locally that I could go with since, I'm sure it's much safer to go in pairs or groups rather than exploring alone, but that's not always possible. Abandoned buildings are ideal places for criminal activity. An explorer I follow on Facebook recently posted an article about some ghost hunters who went to an abandoned hospital to do a paranormal investigation and found a dead body in the hospital. The person had been murdered and the body hidden there. If that ever happened to me, the body isn't what I'd be freaked out about. It's the idea that whoever hid the body could still be in there. I'm sure after the ordeal is over, I'd have to change underwear!
Dan, I recommend Original Swat side zip tactical boots. Composite toe, puncture resistant bottom, and water proof. Usually 110-120 a pair and they will last for quite some time.
Hi Dan, Love the video's of old Dept. Stores of days gone by. I worked in these stores for decades and was in Mannequin Biz for decades. I like you want to find the old Display Dept. and find Mannequins, sadly, when a store closes the Mannequins are first to be liquidated or worse-compacted-fact. YIKES! What a waste.... smh. Maybe one day you'll find some, I'd love to see that episode. You are great I binge your work all the time!
It's actually important to document these locations since they will eventually be torn down and gone forever. (By the way the flooring system is known as "Raised Floor" and urban explorers should be very careful since the panels can be missing and fallen ceiling tiles covering the hole. Getting seriously injured in an abandoned building would make for a really bad day.)
Should update the title as demolished, spent 30 minuets finding it on google maps because the building looked similar to one in a movie only to find on street view photos from this year that were taken right after the buildings demolition, just a dirt lot with construction equipment.
Dan, you should take a piece of chalk to mark your path. Or, you could drop light sticks ever so often to find your way back out. Anyway, keep making these great videos. Me and my fiancée love them.
Yea that building was huge, and it's good that you guys explored it during the daytime and not at night bc then it would of been harder to find a open door to get outside. Plus it's always better to to explore during the daytime anyway bc during the night when using flashlights you would be seen easier.
@@graemec09 We recently moved the data center where I work. The old room from the early 80s used half a floor. Now it sits in 25% of the old size and still have plenty of spare rack space.
The raised floors were because mainframes used to generate massive amounts of heat. Scattered around the outskirts of the room there were giant cooling units that blew cold air dowin into the floor and the electronic components had no floor underneath so the cooled air blew right up and through them into the room.
Like most old buildings the cost for maintenance and upkeep is too expensive and many companies, including government agencies get new buildings at different locations and abandon the old ones.
hey Dan April here I did try again to watch some other people doing what u do n I just couldn't they yell there immature so please keep Ur videos commin bud LOVE EM !!!!😗😗💘💘💘💕💜💜💜💜💘😲😲😵😵😵☺☺☺😋
Hey Dan, doesn't this count as a Cutting Room Floor episode? Love that building exterior. Midcentury? This music.....Would fit in nicely with Maplestory. ^_^ Makes me think of hunting monsters in dark damp caves. 10:00, 15:24, & 16:32 are my favorite shots.
+This is Dan Bell. Get yourselves a couple of: BRIGHT YELLOW GLOW in the dark PAINT CANS ...EVERY COUPLE OF STEPS YOU TAKE, TAG THE WALL AT SHOULDER LEVEL WITH A LINE.. In this way, exiting will be a PIECE OF PIZZA.. I say Pizza, because I DO NOT LIKE CAKE. NEVER HAVE, NEVER WILL.. Then on your return trip just follow the YELLOW BRICK ROAD,, .
Kinda recommend some Sketcher boots. They're nice and not too expensive (since you mentioned work shoes). You can get them off amazon. Funny when you mentioned Aliens...cuz when the marines arrive at LV426...the same "wind" sound effect you're using in your video is used in the movie lol
Love this video I watch it over and over. Really scary place and love the eerie music. It seems very odd that the company made you pay for lunch that was provided, but I suppose it is the same in hospitals you have to pay all be it reduced if you are staff. Thanks Dan -Do you think this place has gone now in 2023?
In just a little bit of time, you'll be back in Atlantic City doing Dead Casino series, more Dirty Hotel series (Black Horse Pike is a goldmine for that), and plenty of urban exploration videos of the decaying life that is now Atlantic County. I can only hope I am wrong and they save that one county that makes New Jersey worth anything. Until then, it's a Dan Bell hot spot. Lol
"scoop out scoops of delicious deliciousness..." lol, I love your commentary. I would love to hear/see more about the architecture of the places too! thanks for showing the good graff work as well. it's nice to see something that requires a little more talent than just spraying the word "DICKS." -__-
Lex Parsimoniae When I see good graffiti, I always film it. It’s so rare these days. And the drivel I consider narration...the kindly lunch lady with her scoop of deliciousness. I have no clue where these things come from. Haha.
7:40 you really need some gear if you "Urban Explore." A good pair of work boots, you don't want to get a spike, or a nail through your foot. Other suggestions: Head, Eye, and Lung protection. A lot of abandoned buildings have Asbestos issues, some type of mask at minimum, if not a respirator.
wow that is a beautiful building, i mena look at some of the interior with the lean-to tinted skylights, the 1970's futuristic facade shown in the first few minutes and the newer 1980's high-tech side seen when you first walk in.
I'm hearing and old .. I don't know what you call it narrative? on top of a new. As you enter the bathroom, I hear " I've never been charged with breaking and entering".. and more faintly " Oh my god look at this bathroom"
I have been to this place many times and have been forced to leave because of druggies inside the building I've always wanted to see what else was in it and OMG you nailed it thank you! Also there's also many different mini parts of this building you didn't show or probably find a way in. Right in the main entrance there used to be a string that would be the only way in but that's where most of the drug heads would be and you are real lucky you didn't see any of them
Развлечения
Great visit! - all true to the motto _"Take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints"_
It's 3 am, it's storming, I can't sleep, and I'm watching this.
Hello Dan, new sub here and addicted to your videos. A little more information if I may on this Atlantic Electric Control Center. I actually work at a similar facility for the Houston, TX electric grid.
These kind of facilities are very important and usually very secure. If there were an attach on a major city, these kind of facilities would be a high priority target as they control the power flow for the city as well as a major portion of the electrical grid for the interconnection they reside in.
The elevated floors you saw are indeed for wires and cables. You also filmed a standby generator which is very important for a facility such as this. The ones for our facility store enough diesel fuel to run for 10 days. The very large room that you called the alien room would have probably been the customer service department for Atlantic Electric.
Most facilities like this usually have so have cafeterias and full locker rooms and showers. This is for when employees are called in to stay on site for emergency situations like hurricanes and winter storms.
Here's the good stuff that you probably didn't gain access to...That elevator you saw very close to the round desk had a Down button, which probably means that it was the one and only entry point to get into the main control center for the actual power grid operations. They are almost always underground for added protection against security threat and hostile attacks. This particular are would have been extremely large and very tall as well, possibly with 40-50' ceilings and multiple system control consoles which would have been horseshoe shaped like most all dispatch desks.
The reason it would have been so tall down there is to allow room for the huge map board of the transmission and generation grid.
Sounds like you need to go back and try to gain access to that grid control room, you would be very impressed. There's a reason the copper thief was trying to get down that elevator shaft...there would have been a goldmine of copper down there!
Keep up the awesome work....you're helping me stay awake on these nights shifts so I can keep the lights on in Houston...lol
Atlantic city electric was bought out at this time by a utility conglomerate called Connectiv power.they probably combined call centers and had no use for this one anymore. as of recent Atlantic city electric and its parent company were bought out by exelon. their call center is in Philly
mfoto01 Thank you for telling us so much about this building. It's been a few years since this video, but what the hell.
The design of that architecture is stunning! So sad to see it abandoned! Wish more buildings had character like this nowadays. Now everything is going *modern* and losing anything special it could have.
"He fell 15 ft to the bottom of the shaft...and his ghost still haunts the building to this day."
Obviously you have a hard time hearing what he said, the guy broke both his ankles and survived the fall, got airlifted to a hospital. He did not die.
I don't have the "balls of steel" required to wander through these places where people once worked or lived or shopped, but I always find it interesting as well as saddening that something went wrong, and the people are all gone.
If you think these abandonments are sad just think about Chernobyl.
The cool thing about your videos Dan apart from the quality filming and editing is that you’re actually documenting our social history.
The places were time stands still. I love abandoned buildings because time is frozen to when ever people left. So many things tell the story of the last day by the owners. You ignore whats broken and try to create it in your mind. I like finding a desk. You wonder what job the person had that sat here. For me it brings back the imagination I had when I was younger. Also its enjoying watching someone else do the walking. You make art Dan.
Dude, your voice is so mellow and soothing
BRB: calling 609-RATS-ASS
+blackandblue10 ....LOL I got a really good laugh outta that one too. As for that building; it went on and on and on, it's Gi-huge-ic, I knew it looked really big but, damn, it looked so much larger inside than out, that just surprised me!! Carpeting on the walls to tone down the sounds from all those computers/modems..etc. When I worked for a semi-conductor company, they had the same thing on the walls for just that reason.
Anything bud?
@@jaredhaden1989 Nope, no answer. They must not give a rat's ass.
every now & then, i like hearing descriptions that u added later over the video. but most of the time, i enjoy the sounds u make when exploring, & ur conversations w ur friends
what fascinates me is the sort of frozen in time these places can be. would love to do this but I don't think i have the guts to do it without someone else who does.
Get yourself a good pair of steel toed boots. It also would not hurt to wear a hardhat into places like that. You could bump something and a wall or ceiling could collapse.
combat boots are a safer choice because while both help with keeping your feet safe,if something heavy falls on the toes of his boots the steel could shatter his toes and part of his foot completely if it gets crushed downwards.thick combat boots are a safer option because theyre made for combat and glass,needles and other sharp objects will have a hard time getting in while the boot structure will keep debris from getting lodged or stuck inside the shoe
I explored this place and the basement goes down 3 stories it was pitch black and super scary
Leah B We looked for stairs that would take us down but couldn’t find any. Such a confusing building. Isn’t there a parking garage down there as well?
+This is Dan Bell. As of November of 2015. Walmart won a case against Shoprite and Walmart is now allowed to build a Walmart at that location. If anyone wants to explore it. I suggest that you explore it soon because Walmart is going to build at that location.
+Kasumi St Cloud 7:39 Foreshadowing ;_;
.
almpcaUP No it is still there all intact. There isn't any sign of it being torn down yet.
Good work again. As usual I like your calm commentary with many background Information. Hope to see more interesting lost places and malls :-)
Your rules are probably the reason you aren't getting arrested, even when the cops caught you at Fairgrounds Square Mall. You're not taking anything, you found an unsecured entrance, did not break in, you're not carrying spray paint and you have video running. The police take it as mostly harmless, not malicious, and respond accordingly.
The comm floor we just call it a "raised floor" system in the industry. I've seen those because I work in Architectural design. The newer ones are really easy to install but they can be pricy. A standard classroom sized space can easily cost 5 figures. The extra space allows for receptacles in the floor too - which allows for a more spread out furniture system without power and data cables running everywhere.
Are you also nervous about going near wires hanging from the ceiling in case they're still live?
***** Not here. Other places I’ve definitely been leery.
***** I never am. I always assume the power is cut, especially if it is a mess, so even if the power is on, the corresponding breaker would have been cut off from shortage. Of course though, you never honestly know. It looks like all of the wires were covered anyways, so it would be safe.
22408aaron I have seen an abandoned house with running electricity 10-15 years after been abandoned. There was a light bulb hanging on the ceiling in one room that could be switched on, when I was a kid in 1997 I went to there sometimes to turn it on until one year later cable thieves stole the overhead aluminium power lines plunging the whole village without power for months.
+DjResR Same here. The house we went in had been abandon since the 70's but the lights still worked. The last time we went there a pipe had broken and the well pump was running filling up the basement
'Suspended ceiling' is the term i think you're looking for Mr B. (At least that's what we call them in the UK)
You can always say your filming for the property management as you hold a camera in your hand. It's not a burglary tool.
Great advice on urban exploration. Got a ticket once for trespassing in an abandoned town near San Jose CA. Paid $50 fine. It was worth it.
There is an old underground microwave relay station from the cold war era in Pottstown, PA that has been abandoned since the cold war ended.
The Cold War is yet to end
ive from lancaster pa ive never heard of that cool
Been binge watching your videos for the past few days. I'm so fascinated with them! I've been wanting to say something about you not wearing boots to better protect your feet, but I'm happy to hear you've already considered that LOL Keep up the great work and please be safe!
amazing videos. love your narration. love your voice's cadence and clarity.
Interesting you mentioned the creative graffiti. When you first went in someone sprayed 'Catch me if you can', which is allegedly how Jack the Ripper signed one of his letters to Scotland Yard.
This is three blocks away from where i live! ive always wanted to go back there and check it out
Hi, Dan! By the way, buy the best boots you can affort for exploring. They do not only protect you - you have to buy them only one time, for a long long time. The bes thing I had done was buying specialboots while visiting the us. I do spent nearly 700 bucks BUT I have used them, I think in 80% the time - the last fourteen years and last month they was restored for about 100,- and they are like new - no swetting - absolutely watherresistent - so think twice! Claus!
That's alot for some boots but if they last that long it seems worth it.
Very 70s! It maybe have opened in the 20's but it looks like they did a rebuild of it all. The brutalist architecture, coffer ceiling lights and tiling are all great. I would have loved to explored the place in its heyday !
I love how your narrating your videos more now.. You are really good at conceptualizing what we the viewer are seeing. Its strange that i am just now seeing this video as I thought I saw all your videos. Anyway keep it up and im going to try to make a donation next month to help you with your travels.. Keep em coming. Josh from OHIO
Seriously on a Dan Bell binge! Watching every single video today! They're addicting! Surprised to see some recognizable places here too!
Dan I love this format of video! Your background music always sets an appropriate tone. DO A FLATWOODS MONSTER SERIES PLEASE!
Hey Dan this one was very cool! Man I give you a lot of credit going in these places. Again thanks for doing what you do and for sharing with us.
I love the part where you were referring to the Sequel of Aliens (love that movie) in that one large room, my imagination goes wild to when I explore abandoned or secluded places, both man made or natural.
I giggled pretty good when you were near the end of your narration, and right after you said "you can visit my website" "goodie" showed up written on one of the building's windows. I don't know if you planned that, but if you did, the timing was perfect. Lmao. In any case, you made another thrashed on building come alive for us once again. Your advice to urban explorers was albeit very sane and really good advice. We can always find somewhere to take vids and pictures, so it's not worth $50,000 and some time in a hospital to get some pictures. I might want to tell people that fire alarms can still be functional up to as many as five years after the main a.c. power has been disconnected, so pulling a pull station cuz you think the power is off may land you with a considrable fine on top of public mischief, and trespassing, and other stuff.
This is all torn down now and the Super Walmart opened a few days ago on this plot of land.
It's a shame it was such a unique building.
Times may be tough and do not get cheap shoes for operations like this.
You do great work ..
decay is beautiful, vandalism isnt
+greg w. well you can't really have one without the other.
+greg w. Decay is terrible...vandalism is inevitable.
+Atmos I just never got the gang signs nonsense. Good, you can scribble letters that only YOU understand to mark your territory. ... of an abandoned mall. Talk about conquest !!
+greg w. decayed vandalism and your logic is toast
+greg w. I do think they are both very beautiful it's like nature and chaos coming together in an cosmic dance of destruction and recreation :)
New Sub here! At the 8:21 mark, I hear "lot's of people destroyed this place." Can't stop watching your vids.
It looks like the place I work: Early 80s, brutal"ish" style government building. Concrete looking walls and terrazzo everywhere.
I'll admit that I've taken things from abandoned houses before. Things I considered worth it. Antique books and photos. Stuff that should never be left to rot in my opinion. Is it wrong? Yeah. Is it satisfying knowing that I saved a first edition? Oh fuck yes.
IAmDeath I have such mixed feelings about that.
Drew M I used to as well. But the mixed feelings went away after a while. Most of the houses I saved stuff from were scheduled for demolition and the antiques would have been destroyed anyway.
Better that you save stuff than it end up in landfill. Same with the metal in these types of places. I’d rather someone get the metal and recycle it so that we don’t have to mine as much ore in the future for more metal.
It isn't wrong in that case, people left things behind, they don't want them anymore.
Avoozl yeah, but if everyone took something from an abandoned place, it wouldn’t be cool for all the other explorers coming along after.
hey dan, I'm not sure if it's abandoned, but I don't ever remember seeing cars at this place called "Aero Lab". It's located on Route 1 in Laurel, Howard County Maryland. If its not abandoed it is worth checking out the archetechture.. It's a clear typical example of late 1950's, early 1960's design. Also, there is an old abandonded women's school outside of washington D.C. with buildings that are based on archetechture from around the world, japan, holland, etc. that's worth checking out as well.
The opening, exterior shots of the building gave me flashbacks of the movie Logan's Run 1976! Great video! Thanks for another adventure Dan!!
One Eyed Eric Thanks, Eric!!
One Eyed Eric I remember that Movie! and the short lived series after.
REM was my Favorite character. kind of a distant cousin to DATA on Star Trek TNG. I was in 6th grade when the movie came Out
This is probably my favorite place you visited. I'll definitely go there someday.
Another great job. What puts your videos ahead of the rest is the background info you provide. A video of an abandoned building with no narration is ok but not the same as having a dialog to go with it. Watching some of the other explorers can get pretty boring. Sometimes the viewer is not always sure of what they are looking at. The stories behind the paces are what turn it into an adventure rather than looking at piles of trash. Just keep doing what you are doing and don't change a thing. Also I completely agree with your ethics of exploration. Explorers are basically guests, invited or not, in these places.
Thanks, Michael!
the building looks like a electrical socket
Pretty much is
great video dan thanks for sharing and for a fantastic audio commentary
I think one of my favourite parts of this amazing video is your legal-ethical bit on what not to do in urban explorations. Against the visual backdrop of the claustrophobic complex, it's a powerful moment!
PLOttawa Thanks!!
PS and complaining about graffiti yet leaving some of his own :p
This is the best. Dan I can't believe the places you find. I am hooked!! I love all your videos!!😎😎
And now it's a Walmart
Health insurance does not cover injuries sustained during illegal activity. Most policies have explicit exclusions for those types of activities.
THIS IS WILD
I used to explore this building in college! so sad it got torn down to build a walmart 🙄😩
one time we found a newspaper from the 70s. i feel like there were parts of the building that closed down before 2000.
also to answer your question::
i used to work for a health insurance company. "crime" is a specific exclusion in many health insurance contracts. if injury was incurred by means of illegal activity, it's usually not covered.
"People write some of the dumbest stuff on the walls of abandoned places"
You said it!
This looks like an important facility, why was it abandoned?
Wow that ceiling... Being the vintage tech guy I am, I immediately noticed some very cool art deco style ceiling speakers. Gotta wonder if any of them would still be good. Would imagine those paper cones probably would be bad from all the water and mold
You have to wonder who the intended audience is of the graffiti artists who go to lengths to get inside and tag. Pretty fascinating.
PLOttawa i think its fascinating that now, we're their audience too!
PLOttawa Maybe they were waiting for me to make this video?
k1773ns Exactly : )!
This is Dan Bell. I would not be surprised Dan! Lol.
Well when people paint a piece then other people will too and then more and more people will go to these places and it will be like a museum of art for graffiti artist a lot of people won't see it as that thought they will see it as vandalism (although it is) and that's it
OMG! The squishy ceiling tiles that feel like thick mud when you step on them. You feel my pain. I hate stepping on that stuff in while wearing my five fingers. You can feel it in-between your toes and I always have to pop them in the wash after a day of exploring.
The Aliens comparison is 100% accurate lol. I was thinking much of the same.
Not sure if anyone mentioned it before me. but this complex is in the process of demolition. believe its going to be a shopping center with a super Wal-Mart and other stores. I actually work off Delilah Rd right down the street from this building.
13:17 If that Bud can was not dented and I seen it I would have been so happy. Those are rare cans now.
Great explore! I'm fairly new to urbex and don't have as much time for it as I'd like, but one of my biggest fears is running into someone in an abandoned building. If it's not another explorer or just kids, chances are it's probably someone you don't want to encounter. I wish I could find another explorer locally that I could go with since, I'm sure it's much safer to go in pairs or groups rather than exploring alone, but that's not always possible. Abandoned buildings are ideal places for criminal activity. An explorer I follow on Facebook recently posted an article about some ghost hunters who went to an abandoned hospital to do a paranormal investigation and found a dead body in the hospital. The person had been murdered and the body hidden there. If that ever happened to me, the body isn't what I'd be freaked out about. It's the idea that whoever hid the body could still be in there. I'm sure after the ordeal is over, I'd have to change underwear!
Tried this one time in a saneterium in KY , Scared shitless. This is one brave guy. I hate how people trash these places , it's stupid.
jeremy whittler Waverly hills?
Dan, I recommend Original Swat side zip tactical boots. Composite toe, puncture resistant bottom, and water proof. Usually 110-120 a pair and they will last for quite some time.
Hi Dan, Love the video's of old Dept. Stores of days gone by. I worked in these stores for decades and was in Mannequin Biz for decades. I like you want to find the old Display Dept. and find Mannequins, sadly, when a store closes the Mannequins are first to be liquidated or worse-compacted-fact. YIKES! What a waste.... smh. Maybe one day you'll find some, I'd love to see that episode. You are great I binge your work all the time!
It's actually important to document these locations since they will eventually be torn down and gone forever.
(By the way the flooring system is known as "Raised Floor" and urban explorers should be very careful since the panels can be missing and fallen ceiling tiles covering the hole. Getting seriously injured in an abandoned building would make for a really bad day.)
Whenever I watch your videos and you're recording down a dark hallway I'm waiting to see a shadowy figure walk by and scare the crap out of everyone.
ryan albertsen Don’t give me ideas.
Dammit. Now I'll be waiting for it and that'll make it more tense.
Awesome channel. Just started looking at ur videos. I love your exploration technique. I look forward to watching more videos from you.:)
Jody Adle Thank you, Jody!
This is Dan Bell. Yw :)
Should update the title as demolished, spent 30 minuets finding it on google maps because the building looked similar to one in a movie only to find on street view photos from this year that were taken right after the buildings demolition, just a dirt lot with construction equipment.
Your videos are great!! Thank you for sharing!!!
Dan, you should take a piece of chalk to mark your path. Or, you could drop light sticks ever so often to find your way back out. Anyway, keep making these great videos. Me and my fiancée love them.
dc44resident Thanks!
Yea that building was huge, and it's good that you guys explored it during the daytime and not at night bc then it would of been harder to find a open door to get outside. Plus it's always better to to explore during the daytime anyway bc during the night when using flashlights you would be seen easier.
The sheer size of those rooms, it makes me wonder why they would need so much computer space.
if it closed in 2000, remember. computers were more bulky, server rooms were massive over the 70's, 80's etc
They were also extremely hot. So the more space the better. I bet their ac bills were outrageous
@@graemec09 We recently moved the data center where I work. The old room from the early 80s used half a floor. Now it sits in 25% of the old size and still have plenty of spare rack space.
The raised floors were because mainframes used to generate massive amounts of heat. Scattered around the outskirts of the room there were giant cooling units that blew cold air dowin into the floor and the electronic components had no floor underneath so the cooled air blew right up and through them into the room.
Like most old buildings the cost for maintenance and upkeep is too expensive and many companies, including government agencies get new buildings at different locations and abandon the old ones.
hey Dan April here I did try again to watch some other people doing what u do n I just couldn't they yell there immature so please keep Ur videos commin bud LOVE EM !!!!😗😗💘💘💘💕💜💜💜💜💘😲😲😵😵😵☺☺☺😋
Great advice FRAZZLE BRAIN. LOL. You are to funny. Love all of your videos Dan.
You should do some abandoned amusement parks, Dan.
Great tour, wow this place is huge!!!!
LOL "Would health insurance even cover," and I'm waiting for your next word to be stupidity but oh well.?
You like Pebble Dash? I would never hear that said in england. Hehehe.
Hey Dan, doesn't this count as a Cutting Room Floor episode?
Love that building exterior. Midcentury?
This music.....Would fit in nicely with Maplestory. ^_^ Makes me think of hunting monsters in dark damp caves.
10:00, 15:24, & 16:32 are my favorite shots.
This place has since been torn down, and a Walmart and shopping center was built on the site.
What a huge place! I would have got lost for sure. Great job to you both. Thanks for sharing!
AbandonedSC Thanks!
+This is Dan Bell. Get yourselves a couple of: BRIGHT YELLOW GLOW in the dark PAINT CANS ...EVERY COUPLE OF STEPS YOU TAKE, TAG THE WALL AT SHOULDER LEVEL WITH A LINE.. In this way, exiting will be a PIECE OF PIZZA.. I say Pizza, because I DO NOT LIKE CAKE. NEVER HAVE, NEVER WILL.. Then on your return trip just follow the YELLOW BRICK ROAD,,
.
communistjesus what kind of person hates cake!
1:13 I called that number just to see what would happen. :3
What happened?
....and what happened?
I called it too, just to see what would happen. :3
Kinda recommend some Sketcher boots. They're nice and not too expensive (since you mentioned work shoes). You can get them off amazon.
Funny when you mentioned Aliens...cuz when the marines arrive at LV426...the same "wind" sound effect you're using in your video is used in the movie lol
I'd check out some of the abandoned factories in Philly. Also the abandoned Sonoco Paper Mill in Downingtown, PA.
Really nice videos. Greetings from Eastern Europe!
Kryštof Polák Thanks, Kryštof!
+Kryštof Polák Do you do Urban Exploration in your country??.. I would like to explore OLD ABANDONED COMMUNIST BUILDINGS, Military bases..
Love this video I watch it over and over. Really scary place and love the eerie music. It seems very odd that the company made you pay for lunch that was provided, but I suppose it is the same in hospitals you have to pay all be it reduced if you are staff. Thanks Dan -Do you think this place has gone now in 2023?
thats a real shame that there are those that vandalized these places its like it discredits people who explore and don't engage in such things.
In just a little bit of time, you'll be back in Atlantic City doing Dead Casino series, more Dirty Hotel series (Black Horse Pike is a goldmine for that), and plenty of urban exploration videos of the decaying life that is now Atlantic County. I can only hope I am wrong and they save that one county that makes New Jersey worth anything. Until then, it's a Dan Bell hot spot. Lol
"scoop out scoops of delicious deliciousness..."
lol, I love your commentary. I would love to hear/see more about the architecture of the places too! thanks for showing the good graff work as well. it's nice to see something that requires a little more talent than just spraying the word "DICKS." -__-
Lex Parsimoniae When I see good graffiti, I always film it. It’s so rare these days. And the drivel I consider narration...the kindly lunch lady with her scoop of deliciousness. I have no clue where these things come from. Haha.
7:40 you really need some gear if you "Urban Explore." A good pair of work boots, you don't want to get a spike, or a nail through your foot. Other suggestions: Head, Eye, and Lung protection. A lot of abandoned buildings have Asbestos issues, some type of mask at minimum, if not a respirator.
wow that is a beautiful building, i mena look at some of the interior with the lean-to tinted skylights, the 1970's futuristic facade shown in the first few minutes
and the newer 1980's high-tech side seen when you first walk in.
Keep up the awesome videos 😀 good work
I'm hearing and old .. I don't know what you call it narrative? on top of a new. As you enter the bathroom, I hear " I've never been charged with breaking and entering".. and more faintly " Oh my god look at this bathroom"
I'm pretty sure the idea of "breaking and entering" can be interpreted as breaking of a threshold.....
I have been to this place many times and have been forced to leave because of druggies inside the building I've always wanted to see what else was in it and OMG you nailed it thank you! Also there's also many different mini parts of this building you didn't show or probably find a way in. Right in the main entrance there used to be a string that would be the only way in but that's where most of the drug heads would be and you are real lucky you didn't see any of them
In Decatur Illinois there is an old Firestone plant....
I remember that place, just on the edge of Pleasantville (which isn't very pleasant). Now it's a WalTard from what I understand.
I love the style of the building.
I think this place is gone now, there's a Wal-Mart super center there now
Andrew Schulz j hi