Ford Auditorium coming down?

[Gistok]

Whitehouse,

Ironically many of the great chandeliers in the grand lobbies of many movie palace fell to war fears during WWII. Americans felt that if our cities were the next to be bombed, that it wasn't a good idea to have these tall chandeliers hanging over peoples head only to topple during a bombing raid.

Many theatres thus removed and either put into storage or sold of their grand chandeliers. Probably the greatest loss was the Loew's Syracuse Theatre in Syracuse upstate New York. It's grand chandelier came from the destroyed Vanderbuilt Pallazio style mansion on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Loew's bought up some of the items [[and entire rooms) from the Vanderbuilt auctions, and the grand chandelier in Loew's Syracuse was taken down during the war. Pieces of it started missing in storage, and parts of the remainder of it today is found in the homes of celebrities across the USA.... to the loss of Loew's Syracuse Theatre.

[[Note: the Oriental Room from the Vanderbuilt NYC Mansion still exists as an [[extremely fancy) powder room in the Loew's Midland Theatre [[1927) in Kansas City MO.)

[Huggybear]

Maybe too quick. Did anyone ever notice any crews removing asbestos prior to demolition?

For a couple of months.

[gthomas]

It really opens up to Downtown and the Riverfront being that the auditorium is 90% gone now. I do agree with that ugly garage next door, oh and that ugly police station not fitting in with the Riverfront and Hart Plaza. I hope plans are better for Hart Plaza, connecting it to the GM Promenade and The New COBO [[which is now under construction). Hart Plaza can and needs to be an anchor to the riverfront. It should be GRAND..more themed and interactive, similar to Millennium Park in Chicago. Tear that UGLY Hart Plaza sign DOWN!!!

[Pcm]

It really opens up to Downtown and the Riverfront...

A paradox.

[kraig]

For a couple of months.

Thanks, that takes care of my concern. I wish this had been done 20 years ago.

[FlyByDon]

8/27/2011

[FlyByDon]

10-29-2011

[downtownguy]

8/27/2011

Once again, Don comes through with some great photos. As I see the remnants of the seats in this photo, it occurs to me why didn't they just remove the roof and walls? We'd have another amphitheatre. Haha!!

[stasu1213]

what is planned to go on that site?

[animatedmartian]

Whatever is put there, I hope it makes use of connecting Hart Plaza to that corner and I wouldn't mind if that police parking lot was put to better use along with it.

[mikeg19]

I'm assuming Ford owns this land, correct? If so, are they looking to "gift it" or sell it to the city for the planned makeover of Hart Plaza?

[MSUguy]

No it's owned by the city, the Fords donated the money for the building.

[stasu1213]

What is the going to be planned for Hart Plaza? Will it remain a concrete Plaza or will the concrete be torn up for more greenery which would extend to the former Ford Auditorium site?