Michigan Theater: “I want to restore it back to what it was.” Kefallinos

Kirk Pinho of Crain's reports the following ambitious plan for the Detroit icon Michigan Theater-turned-garage.

“I bought it for one reason,” he [New owner Dennis Kefallinos] said pointing to the sprawling but nearly empty [Michigan] theater/parking garage and its ornate ceilings Wednesday afternoon during an interview and building tour.

“This is why I bought the property.”

It was pretty easy to tell how excited Kefallinos, the owner of the Russell Industrial Center off I-75 and other buildings in the city, was to be in it.

Eric Novack, senior project manager for Kefallinos’ Detroit-based Boydell Development Co., said the theater portion of the building is expected to be renovated as event space.

Think events like concerts and performances of Shakespeare and the like.

“I want to restore it back to what it was,” Kefallinos said. “I’m not going to cut corners on the lighting, for example.”

Is that realistic? Aye, there’s the rub. Only time will tell. "

Full article here.

Yeah right, you liar! Prove it. I dare you!

Thanks for the laugh, Kefallinos. I almost snorted milk out of my nose.

Nobody read the post.

Included is the former Wayne State Pharmacy School related building on Rivard near downtown. I wonder what all kind of money would it take to fully convert those buildings to apartments. http://www.freep.com/article/2014090...-building-sold

Bump... I don't know how the hell I missed this... but I do have some interesting things to say about this... stay tuned... ;)

He wants to turn it into the garage where Ford built the quadracycle? Well it already is a garage!

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Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

He wants to turn it into the garage where Ford built the quadracycle? Well it already is a garage!

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Mission accomplished.

Anyone ever estimated what it'd cost to turn the place back into its former self? It's gotta be some ridiculous sum of money. Although being of the historic register will alleviate some of that, I'd still imagine its gotta be tens of millions of dollars.

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Originally Posted by mikeg19

Anyone ever estimated what it'd cost to turn the place back into its former self? It's gotta be some ridiculous sum of money. Although being of the historic register will alleviate some of that, I'd still imagine its gotta be tens of millions of dollars.

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Still haven't had a chance to post just yet... but I think I can answer this quickly... it would cost about $100-$120 million to restore it back to what it was. The balcony and mezzanine would have to be rebuilt, along with their foyers. The 2nd and 3rd balcony foyers however still exist, at the back of the upper reaches of the auditorium space.

The grand staircase and Orchestra level [[main floor) and Orchestra Foyer would also have to be rebuilt, as well as the entire plaster envelope of the auditorium [[perhaps much of the ceiling plasterwork could be salvaged, but this is not certain).

The staircases and circulation spaces on either side of the grand foyer, as well as the projector room [[at the upper back) all still exist, but would require extensive work. Also the outer walls of the theatre space and emergency exits would have to be fixed/added.

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Originally Posted by Gistok

Still haven't had a chance to post just yet... but I think I can answer this quickly... it would cost about $100-$120 million to restore it back to what it was. The balcony and mezzanine would have to be rebuilt, along with their foyers. The 2nd and 3rd balcony foyers however still exist, at the back of the upper reaches of the auditorium space.

The grand staircase and Orchestra level [[main floor) and Orchestra Foyer would also have to be rebuilt, as well as the entire plaster envelope of the auditorium [[perhaps much of the ceiling plasterwork could be salvaged, but this is not certain).

The staircases and circulation spaces on either side of the grand foyer, as well as the projector room [[at the upper back) all still exist, but would require extensive work. Also the outer walls of the theatre space and emergency exits would have to be fixed/added.

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comments about DK's legendary cheapness bordering on slum-lording aside... clearly he doesn't have the scratch to throw a quarter billion at a historic renovation [[I just assume 2 or three times any estimate given...because; Detroit) . Fine. not many people do and really, it's a theater that would struggle to fill seats in today's market so not like there is a business case for dumping that type of money into it. However, what about a historic-ish renovation? Resin castings instead of plaster....new construction made to look old..etc. It's a parking deck, I can't imagine he's hamstrung by having to be historically correct.

In order to turn it back to what it once was, won't he have to level it completely then fill the land with dinosaurs?

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Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

In order to turn it back to what it once was, won't he have to level it completely then fill the land with dinosaurs?

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No, It would have to be a smoldering, fizzing ball of hot gas.

In any event, it ain't happening.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...bbyDetroit.jpg

Maybe they can reuse the ceilings for some kind of semi-pathetic event space, but they will never rebuild what was there. Anyone who can remember the opulence and sheer size of the old Michigan could clearly see that. Even if you actually could somehow reproduce what was there, there is simply no way it would be economically viable enough to come anywhere near offsetting the enormous cost.

Plus, as pointed out above, Kefallinos is not one to put enormous money into anything. But something that could reuse those ceilings and other remaining theater details would probably be good PR for a while. And it might draw enough business to be a better bet than the continued operation of that infamous, and often pretty empty, parking garage.

I agree, the old Michigan Theatre as it was before the March 1977 gutting is no more. But that's not to say that it doesn't have an interesting future....

http://www.archdaily.com/535732/coul...have-a-future/

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Originally Posted by Gistok

Still haven't had a chance to post just yet... but I think I can answer this quickly... it would cost about $100-$120 million to restore it back to what it was. The balcony and mezzanine would have to be rebuilt, along with their foyers. The 2nd and 3rd balcony foyers however still exist, at the back of the upper reaches of the auditorium space.
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More likely $5-20 million. In Canada, Niagara's new Performing Arts Center with four performing spaces will cost $60m CAD. That's about $55m USD these days.

A historically accurate rebuild/restoration will be expensive, but let's not scare people here.

I'm guessing he's thinking about using the top floor as a theatre somewhat as it is. Some window-dressing, so to speak. What I think he is not expecting is that the garage is probably not structurally rated for jumped crowds of dancers. Cars are heavy, but people are heavier [[per sq. in a packed room). Also cars don't do synchronized dancing. See Kansas City Hyatt 1981.

I was basing my guestimate figures on the $42 million it cost to rebuild the Detroit Opera House [[with new huge stage house), and $75 million to rebuild the Loew's Kings Theatre in Brooklyn.

I could imagine a creative architect fixing and extending what is there, but making something new out of the whole thing. If it was fully fixed it would merely be another theatre, but if it was creatively re-used it would forever be unique. Imagine if the plaster roof that is broken was extended back down to the floor. Keep some of the ambiance of the parking structure, because that is part of its history now. Extend and build, bring out it's old elegance too. Creative types would love playing with those elements.

Rebuilding just part of the former Michigan Theatre will present many challenges. There is no easy access to the top level [[walking up from the lower levels is considered dangerous, due to a lack of side railings). Also access to the top level of the parking structure from the office building is done at the building 3rd floor... requiring taking about 10 steps down... a handicap access issue. And there are no working restrooms in the theatre space.

Also, you cannot seal up the wall openings if some of the parking levels remain as parking. And then there's the stage... which is 2 levels below the upper parking level.

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Originally Posted by Gistok

I was basing my guestimate figures on the $42 million it cost to rebuild the Detroit Opera House [[with new huge stage house), and $75 million to rebuild the Loew's Kings Theatre in Brooklyn.

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You may well be right. And I'm just cheap and think it could be done for peanuts. Point Gistok!

couldn't an all new theater be built for $42 million?

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Originally Posted by Hypestyles

couldn't an all new theater be built for $42 million?

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If you like "Showcase Cinema Sheetrock" architectural embellishments.... then YES!

Gistok wrote:
>>Rebuilding just part of the former Michigan Theatre will present many challenges. ....

All of that is just the creative parameters within to work. I would guess that there would be no more parking in there. Other things would be built and extended to bring it to spec. A seamless, bewildering blend of parking structure aesthetic and Italian Palace elegance. The multi story stage that was somehow accidentally preserved would remain as a cool architectural feature.

I predict that Gistok will move his office there.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...-top-floor.php

Kefallinos apparently has a quick and easy way of cleaning the upper floors.

Maybe he can partner with Herb Strather on this