Gilbert to buy National Theater?

**innercitydoc** · October-15-13, 09:26 AM

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...xt%7CFRONTPAGE

**gumby** · October-15-13, 10:11 AM

Here is what I hope happens. Keep the facade and lobby if feasible, tear down auditorium [[nothing left anyways) and Sachs Building then build a large multi screen theater with ground floor retail all around on the rest of the block using the National Theater as the entrance. This would make for an awesome place.

**56packman** · October-15-13, 10:28 AM

Not a bad plan Gumbo--there isn't anything left to restore of the theater.

**Gistok** · October-15-13, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by 56packman

Not a bad plan Gumbo--there isn't anything left to restore of the theater.

Agree... I was part of the crew that cleaned out the interior of the place back in 2000 [[Preservation Wayne)... and thought that we had removed most of the interior [[plaster debris on the floor)... there really wasn't much to restore...

Even if a full [[expensive) restoration took place... the final result wouldn't be anything stunning, like the United Artists, if it were restored.

The facade and the very small Pewabic Pottery lined entrance lobby could be saved and adaptively reused. The rest is gone already...

**preserve** · October-15-13, 12:04 PM

Talk on ModelD about bringing "cabaret" to Detroit, that would be an ideal
location, or even old time bulesque with the baggy pants comedians.

**DetroitPlanner** · October-15-13, 12:21 PM

That worked so well for the Adams Theatre!

**gumby** · October-15-13, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

That worked so well for the Adams Theatre!

Difference is with Gilbert is he does stuff with the buildings he buys unlike Ilitch who owns the Adams façade.

**DetroitPlanner** · October-15-13, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by gumby

Difference is with Gilbert is he does stuff with the buildings he buys unlike Ilitch who owns the Adams façade.

Hey old Mike does things to his old buildings too. Just ask his friend Mr. Bulldozer.

**stasu1213** · October-16-13, 07:11 AM

Dan Gilbert might do the same thing that the developers of the Globe Building is doing; keep the façade and sides of the building, raze and rebuild the gut and back of it. The razing of the parking structure on Monroe is moving fast. I don't think that another parking structure is needed. One is almost completed on Broadway only a couple of blocks north.