United Artists Theatre

[Toolbox]

Kimberlaina, are you sure it's not that photographer who took photos of Detroit's ruins, the auditorium of the UA among them, and his work became a traveling show? My major complaint of his work is that he only wanted to show the bad stuff, and not bother with the good stuff [[likely to give his show more shock value than anything else).

If it's that guy and his show... he posted here recently, but didn't get a really great reception, with some justification.

Kind of like this guy that everyone goes gaga over.

Or NEO who just had that book come out.

[Gistok]

Gnome, I don't think that's in the cards for practical reasons.... they would have to close W. Adams at Park, and parts of Clifford Ave.... the Tuller/UA block [[even completely empty) is not big enough for an arena.

The United Artists Theatre auditorium faces the stage in a West-South-West direction, so that really could not be incorporated into an arena [[it would have to sort of face northwards).

Also, I imagine trying to shoehorn an arena between the Michigan Bldg,. and the 2 towers on W. Adams [[west of Park Ave.)... may not leave enough space for an arena, and a roadway of sorts around the arena complex [[for fire safety reasons). Also that would mess with the downtown remains of the "Woodward Plan" of radiating roadways. Not sure the Detroit Historical Commission would approve [[after all they did make the Ilitch's keep the Fine Arts Building facade).

We would need to get some of our Photoshop experts to take a JLA or Palace footprint and see where it would fit overlayed onto a west Foxtown map to really see what is practical and possible. There's a few old threads tht do just that, but they mainly use the areas between Park & Cass... and Cass & Grand River.

[Gistok]

Kind of like this guy that everyone goes gaga over.

Or NEO who just had that book come out.

Exactly.... except these folks go to the trouble of doing research and explaining things.... that traveling art show guy just shows pictures and say's it's Detroit... nothing more...

[Gistok]

That would explain the recurring people mover stop rumors as well.

Gnome, a few years ago I did a check on the People Mover route, and the longest distance between stops is obviously that between JLA and the Financial Center Station [[along the river)... with the closest stops being between Millender Center and Renaissance Center.

The next longest gap between stops was between the David Whitney [[GCP) station and the Times Square station [[crossing the very wide expanse of Washington Blvd. wrapping around the former Statler Hotel site on 2 1/2 sides, going past the AAA and Parker-Webb Buildings and then Times Square). The halfway point in this long journey is practically in front of the UA complex.

The ironic thing is that before the demo of the Tuller and Statler.... that stretch of Bagley [[from GCP to Grand River) had the biggest concentration of tall buildings anywhere downtown... after Griswold St. in the Financial District. So I always thought it was rather odd that Bagley didn't have a station.

If a 14th station were to be built there... I could envision 2 exits/entrances for pedestrians using that station. One would be in front of the UA [[sort of like the one in front of the David Whitney Bldg.)... and the other would be a walkway going thru the UA complex, crossing over Adams Ave. via a skyway... and into a new Arena north of Adams, and somewhat west of Park Ave. [[west of the 2 tall towers along W. Adams).

But that's just my interpretation of how a UA station would tie into a new arena. I could see much of the Tuller portion of the block used as a massive parking structure as well [[hopefully the narrow portion facing GCP would have a better use). Several other forumers in the past have mentioned this.

The big question still remains... what would the UA complex be used for?

Again... this is all just a big pipe dream [[no not crack pipe!)... but the UA is being renovated for something??

[DetroitUA]

It seems to me the UA is being renovated for theatre/live performance use. Illitch knew he was buying the Pistons, probably in negotiations for months so he started to rehab this place. As soon as news of where he plans to build are announced, anything around that will start developing - so he's preparing the office tower and storefronts for that announcement.

[esp1986]

Drove by the UA this weekend. I can say for certain that something is going on, on the ground floor, in the area next to the theatre entrance. The walls and ceiling have been cleaned up and it appears that drywall either has been or is about to be installed. Part of this area looks about as good as the area above it, that appears to already have been cleaned up.

[Whitehouse]

This Maiden looks more like a Madonna....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/allanm/...n/photostream/

Found a more colourful version. Here the two pictures compared.
No date stamp on the picture though, but it would be great if this was a recent shot!
Which one is more realistic?
This one shot by Sean Doerr.)


Fun to read live chat with Dan Austin.

[Whitehouse]

CAN I HEAR "WOW?"

Some more fuel for your speculative intrigue.

I found a HUUUUUGE version of that picture!!! The indian maiden is in the top-left corner! She's still there!!

Just marvel at the details!!! Now you can read that message on that tape: "Danger, do not enter".

Yes it does... looks like Mr. Moore doesn't do much in the way of image identification. His images certainly aren't going to be found using a specific Google search.

Wonder no more!! This picture was shot by a Catherine Fox. [[Is that a pun? ) Anyone know her and can ask if she has more treasures? This picture was uploaded April 29th this year. Mail her! Never mind, I already did. Keep your fingers crossed!

This calls for a victory dance.


Edit:
Looks like another recent picture. The theater looks cleaned up. It's another Sean Doerr picture.

[kryptonite]

Thanks Whitehouse, great pictures, very thought provoking. wow, something cool must be in the works.

[esp1986]

CAN I HEAR "WOW?"




I found a HUUUUUGE version of that picture!!! The indian maiden is in the top-left corner! She's still there!!

Just marvel at the details!!! Now you can read that message on that tape: "Danger, do not enter".




Wonder no more!! This picture was shot by a Catherine Fox. [[Is that a pun? ) Anyone know her and can ask if she has more treasures? This picture was uploaded April 29th this year. Mail her! Never mind, I already did. Keep your fingers crossed!

This calls for a victory dance.


Edit:
Looks like another recent picture. The theater looks cleaned up. It's another Sean Doerr picture.

I don't want to burst any bubbles, but all of these pictures, in their smaller versions, have been on Flickr for over a year now. It is nice, however, to see some larger ones.

[BrushStart]

Not be a downer also, but the difference between the two pictures just seems to be the result of different cameras. One camera has a clear/bright flash, the other doesn't. Or, the photos could have been taken in different lighting. Either way, I just don't see the difference. That said, I still wholeheartedly believe that there is a serious renovation taking place at United Artists, either to market the building for sale, or for Ilitch to use it somehow for himself.

[Gistok]

Love the purple painted area in the close up pic near the stage.....

The last pic also shows something I haven't seen before.... electricity! There are lights suspended on long cords from the left and right sides of the auditorium ceiling.

The amount of plasterwork detail shown in that large image is amazing!

[Gistok]

CAN I HEAR "WOW?"




I found a HUUUUUGE version of that picture!!! The indian maiden is in the top-left corner! She's still there!!

Whitehouse... I've had time to study some of the statuary of the Detroit United Artists Theatre. And it was rather a strange mix.... there were Indian Maidens in the outer lobby and auditorium, there were a pair of monks on either side of the organ grilles... and there were angels that circled the ceiling dome [[many still totally intact). So the maiden that you show in that high resolution image, may have been a Madonna type image, instead of Indian Maiden. I don't see any headress on the female figure... and her pose is more religious... more like the Virgin Mary.

That's just my visual interpretation, not necessarily fact.

[mcsdetroitfriend]

Attachment 7702

String of lights were on and fully aglow yesterday, though no one was there and the fence blocking the parking lot was unlocked and swinging open

[TheKage]

Has anybody heard anything about Ilitch's plans for the United Artists Building? Work has been done recently, but any workers I've talked to around there are real tight-lipped about the project. It doesn't seem to be earmarked for demolition, so I'm curious what he has planned.

For light reading....
http://fromthekage.blogspot.com/

[Gistok]

http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthread.php?t=1733

[TheKage]

Thanks, I didn't see that earlier thread. Obviously I'm new to the crew.

[ASR89]

Welcome to the forum, TheKage.

[Gsgeorge]

The yellow debris chute running along the Bagley facade has recently been removed.

[Gistok]

Yes, welcome TheKage!!

That other thread will give you more information about the UA than you ever dreamed of! All except the $64,000 question... why is it being rehabbed??

[3WC]

I was talking to an associate in Detroit yesterday and he mentioned the UA building. He has said since work commenced that it will be Quicken Loan's new Detroit HQ when it's rehabbed in a couple of years. The Compuware space it's currently leasing has always been a short term proposition. If my associate's correct, you heard it here first.

[Mind field]

If that's true, it'd be a huge boost for Grand Circus Park and i'd see the Whitney and Broderick being renovated in short order.

[Gistok]

What 3WC said makes perfect sense in one special way....

The Detroit United Artists Building is not exactly a "crown jewel" as far as Detroit's empty buildings go. The David Whitney Building, Book Tower/Building and David Stott Tower are all in much better condition, are architecturally superior, and are in bettter locations than the UA complex.

So then why would Dan Gilbert want the UA as his HQ?

From what I gathered, Mr. Gilbert likes to hold big rallies for his employees. And what better building to have as a HQ than one that has a place that could hold up to 2,000... and the only place left downtown that can do that would be the UA complex. I think that without the theatre... the UA would not be an enticement for Gilbert, as say the David Whitney Building prominently located on Woodward would... with its spectacular 4 story ornate marbled arcade and glass domed ceiling.

Also the UA complex is surrounded by the empty Tuller site, and nearly empty Statler site... a good place for expansions. My guess is that if the UA becomes the new HQ for Quicken... then a new skin or facade is likely... to replace the botched 50s rehab, as well as the brick-less SW facade on Clifford.... this would be especially true if expansion of the complex is considered, and a unified look is sought.

[DetroitUA]

So the U.A. for Quicken has been debunked by the sale of the Madison...wonder what theory we can come up with next...Somethings going on there, for someone.

[Jason]

Not really, because the situation with the Compuware building is temporary, and probably the Madison building as well, are temporary. They're still going for a proper HQ.