Fine Arts Theater Available for $2 million

[masterblaster]

http://www.realestateone.com/homes/2...troit-MI-48201

Why has this theater sat vacant for so long? Anyone know the condition of it? Is 2 million a fair, reasonable asking price?

[56packman]

IT's very rough inside. If you are harboring a mental image of a beautiful vintage theater with ornate cast plaster and old world charm just get that thought out of your head right now. It's basically four bare brick walls. It sat for so long because a) that stretch of Woodward was no longer an entertainment destination after the early 70s, although I remember the theater being open in the mid 70s when we started working at the Fox, b) a subsequent owner used it as a front for a drug operation, or at least a tax dodge and c) No individual or organization with a solid plan has run it since the building was cleaned up after its long period of dormancy.

[Neilr]

After leaving the Oriole Theatre on Linwood [[now home of New Bethel Church), Prophet Jones took his ministry to the Civic Theatre on Woodward.



http://pimppreacher.com/post/9089107...-prophet-jones

[401don]

The building looks to be in good shape but it's days as a theater are probably over. Appears ripe for a reuse, a restaurant maybe? Tonight's Feature Attraction: Veal

[belleislerunner]

Tear that crap down - just another speculator trying to cash in on Detroit's "resurgence" without doing anything to further it. Wonder if the mysterious Congregational church fire can spread across Woodward.

[DetroiterOnTheWestCoast]

This is what the listing says:

"The Fine Arts Theater was Design by C. Howard Crane for the production of Black and white movies. This is a speculator opportunity to be apart of Detroit resurgence. Located in Midtown Historic District the old movie house is blocks form the Red Wings Arena Development, Downtown Detroit, Whole Foods, and tons of other Major Developments in the city."

Who prepares these listings? Someone with a 5th grade education?

Just a few observations:

-The theater was not "Design by C. Howard Crane." It was designed by C. Howard Crane.
-The theater was not intended for "the production of Black and white movies." Films were of course shown there, but not produced. And of they were initially black and white, not "Black and white." Capitalization is really not a difficult concept.
-A simple bit of research shows that the theater was not even built as a movie theater, even though it become such quite quickly.
-This is not "a spectacular opportunity to be apart of Detroit resurgence" but it could be an opportunity to be a part of Detroit's resurgence".
-The theater is not blocks "form" anything, but it is blocks "from" all sorts of things.

And this is a $2,000,000 listing.

[warsaw7]

Tear that crap down - just another speculator trying to cash in on Detroit's "resurgence" without doing anything to further it. Wonder if the mysterious Congregational church fire can spread across Woodward.

That's not cool. My friend's studio is right next to it.

[p69rrh51]

2 million puts this building out of reach for restoration/renovation. Looks like it will sit empty for a little longer.

[ScienceFair]

Tear that crap down - just another speculator trying to cash in on Detroit's "resurgence" without doing anything to further it. Wonder if the mysterious Congregational church fire can spread across Woodward.

What an ignorant comment. This is actually a mostly intact and inhabited block in a promising corridor of the City. Why would anyone tear it down? Yes, the building is empty, and yes the owner is looking to make a flip. But, that doesn't mean the building doesn't hold value. There has been work going on over the past few years, just not enough to demand millions of dollars.

BTW: The Congregational Church has never been on fire, unless you're speaking of folks being "on fire for the Lord!" I think you're referring to the First Unitarian that burned a couple years ago.

[EastsideAl]

Someone has the sugar plum fairies dancing in their head at $2 mil.

My dad was just talking about this theater and how, as a 24 hour theater during and after WWII, it was a good cheap place to sleep off a drunk or catch a few winks between his job at Chrysler and school at Wayne.

[animatedmartian]

2 million puts this building out of reach for restoration/renovation. Looks like it will sit empty for a little longer.

The problem isn't the cost, it's the awkward layout of the interior.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...e-for-sale.php

The space isn't very flexible and to really make use of the building, any would-be developer would have to completely rebuild the interior. Even if this building hadn't been vacant for whatever number of years, it would still be a pretty hard sell. Otherwise, it might just be easiest for it to become another small music venue.

Theatres are great for historical and cultural value, but pretty hard to convert into anything else.

[stasu1213]

Theatre would probably be good for amateur productions such as being performed at 1515 Broadway. Nice jumping off place for a new generation of "Not ready for prime time" actors.

[p69rrh51]

The problem isn't the cost, it's the awkward layout of the interior.

http://detroit.curbed.com/archives/2...e-for-sale.php

The space isn't very flexible and to really make use of the building, any would-be developer would have to completely rebuild the interior. Even if this building hadn't been vacant for whatever number of years, it would still be a pretty hard sell. Otherwise, it might just be easiest for it to become another small music venue.

Theatres are great for historical and cultural value, but pretty hard to convert into anything else.

I know all about the awkward layout of the building. On the other hand from a developers standpoint, the funds needed to bring the building back to life will exceed the value of the building when finished, especially with a 2 million dollar starting point. I highly doubt anyone is going to restore the building at a loss!

[downtownguy]

This is what the listing says:

"The Fine Arts Theater was Design by C. Howard Crane for the production of Black and white movies. This is a speculator opportunity to be apart of Detroit resurgence. Located in Midtown Historic District the old movie house is blocks form the Red Wings Arena Development, Downtown Detroit, Whole Foods, and tons of other Major Developments in the city."

Who prepares these listings? Someone with a 5th grade education?

Is Ralph Sach selling this one too? It seems to have the same hyperbole and outrageous selling price of the Park Avenue Building's recent listing.

[Richard]

The second floor windows,are they part of a second floor or provide light to open space on the first?

Edit.. the video worked scratch that.

If the ceiling height is there, apartments upstairs,3 commercial spaces down,dinner and a movie downstairs or as mentioned stage for inspiring actors etc. It has potential at the right price but does the double the sqft price of the Park equal a better location?

[Vitalis]

How many of you recall that the FA marquee trumpeted the following double feature for years and long after it had closed:
Jason and the Argonauts
Song of the South

Once upon a time I took a photo of the marquee to let an out-of-town friend know that the double
bill was still in play.