Post mortem for the detroit united artists

[Gistok]

^ Thanks for the insightful story Wesley Mouch... what you say is true.

The Fox Theatre was not in bad shape... just worn out from 60 years of wear and tear [[and all that smoking caused the Fox ornate plasterwork to look very dull). I went to an organ concert at the Fox in 1985, while Forbes still owned it. The magnificent 4/36 Wurlitzer organ was working still, and famed movie palace organist Gaylord Nelson put on a stunning show, and I was awestruck by the fading beauty of the Fox.

Granted Forbes didn't have the deep pockets of the Ilitches, and would have had the theatre restored piecemeal, like he did the State/Fillmore. However the Wayne County Stadium Authority did pay Forbes $14 million for his parcels in the Stadia district for Ford Field and Comerica Park land. And he used a lot of that in fixing up many of his other historic structures, so it ended up working out well that he sold to the Ilitches.

But the name associated to the Ilitch family back in 1988 when the Fox reopened was "Historic Preservationists"... but that name soon was tossed into the dustbin of history. They have still not finished their restoration of the Detroit Life Building behind the Fox... and that restoration has progressed piecemeal for about 20 years. And then there are the still unrestored Blenheim apartments, Moose Lodge, Henry Street Apartment Row... etc. etc.