The National Theater restoration is coming!

[Designerguy24]

According to this article in Detroit Curbed. The National Theater is slated to be restored. Thoughts? Comments? http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...umors.php#more

[motz]

Deceptive headline, but I would be VERY excited to hear this. That place is amazingly gorgeous on the outside, I really hope they could do it justice inside.

[drjeff]

On a related note, I heard from a reliable source that the Michigan theater is also set to be renovated. Not the actual theater, but the rest of the building.

[One Shot]

I would love to see the facade lit up the way it was originally designed. When you walk by it and see the number of light bulb sockets it must have been awesome looking at night!

[esp1986]

I would love to see the facade lit up the way it was originally designed. When you walk by it and see the number of light bulb sockets it must have been awesome looking at night!

I once saw a really poor postcard shot of the National lit up at night around the time it opened, 20s I believe. And yes, it looked awesome.

[p69rrh51]

National Theatre 118 Monroe Street built in 1911.

[EastsideAl]

I once saw a really poor postcard shot of the National lit up at night around the time it opened, 20s I believe. And yes, it looked awesome.

You mean like this?:



I think it would be really great if they brought back the giant clown sign too!

[EastsideAl]

Oh, and just to be historically accurate, bring back Scurvy Miller



And Lottie the Body too

[Gistok]

Nice pics of the National all...

If they were to restore it to its' original interior looks, good luck! There is less to work with than with the United Artists Theatre. A LOT of plasterwork has been lost. However, it was very tame and not elaborate, so possibly since the theatre is relatively small [[800 seats), it could be doable. However, I think that a "renovation" is more likely than a "restoration".

As for the Michigan Building, let me put several rumors to rest... 1) contrary to what the Free Press reported recently the Michigan Building is not actively for sale. But that's not to say it is absolutely NOT for sale. It's always been for sale... at the right price... but no one has ever offered "the right price"...

And another rumor... the Michigan Building is also not being renovated... except for some temporary work to blend in with the Transformers 4 movie that will be filming there July 31 thru August 7.

Back during the 2005 Superbowl cleanup of downtown, the building did apply for some Superbowl facade improvement funds... but for some odd reason [[even though there was money left over at the end of the funding)... the Michigan Building was denied funds, because the city said the paperwork was not in order... the mountain of paperwork that was filled out by the building secretary of over 20 years [[who knows her way around city forms) was denied, while the temporary worker hired to fill out the National Theatre's request for a facade improvement miraculously passed the paperwork inspection... odd how that worked out??

But no, the Michigan Building is not going to get any facelift in the immediate future.

[esp1986]

Nice pics of the National all...

If they were to restore it to its' original interior looks, good luck! There is less to work with than with the United Artists Theatre. A LOT of plasterwork has been lost. However, it was very tame and not elaborate, so possibly since the theatre is relatively small [[800 seats), it could be doable. However, I think that a "renovation" is more likely than a "restoration".

As for the Michigan Building, let me put several rumors to rest... 1) contrary to what the Free Press reported recently the Michigan Building is not actively for sale. But that's not to say it is absolutely NOT for sale. It's always been for sale... at the right price... but no one has ever offered "the right price"...

And another rumor... the Michigan Building is also not being renovated... except for some temporary work to blend in with the Transformers 4 movie that will be filming there July 31 thru August 7.

Back during the 2005 Superbowl cleanup of downtown, the building did apply for some Superbowl facade improvement funds... but for some odd reason [[even though there was money left over at the end of the funding)... the Michigan Building was denied funds, because the city said the paperwork was not in order... the mountain of paperwork that was filled out by the building secretary of over 20 years [[who knows her way around city forms) was denied, while the temporary worker hired to fill out the National Theatre's request for a facade improvement miraculously passed the paperwork inspection... odd how that worked out??

But no, the Michigan Building is not going to get any facelift in the immediate future.

As for the National, I think it would be great just to see the shell saved. If that's the case, we should all be happy they saved that much after the past few decades it has endured. It's a shame, I know, but in any other city, it may not even be standing today, as progress may very well have toppled it long ago. The exterior architecture is second to none, and we should be thankful for that. If Gilbert is involved, I imagine we would see a very modern interior. All we can do it wait and see.

[rjlj]

Good work contradicting yourself and admitting to it in the same post with regards to the sale of the Michigan Theatre building. Yes, it has been for sale for many years, but at the right price.

As for the the National Theatre building, I hope it survives and it can, it has solid bones. The interior of the Garden Theatre is not being restored to its original grandeur. If the Garden can be restored, the National can be restored, even if all the original plaster work is not to original specs. I'm just thankful the city has not taken control of the National.

Nice pics of the National all...

If they were to restore it to its' original interior looks, good luck! There is less to work with than with the United Artists Theatre. A LOT of plasterwork has been lost. However, it was very tame and not elaborate, so possibly since the theatre is relatively small [[800 seats), it could be doable. However, I think that a "renovation" is more likely than a "restoration".

As for the Michigan Building, let me put several rumors to rest... 1) contrary to what the Free Press reported recently the Michigan Building is not actively for sale. But that's not to say it is absolutely NOT for sale. It's always been for sale... at the right price... but no one has ever offered "the right price"...

And another rumor... the Michigan Building is also not being renovated... except for some temporary work to blend in with the Transformers 4 movie that will be filming there July 31 thru August 7.

Back during the 2005 Superbowl cleanup of downtown, the building did apply for some Superbowl facade improvement funds... but for some odd reason [[even though there was money left over at the end of the funding)... the Michigan Building was denied funds, because the city said the paperwork was not in order... the mountain of paperwork that was filled out by the building secretary of over 20 years [[who knows her way around city forms) was denied, while the temporary worker hired to fill out the National Theatre's request for a facade improvement miraculously passed the paperwork inspection... odd how that worked out??

But no, the Michigan Building is not going to get any facelift in the immediate future.

[Gistok]

Good work contradicting yourself and admitting to it in the same post with regards to the sale of the Michigan Theatre building. Yes, it has been for sale for many years, but at the right price.

As for the the National Theatre building, I hope it survives and it can, it has solid bones. The interior of the Garden Theatre is not being restored to its original grandeur. If the Garden can be restored, the National can be restored, even if all the original plaster work is not to original specs. I'm just thankful the city has not taken control of the National.

What I meant is that there is no sign or huge banner on the building [[as there is next door on the United Artists) proclaiming that they seriously want to unload the building [[although I'm not sure Ilitch's banner on the UA is there to placate the city enforcement department, or a serious sale offer).

Unlike many Class A or Class B office buildings downtown, the Class C Michigan Building has had a very high occupancy rate, which would be the envy of other building owners.

As for the National Theatre... the city had owned it for probably 2 decades until a developer bought it prior to the Superbowl. The City did put a new roof on it back when they owned it, but that was long after the severe plasterwork damage was already done. Back in 2000 they allowed Preservation Wayne [[now Preservation Detroit) volunteers to clean out the fallen plaster debris from the interior [[at least 20 tons of it), so it could be marketed to interested parties. So now much of the interior is sadly bare brick walls bereft of any ornate plasterwork, but the Pewabic Pottery tiled small entrance vestibule is in great shape.

[beachboy]

Gistok, did the National Theater ever have a musical pipe organ? Although
the drawings posted earlier show a space behind the forward box seats, it
seems as though this space is for a stairwell. What are your thoughts?

[sumas]

I almost was in the National once. Was on a double date and the National had more or less become sleazy Burlesque. On our way to the door, police told us the place was being raided and to go home. We left!

The exterior is so beautiful and would love to see it restored.

[Zacha341]

This is great news to have this lovely building restored. I found this 2005 MT article on the burlesque life there... specifically legends like Lottie the Body and Toni Elling. Interesting:

Paradise Regained: Detroit's Legends of Burlesque Reminisce

http://www2.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=8034

[beachboy]

This is great news to have this lovely building restored. I found this 2005 MT article on the burlesque life there... specifically legends like Lottie the Body and Toni Elling. Interesting:

http://www2.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=8034

Thank you for posting the link, Zacha!! IIRC, this was where my uncle
took me to see what he called "burly-kew" ... and I goggled at a pair of
[[o) [[o) with tassels! I asked to see the "girls" afterward, and somehow
we got backstage ... they were very sweet ... fading memories <sigh>

[56packman]

The National never had an organ as far as I know, and I'm the guy who's supposed to know. It opened as a vaudeville house, and they typically did not have pipe organs.

[beachboy]

The National never had an organ as far as I know, and I'm the guy who's supposed to know. It opened as a vaudeville house, and they typically did not have pipe organs.

Thank you, 56packman!!

BTW, did I miss you at ATOS/Atlanta? The Fox Moller was
in fine voice, as was the Alabama 4/[[now 32) Wurlitzer!!

[Gistok]

Hi beachboy... yes 56packman knows his theatre organs!

One vaudeville house that did have an organ was the Capitol [[later Paramount, Broadway Capitol, Grand Circus and now Detroit Opera house).

Originally it had a Hillgreen-Lane Organ when it opened in 1922, along with curtains where the organ grille was. When Paramount-Publix took over in 1925, they found the original organ inadequate [[for reasons that 56packman would best be able to tell).

So it was replaced with a Publix 1 Wurlitzer Organ, which was also installed in the 1925 opened State Theatre.

The drapery covering the entire organ grille opening was also replaced with a plaster organ grille.

Although it wasn't the largest organ in the city [[the Fox 4/36, Fisher 4/34 and Michigan 5/28 were larger)... it had the best sound [[according to 56packman).

Sadly of the 5 large organs... much of the Capitol organ is in the Oakland Paramount, the State organ is in the San Francisco Castro Theatre, and the Michigan's organ is installed in the basement chamber of the mansion of [[now octoganarian) Fred Hermes of Racine Wisconsin [[upgraded to 5/32). 56packman has also been fortunate enough to have been a guest at that mans house and heard the organ.

The unique one of a kind Fisher Organ is now in the Senate Theatre, and the Fox's mighty Wurlitzer is still in its' original setting, as is the Moller Organ in the lobby. Only 4 theatres are known to have had an independent lobby organ... and the Detroit Fox's is the only one still in its' original place.

[buckster1986]

Nice pics of the National all...

If they were to restore it to its' original interior looks, good luck! There is less to work with than with the United Artists Theatre. A LOT of plasterwork has been lost. However, it was very tame and not elaborate, so possibly since the theatre is relatively small [[800 seats), it could be doable. However, I think that a "renovation" is more likely than a "restoration".

As for the Michigan Building, let me put several rumors to rest... 1) contrary to what the Free Press reported recently the Michigan Building is not actively for sale. But that's not to say it is absolutely NOT for sale. It's always been for sale... at the right price... but no one has ever offered "the right price"...

And another rumor... the Michigan Building is also not being renovated... except for some temporary work to blend in with the Transformers 4 movie that will be filming there July 31 thru August 7.

Back during the 2005 Superbowl cleanup of downtown, the building did apply for some Superbowl facade improvement funds... but for some odd reason [[even though there was money left over at the end of the funding)... the Michigan Building was denied funds, because the city said the paperwork was not in order... the mountain of paperwork that was filled out by the building secretary of over 20 years [[who knows her way around city forms) was denied, while the temporary worker hired to fill out the National Theatre's request for a facade improvement miraculously passed the paperwork inspection... odd how that worked out??

But no, the Michigan Building is not going to get any facelift in the immediate future.

The Michigan Theatre Building is actually currently being marketed as for sale and has been for several months. It's currently listed for $3 million with a local brokerage company.

[Gistok]

I talked with the owners secretary last week, and the Michigan Building has always been available for sale... ... perhaps not as noticeably....

[Gistok]

I'm going to correct myself here... contrary to news reports or rumors... the Michigan Building IS NOT and HAS NOT been actively for sale... nor has it been sold. I got that info from the top.... end of rumor....

Also... the comment of the building being "only" 50% occupied... WRONG... the building is quite occupied... and I'll leave it at that...