Brandy Baker / The Detroit News

Subzero temperatures and icy winds have slowed progress on the multi-million dollar renovation of the Book-Cadillac Hotel in downtown Detroit. Still, within the rusted and surreal subterranean levels, demolition continues as workers use torches to cut away metal and debris and purge the historic structure of the vestiges of years of neglect. Here, laborer Magic Johnson prepares to cut this rusted metal cabinet into smaller pieces so that it can easily be removed as he works on the second basement level.