Plan to Restore Vanity Ballroom Emerges

John Gallagher of Freep is reporting that plans to restore and repurpose the fabulous Vanity Ballroom on East Jefferson are underway.
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It is very early stage but another encouraging episode in the saga of saving Detroit's architectural masterpieces. And as it is enough to get Gallagher's attention, I figure it has a chance.

I've always thought that end of Jefferson was prime for recovery. It has the solidity of the Grosse Pointes to the east and a great deal of quality old homes and new residential activity south of Jefferson.

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Elling is figuring out what to do with the building, which the city has agreed to turn over to the civic group. He’s working with community partners to help him envision what it might become. The ground floor is likely to be mixed retail, but he’s open for ideas on the legendary second-floor ballroom space.


“We’re very cognizant of the deep historical significance,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of ideas come into play that would say, could it be some sort of restaurant, could be it some sort of brewery, but I think the consensus is given the history of this building, we need to somehow maintain the integrity of that ballroom, to have it come back as sort of a community performance space in some way.”

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That would be wonderful news Lowell. From the exterior it is one of Detroit's Art Deco jewels. And the interior is was a Mayan fantasy. I do believe that Charles Agree took some of the old Fisher Theatre Mayan cartouche plasterwork casts and reused them to finish off the exotic interior of the Vanity.

In 1927 Charles Agree hired 2 architects away from Chicago's Rapp & Rapp Architectural firm [[known for the Chicago Theatre, the Michigan Theatre/Building, and the Leland House Hotel)... to help him designing the 1927 built Hollywood Theatre on Fort St. on the west side [[Detroit's largest neighborhood theatre with 3436 seats, razed 1963). Those 2 architects formed the architectural office of Graven & Mayger.... with their major Detroit commission being the old Mayanesque Fisher Theatre. Their partnership lasted only 18 months in 1927 and 1928... and I think that Agree took a lot of ideas from that short lived team.

Jefferson East Inc. also has a great web site if anyone new hasn't checked it out:

http://goeastjefferson.org

Nice to read this. I thought that building was a goner when that tree grew from or through the roof.

I love when people think buildings need to be torn down solely on the basis of when a tree emerges from some part of the building. Makes no sense.

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Originally Posted by Bobl

Nice to read this. I thought that building was a goner when that tree grew from or through the roof.

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hopefully fundraising and renovations will get underway soon. But who are the "big pocket" entities that would be willing to get involved.. if any?

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Originally Posted by rjlj

I love when people think buildings need to be torn down solely on the basis of when a tree emerges from some part of the building. Makes no sense.

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Omg, there's a tree in the backyard! Well, time to tear it up and start over...

I do believe the word "Plan" is used loosely and prematurely in this context.

What exists is a "Hope."

Jefferson East Inc. is/has been supported by the Kresge Foundation, DTE Energy Foundation and Bank of America among others. It appears they know the right kind of people to pull this off but the article did state that it is in the planning stage.

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Originally Posted by Gistok

That would be wonderful news Lowell. From the exterior it is one of Detroit's Art Deco jewels. And the interior is was a Mayan fantasy. I do believe that Charles Agree took some of the old Fisher Theatre Mayan cartouche plasterwork casts and reused them to finish off the exotic interior of the Vanity.

In 1927 Charles Agree hired 2 architects away from Chicago's Rapp & Rapp Architectural firm [[known for the Chicago Theatre, the Michigan Theatre/Building, and the Leland House Hotel)... to help him designing the 1927 built Hollywood Theatre on Fort St. on the west side [[Detroit's largest neighborhood theatre with 3436 seats, razed 1963). Those 2 architects formed the architectural office of Graven & Mayger.... with their major Detroit commission being the old Mayanesque Fisher Theatre. Their partnership lasted only 18 months in 1927 and 1928... and I think that Agree took a lot of ideas from that short lived team.

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Gistok, this image may answer a couple questions and create a couple more, but then you probably have seen it.
As for the Vanity I am not holding my breath. Until its completely rehabbed I will not believe that the project will go forward.

Thanks p69rrh51! When that theatre was built in 1927... the owners thought that downtown was going to grow westward towards the train station... and that the theatre would be in the middle of things. But as we all know... the Great Depression knocked the wind out of downtown expansion... and the Hollywood Theatre, Detroit's largest neighborhood theatre, never found an audience large enough.

Besides using Graven & Mayger's ideas from the old Fisher Theatre.... I think that some of their Spanish/Moorish design work of theirs found their way into such buildings as the Whittier Hotel... and other structures. Agree in a 1980 era interview [[in his old age)... flippantly dismissed Graven & Mayger as little more than a footnote, when in actuality... they were a major source of inspiration for his more exotic work. After the Graven & Mayger office closed after 1 1/2 years [[1927-28)... they each went off on their own and designed some other buildings... such as in Chicago.

It appears that...

The Charles Agree-designed "CHICAGO APARTMENTS", a huge 1930's era apartment building located at the corner of Lawton and West Chicago, will be demolished by Sacred Heart Seminary for a planned expansion

http://www.mlive.com/business/detroi...minar...o.html

Google Maps Streetview of Chicago Apartments and Sacred Heart

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Originally Posted by masterblaster

It appears that...

The Charles Agree-designed "CHICAGO APARTMENTS", a huge 1930's era apartment building located at the corner of Lawton and West Chicago, will be demolished by Sacred Heart Seminary for a planned expansion

http://www.mlive.com/business/detroi...minar...o.html

Google Maps Streetview of Chicago Apartments and Sacred Heart

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One of Agree's very good designs. I think the complex could be rehabbed into a viable building similar to the rehab of the Western Electric Warehouse on Oakman Blvd.

I would be more impressed if the church did what pr69rrh51 suggested above. The neighborhood could use affordable housing more than an expanded seminary parking lot.

From the Mlive article:

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Parking spaces will be installed on the new land by the summer.


"The acquisition of the property demonstrates our long-term commitment to the City of Detroit and the neighborhood," said Monsignor Todd Lajiness, rector-president of Sacred Heart Major Seminary, in the release.


"It manifests our commitment to being a good neighbor and to the revitalization of the neighborhood by enhancing its beauty and its historic charm. Importantly, the acquisition also will have a positive impact in how we pursue our mission, giving us the necessary space to increase parking, enhance our green space, and allow our programs to flourish."

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I hope this project succeeds. It seems a lot more viable at this point than that Lee Plaza rehab. Has anybody heard anything about that lately?

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From what I've read, the Vanity was rented out to various groups for fund-raising and events. This is from October 5, 1939

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