Fisher Building

**9606 Prest** · September-01-11, 02:02 PM

Are there any art galleries, restaurants or shops worth visiting in the Fisher Building? Are most of the offices occupied?

**Detroitej72** · September-01-11, 03:39 PM

Try here:http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...uC7ZvT5qyRS7gA

**pkbroch** · September-01-11, 07:26 PM

Visit The Detroit Gallery of Contemporary Crafts. First floor Fisher Building.

Wonderful creative arts, has been a quality gallery since the 70's. The store has items that are totally unique.

**pkbroch** · September-01-11, 07:28 PM

Here is a link that tells about this Gallery. Good Shopping.

http://www.newcenterplace.com/stores/detroitgallery.htm

**gazhekwe** · September-01-11, 08:02 PM

The Fisher Building is worth a trip all by itself, the lobby and gallery are truly beautiful. There is an underground walkway to the old GM Building, now Cadillac Center. There is a great view from the mezzanine level also.

**kryptonite** · September-02-11, 07:47 AM

The Fisher Building is one of America's prettiest buildings. I am surprised that it isn't more publicized. It could be one of Detroit's greatest tourist attractions.

Sad though - the GM move to the RenCen was bad for the Fisher Bldg. The building and it's underground concourses used to be busy and thriving. Hopefully the growth in the 'Midtown' area will mean more business and occupants for the Fisher. The neighborhoods north of the Fisher Bldg are wonderful and the entire area could be a unique architecturally significant enclave. There have been some improvements along Woodward north of Grand Blvd, in my opinion the Fisher Bldg/New Center/Boston-Edison area has a promising future.

**stasu1213** · September-02-11, 08:57 AM

I am wondering that the reason that the Fisher Bldg as well as other beautiful buildings in Detroit are not being advertised for the amenities is for the owners of the buildings lives out of state and really don't care about promoting their investments[[properties and it amenities) to locals and visitors alike.

**kryptonite** · September-02-11, 09:36 AM

I have taken friends from England, France and Austria to the Fisher Building. They were amazed at the building. I often take visiting friends to the Fisher Building, the Guardian Building, if possible the Fox Theater. Detroit still has a good stock of impressive architecture: The Whitney, The Gem Theater, almost 30 historic churches in the downtown area, the Masonic Temple, the Book Cadillac, etc. But the Fisher Building is the greatest of all in my book.

**KarmicCurse** · September-06-11, 01:45 AM

I was just telling someone that if the Fisher was in Chicago or New York countless movies would have been filmed in that incredible gallery.

**Gistok** · September-06-11, 02:08 AM

Originally Posted by kryptonite

I have taken friends from England, France and Austria to the Fisher Building. They were amazed at the building. I often take visiting friends to the Fisher Building, the Guardian Building, if possible the Fox Theater. Detroit still has a good stock of impressive architecture: The Whitney, The Gem Theater, almost 30 historic churches in the downtown area, the Masonic Temple, the Book Cadillac, etc. But the Fisher Building is the greatest of all in my book.

Sadly... the Fisher was at its' best before 1960.... the Theatre Historical Society had this to say about the old Fisher Theatre...

"The old theatre was an impossibly wonderful Mayanesque style theatre. Mayanesque theatres were never in great supply, and on a truly grand scale, they numbered only one.... the Fisher."

While the new 2089 seat Fisher Theatre is made of quality materials... the 2,975 seat old Fisher Theatre was truly an amazing and exotic building in vermillion and gold.... with Banana trees in the [[then much larger 3 story) Grand Lobby.

When it was remodeled in 1960-61 to a 2/3 size... rather than just putting in a new shell inside the old theatre... they ripped out just about all of the ornate plasterwork... leaving only 1 single wall.... hidden from view.

**Rocko** · September-06-11, 08:59 AM

Actually, as ornate Detroit skyscrapers go, the Fisher does get some attention. I was in metro airport last week and they have stacks of "Historic Fisher Building" postcards for sale in the Gift/News shops. No postcards of the Guardian or any other similar building, just the Fisher. I feel like if they did weekly tours of the building, they'd be real popular.

**1953** · September-06-11, 09:04 AM

I wish the economy would rebound so they can build the other two towers of the Fisher Building's original design.

**Russix** · September-06-11, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by 1953

I wish the economy would rebound so they can build the other two towers of the Fisher Building's original design.

Some pics of that: http://criticaldetroit.org/unbuilt-detroit/

**animatedmartian** · September-06-11, 01:23 PM

More in-depth pictures of the original design[[s). http://www.internationalmetropolis.com/?p=82

Fisher has a nice silhouette away from the central skyline, but whatta sight that'd be seeing the 50-story tower from far out.

**ismoakrack** · September-06-11, 01:36 PM

Not to threadjack, but I fantasize about that happening with the larger [[planned) tower attached to the Book building. Other countries have revived and built plans after centuries of dormancy. Never out of the realm of possibility.

**stasu1213** · September-06-11, 05:50 PM

I was walking the tunnels today. I wish that more shops and restaurant would open inside the tunnels. That will be well visited area. I had taken one tunnel that had led to the Cadillac Bldg and discovered a cafe inside the Cadillac Bldg that has a second level where plush couches and a TV for anyone to watch.

**stasu1213** · September-06-11, 05:53 PM

Originally Posted by kryptonite

I have taken friends from England, France and Austria to the Fisher Building. They were amazed at the building. I often take visiting friends to the Fisher Building, the Guardian Building, if possible the Fox Theater. Detroit still has a good stock of impressive architecture: The Whitney, The Gem Theater, almost 30 historic churches in the downtown area, the Masonic Temple, the Book Cadillac, etc. But the Fisher Building is the greatest of all in my book.

One historic church that is being ignored is St John St Luke which is on Russell street south of Gratiot. I very nice 150 plus years church with an airy feel to it. It only opens on Sundays 10:30 am to 12:00PM

**Gistok** · September-06-11, 08:56 PM

Originally Posted by ismoakrack

Not to threadjack, but I fantasize about that happening with the larger [[planned) tower attached to the Book building. Other countries have revived and built plans after centuries of dormancy. Never out of the realm of possibility.

Very true ismoakrack....

Probably the most celebrated of all massive building project completions was Cologne Cathedral in Germany. It was started in 1248 in a high Gothic style with 150 ft. high vaults. The building slowed construction in the 1400's, and completely stopped by 1569.

The major reason for the slowdown and the eventual stopping of construction......
when you're trying to build the largest cathedral in the world.

The crane on the south tower of the Cathedral became the symbol of the city for several centuries.

In the early 19th century the original blueprints were found, and the building restarted in 1842 by the King of Prussia. It was such a vast undertaking that it consumed the entire life of the architects involved. When it was finally finished in 1880, the 515 ft. twin towers were the tallest buildings in the world for a few years. Even today the front of the church is the most massive church front in existence, and the south tower houses the heaviest swinging bell in the world.

**Zaiko** · September-06-11, 10:33 PM

Regarding ownership,
I talked to one of the Farbman sons in charge of the company a couple years ago. He said they own it. Their great uncle or great-great uncle was Albert Kahn. So they have good reason to own that real estate.

**Gistok** · September-07-11, 12:57 AM

Hey Zaiko.... thanks for that bit of information about the family connection.

I remember Rosalie Kahn, the 91 year old daughter of Albert Kahn talk about her father, and how they liked to bring family and friends over to the Fisher Building to show off what their father/grandfather had created. This of course was on the PBS "Detroit - Remember When" series from a few years back.

One interesting thing about this interview with Rosalie Kahn was that she mentioned that their family home [[Woodward/Mack) once fronted Rowena St. Older archival threads on DYES discuss the re-alignment of Mack Ave., which at one time did not go all the way to Woodward, and one part of this re-alignment resulted in the changing of the name of Rowena into Mack Ave.

**stromberg2** · September-07-11, 11:48 AM

Gistock, that cathedral is awesome! It's more art than architecture!

Stromberg2

**9606 Prest** · September-12-11, 05:08 PM

Does Eugene Schuster still operate London Arts on the 3rd. floor of the Fisher Building?

**Gistok** · September-12-11, 05:48 PM

LOL... thanks Stromberg2! Back in 1987 I was visiting relatives in Germany, and my cousin told me that if I ever wanted to visit Cologne Cathedral [[about a 4 hour drive from her house), that that was the time since it was the first time in over 40 years that there wasn't any scaffolding on the cathedral. I went and of course the front [[and inside) are so massive that you always need to take more than 1 photo to capture it all of whatever it is you want to photograph. Of course, since then the scaffolding has been back on... and is currently still there, for different parts of the cathedral are always in need of some work.

**Jason** · September-12-11, 07:54 PM

While it was designed by Albert Kahn's firm, it wasn't designed by Albert Kahn himself, it was designed by Joseph Nathaniel French. Since its such a big project Kahn probably oversaw it in some way but he didn't design it.