United Artists Theatre

[DetroitDad]

Can one of our downtown residents take some photos of the recently discussed "framework" around the lower windows/doors of the UA? Due to health issues with my mother, I won't be able to get down there for at least another week.

It is somewhat hard to take pictures from the street, mostly because of the black covering over the fence.

You know, I wonder how "hot" office or residential space would be in the Fox, if theater offices and Little Caesars headquarters were to move into a new building. I also wonder how long Quicken will remain in Compuware's building. That is, Quicken was supposedly offered the Tuller, Statler, and United Artist sites. If Quicken accepted those sites, then how long would it take to actually renovate and build?

[Gistok]

Thanks for the info DetroitDad... I'll have to get down there next week with my camera to take an image from "next door" from higher than street level...

Sadly, when they remodeled [[butchered) the first 5 floors of the facade in the 1960s... it seems hardly likely that they will be recreating the historic terra cotta facade that was removed....

Unfortunately the United Artists original exterior [[in somewhat of a Romanesque style) was not one of C. Howard Cranes finer facades. It had a 5 story terra cotta lower arched facade, with mainly brickwork above and arches at the 18 story top..

Crane's finest facade among his Detroit commissions was his "Cambodian Rococco" 10 story Fox Building facade [[to match the Siamese-Byzantine theatre), which was finished in a very elaborate terra cotta skin.

Also Crane's 12 story Palms Building [[State/Fillmore Theatre) was done in a very nice neo-classical golden terra cotta.

His 6 story Capitol Building [[Detroit Opera House) has a wonderful deeply sculptured classical columned facade on Broadway [[back when the streetcar lines converged on Broadway... it was the main entrance). But the Madison Ave. side, which today is more of a main entrance was done in a much plainer columned red brick facade.

Anyway... it's not what the architect wanted... but what the client wanted... and Crane did the best he could.

Even though the UA was not is finest commission from the outside... the same could not be said for the theatre, which was one of his 5 best theatre designs [[among the 250+ theatres he designed).

[Kimberlaina]

Or they may make do and just remake the auditorium into a simpler design with less side wall ornamentation... not the best option, but realistically it could be the case.

This possibility scares me. I hope they don't turn it into something nondescript -- that could be just as bad a tearing it down

[esp1986]

This possibility scares me. I hope they don't turn it into something nondescript -- that could be just as bad a tearing it down

Either way, it is better than it has been for the past 25 years... on that note, I drove by last night and really liked what I saw. I was able to catch the right angle, and was able to see into the common area on the second floor [[directly above the retail shops). It appeared they have installed new hanging light fixtures, five or six matching ones in a row through the corridor, and they looked far nicer than construction lights. The columns appeared to be very white, indicating either being recently drywalled or painted, and the walls looked very clean, with no graffiti that is seen in the pictures of this building from the past. The 'window work' that was previously mentioned, is in fact wood. It is likely there until either the windows are replaced or they can have new pieces fabricated. It looked very promising from what I could see...

[mcsdetroitfriend]

Either way, it is better than it has been for the past 25 years... on that note, I drove by last night and really liked what I saw. I was able to catch the right angle, and was able to see into the common area on the second floor [[directly above the retail shops). It appeared they have installed new hanging light fixtures, five or six matching ones in a row through the corridor, and they looked far nicer than construction lights. The columns appeared to be very white, indicating either being recently drywalled or painted, and the walls looked very clean, with no graffiti that is seen in the pictures of this building from the past. The 'window work' that was previously mentioned, is in fact wood. It is likely there until either the windows are replaced or they can have new pieces fabricated. It looked very promising from what I could see...

Pictures, yes please=)

[kenp]

I went down their yesterday as well, I wish I had my camera. There is positve work going on, very exciting.

[esp1986]

Pictures, yes please=)

I didn't have a camera with me... I will try to stop by again next weekend.

[mcsdetroitfriend]

Any new photos/updates to be seen?
Thanks

[esp1986]

Any new photos/updates to be seen?
Thanks

went by there the other day... it appears a pair of windows were replaced... side by side, they are white now, possibly to be painted, third or fourth floor... inside those windows are masked with blue painters tape... lights were on in the ground floor sections for the first time in months... there was a ladder on the third or fourth floor up against the windows... nothing substantial can be seen from the street though.

My guess, is that they are doing as much as they can under the radar until they announce what they are officially doing. At that point, they will likely reveal the full story, and work may begin on the outside, as there is quite a bit to do outside in terms of restoration... On the note of Ilitch owned buildings, I drove by the Detroit Life Building on my way there, and every time I do, there seems to be different lights on in that building as well, so something may be going on over there once again as well...

[DetroitUA]

nice update esp! very excited to hear new windows are going in. I'd say we'll hear some formal announcement by the end of the year? Interesting what you say about the Life building as well. Finally some good things happening!

[DetroitDad]

I finally got some good views into the building and site from the People Mover, and there is definitely a lot of work being done to the inside. Some rooms on the lower floors look completely done on first glance. There is no peeling paint visible like in most buildings left to sit.

From my apartment, I can clearly see into the windows on the top five or so floors facing the Michigan Theater Building. While it's hard to see what they are doing, there has clearly been workers all the way up on those top floors.

As to lights in Downtown buildings, just about each of those buildings has it's own thread. However, I can regularly see lights and work going on in some of the more prominent buildings, including the Detroit Life Building, Grand Moose Lodge, United Artist Building, Book Tower, David Whitney Building, the building on Cass and Adams [[recently water damaged, apparently), and the Metropolitan Building. There is also tons of work going on in Midtown, as well as several small [[1-5 stories) buildings around Downtown.

[Gistok]

I'll likely be downtown, next door to the United Artists this upcoming week...

And I'll likely be allowed to take images from floors higher up.

But strangely enough... I feel a little guilty in peering over the "wall of secrecy" that the Ilitch's have put around the perimeter of the United Artists complex.

As much as I have been angry with the Ilitch's over the years over the demo of the Madison-Lenox, the Adams Auditorium, all the small buildings demoed in west Foxtown... I still remember the comments in a Free Press Op-Ed piece about the Ilitch family as being "flawed brilliance".

For all the small and midsized buildings that have fallen because of the Ilitch's, one has to balance that with the fact that they've saved 3 very large buildings... the Fox Theatre/Building, Masonic Temple [[paid the back due utilities which prevented certain closure, and taken over theatre booking), and now the UA complex. And maybe the Fine Arts facade on GCP will find a new life...

The United Artists complex is about as "far gone" as any downtown building and theatre. I believe that the Lafayette was in better shape than the UA Building, which is missing its' skin on its' SW side.... not to mention the bad shape of its' auditorium. The Detroit Opera House [[former Capitol/Grand Circus Theatre) was as "far gone and brought back to life" as any theatre in the country. But the United Artists Theatre is in even worse shape.

Economically it makes absolutely no sense to spend the money to bring the UA complex back to life, when empty buildings in better shape are available for sale for pennies on the dollar around downtown.

But every indication so far shows restoration/renovation....

Ya gotta love the intrigue... it makes for great speculation!

[DetroitDad]

I'll likely be downtown, next door to the United Artists this upcoming week...

And I'll likely be allowed to take images from floors higher up.

But strangely enough... I feel a little guilty in peering over the "wall of secrecy" that the Ilitch's have put around the perimeter of the United Artists complex.

As much as I have been angry with the Ilitch's over the years over the demo of the Madison-Lenox, the Adams Auditorium, all the small buildings demoed in west Foxtown... I still remember the comments in a Free Press Op-Ed piece about the Ilitch family as being "flawed brilliance".

For all the small and midsized buildings that have fallen because of the Ilitch's, one has to balance that with the fact that they've saved 3 very large buildings... the Fox Theatre/Building, Masonic Temple [[paid the back due utilities which prevented certain closure, and taken over theatre booking), and now the UA complex. And maybe the Fine Arts facade on GCP will find a new life...

The United Artists complex is about as "far gone" as any downtown building and theatre. I believe that the Lafayette was in better shape than the UA Building, which is missing its' skin on its' SW side.... not to mention the bad shape of its' auditorium. The Detroit Opera House [[former Capitol/Grand Circus Theatre) was as "far gone and brought back to life" as any theatre in the country. But the United Artists Theatre is in even worse shape.

Economically it makes absolutely no sense to spend the money to bring the UA complex back to life, when empty buildings in better shape are available for sale for pennies on the dollar around downtown.

But every indication so far shows restoration/renovation....

Ya gotta love the intrigue... it makes for great speculation!

As much as I complain and dislike their parking deserts and urban prairies, the sidewalks and streets surrounding those lots are among the most clean and taken care of in Detroit.

Most vacant buildings don't make money anymore. You can't just sit on something hoping you can flip it in the near future. That being said, if their is a way to make money off any of these mentioned buildings, the Ilitch Family should have no problem figuring it out, since they have access to more data and information about the area than just about anyone else in Metro Detroit.

[Whitehouse]

I finally got some good views into the building and site from the People Mover, and there is definitely a lot of work being done to the inside. Some rooms on the lower floors look completely done on first glance. There is no peeling paint visible like in most buildings left to sit.

From my apartment, I can clearly see into the windows on the top five or so floors facing the Michigan Theater Building. While it's hard to see what they are doing, there has clearly been workers all the way up on those top floors.

As to lights in Downtown buildings, just about each of those buildings has it's own thread. However, I can regularly see lights and work going on in some of the more prominent buildings, including the Detroit Life Building, Grand Moose Lodge, United Artist Building, Book Tower, David Whitney Building, the building on Cass and Adams [[recently water damaged, apparently), and the Metropolitan Building. There is also tons of work going on in Midtown, as well as several small [[1-5 stories) buildings around Downtown.

Next time you take the people mover pull the emergency brake. It should give you some time to view inside.

But strangely enough... I feel a little guilty in peering over the "wall of secrecy" that the Ilitch's have put around the perimeter of the United Artists complex.

As much as I have been angry with the Ilitch's over the years over the demo of the Madison-Lenox, the Adams Auditorium, all the small buildings demoed in west Foxtown... I still remember the comments in a Free Press Op-Ed piece about the Ilitch family as being "flawed brilliance".

Don't feel guilty! Stories like those you post create a buzz, and generate publicity. And creating a buzz is one of the key components of underground marketing. If more people are curious enough to have an interest in this building, you let the owners know that peolpe care about that building. And that's a plus. Better that than the interst of scavengers.

[esp1986]

I finally got some good views into the building and site from the People Mover, and there is definitely a lot of work being done to the inside. Some rooms on the lower floors look completely done on first glance. There is no peeling paint visible like in most buildings left to sit.

From my apartment, I can clearly see into the windows on the top five or so floors facing the Michigan Theater Building. While it's hard to see what they are doing, there has clearly been workers all the way up on those top floors.

As to lights in Downtown buildings, just about each of those buildings has it's own thread. However, I can regularly see lights and work going on in some of the more prominent buildings, including the Detroit Life Building, Grand Moose Lodge, United Artist Building, Book Tower, David Whitney Building, the building on Cass and Adams [[recently water damaged, apparently), and the Metropolitan Building. There is also tons of work going on in Midtown, as well as several small [[1-5 stories) buildings around Downtown.

From what I could see from the ground, the floors right above the retail area certainly looked to be in the final stages of restoration... Drywall and fresh paint, the walls were as white as they could probably be, not dirty at all.

[chitaku]

I watch them on a daily basis and I feel like it is going to be part of a new arena complex. Just my theory

[esp1986]

I watch them on a daily basis and I feel like it is going to be part of a new arena complex. Just my theory

I have a feeling that they are getting ready for the arena... I doubt this will be part of the complex, but with it likely to be very nearby, Ilitch would probably want to have the area cleaned up a bit. This could very well end up being part of a Quicken development, however, as Dan Gilbert has said he wants it to have a strong entertainment development, as he tries to lure his employees downtown. But there is every possibility that this all begins to come to fruition at the same time.

[DetroitDad]

From what I could see from the ground, the floors right above the retail area certainly looked to be in the final stages of restoration... Drywall and fresh paint, the walls were as white as they could probably be, not dirty at all.

Yeah, that is exactly what I thought too...

That would mean things are further along than we think.

[DetroitDad]

I have a feeling that they are getting ready for the arena... I doubt this will be part of the complex, but with it likely to be very nearby, Ilitch would probably want to have the area cleaned up a bit. This could very well end up being part of a Quicken development, however, as Dan Gilbert has said he wants it to have a strong entertainment development, as he tries to lure his employees downtown. But there is every possibility that this all begins to come to fruition at the same time.

Maybe.

It seems like an awful lot of people are positioning themselves to overcome the last few problems we had in the last try at a real renaissance [[2005-2006). One of the problems was that almost everyone started way too late, leaving many developments unfinished, or finished long after the good times were gone.

Unfortunately, this next recovery and period of growth seems like it may be very small and short lived. But, either way, Detroit and many Detroiters, especially the movers and shakers, seem to be ready to take advantage of the next set of opportunities and milk them for all that their worth.

You know what they say, if at first you don't succeed....

[esp1986]

Maybe.

It seems like an awful lot of people are positioning themselves to overcome the last few problems we had in the last try at a real renaissance [[2005-2006). One of the problems was that almost everyone started way too late, leaving many developments unfinished, or finished long after the good times were gone.

Unfortunately, this next recovery and period of growth seems like it may be very small and short lived. But, either way, Detroit and many Detroiters, especially the movers and shakers, seem to be ready to take advantage of the next set of opportunities and milk them for all that their worth.

You know what they say, if at first you don't succeed....

I posted late last week that it looked as if a pair of windows had been replaced. I went by again last night, and it looked as if they have marked a number of other windows for replacement, signified with a big 'X' made from blue painters tape.

The only thing I am curious about is when the outside will get some attention. The outside is going to require quite a bit of work, to remove the remnants of the wavy canopy and make it look like an inhabitable building again. Time will tell.

[kathy2trips]

article:
"Old movie houses find audience in the Plains" - 'In a small town, the theater is like a neighborhood'
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38093486...new_york_times

It would be nice if The UA could anchor the area like they do in these small towns. Maybe double as a "lunch and a movie" for employees in the area.

[mcsdetroitfriend]

I am very curious to see some photos! Me being stuck in the Mediterranean has me longing for info!

[buckster1986]

I took these pictures today...along with a few other buildings I wanted to check up on....

[Rocko]

Wow, Buckster, thanks for the photos. Much more progress with the windows than even I imagined!

[exmotowner]

Well one thing for sure he is not demolishing the building. Just hope he's restoring the theater also.