United Artist Building Renovation Begins... Finally

[Vitalis]

Okay, one more look back at the extraordinary legacy of films at the United Artists theater, with fond memories. This story is about movie competition. Ben-Hur and Spartacus, two mammoth productions, each a mature take on the sword and sandals offerings of the times, went toe-to-toe, when Spartacus was in pre-release marketing mode. Ben-Hur at the UA had already been playing for eight months, when Spartacus started buying ads in October, 1960. The Ben-Hur ads had been much smaller for a number of weeks after winning all those Oscars. But once Spartacus showed up in the amusement pages, the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer office in Detroit was forced to go big once more. The Metro people or perhaps the Universal International team, requested that their ads be placed side-by-side or one above the other through the rest of the year.

[Wesley Mouch]

Please can someone explain to me why the City of Detroit keeps approving surface parking lots within downtown? I don't get it.

Vestigal liberty?

CoD gets permit application. Staff reviews it. It meets zoning. Permit issued.

Why would they deny an application.

If you want something different, buy some land and build it.

[K-slice]

Vestigal liberty?

CoD gets permit application. Staff reviews it. It meets zoning. Permit issued.

Why would they deny an application.

If you want something different, buy some land and build it.

Right, as long as it's up to code nothing can be done but to approve of the work scope. There's also no historic district encompassing the theater which is where preservationists typically have their shot.

The city does need to look into this as an issue though and the tax code would be a good place to start. Taxing these lots off their potential rather than their worth would be a good start.

For example, tax the new parking lot that the Saturday Night Building was demolished for as if it was still a 3 story office building. Penalize those who sit on these lots just to try and flag in cars on game day, thereby incentivizing highest [[pun intended) and best use.

[ABetterDetroit]

Right, as long as it's up to code nothing can be done but to approve of the work scope. There's also no historic district encompassing the theater which is where preservationists typically have their shot.

The city does need to look into this as an issue though and the tax code would be a good place to start. Taxing these lots off their potential rather than their worth would be a good start.

For example, tax the new parking lot that the Saturday Night Building was demolished for as if it was still a 3 story office building. Penalize those who sit on these lots just to try and flag in cars on game day, thereby incentivizing highest [[pun intended) and best use.

Thank You.

Michigan Property Tax Laws Are FUBAR. They are effectively still driving residents and businesses out of the state. The Idiots in Lansing are to stupid to grasp the concept of being competitive with a majority of the other states in the country.

[Former_Detroiter]

Okay, one more look back at the extraordinary legacy of films at the United Artists theater, with fond memories. This story is about movie competition. Ben-Hur and Spartacus, two mammoth productions, each a mature take on the sword and sandals offerings of the times, went toe-to-toe, when Spartacus was in pre-release marketing mode. Ben-Hur at the UA had already been playing for eight months, when Spartacus started buying ads in October, 1960. The Ben-Hur ads had been much smaller for a number of weeks after winning all those Oscars. But once Spartacus showed up in the amusement pages, the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer office in Detroit was forced to go big once more. The Metro people or perhaps the Universal International team, requested that their ads be placed side-by-side or one above the other through the rest of the year.

I saw Ben-Hur at the UA theater Saturday Matinee in 1960. Everybody was given a pair of 3D glasses. Watching the chariot race in 3D was amazing. A childhood memory I have never forgotten.

[Gistok]

This is the current look of the interior of the United Artists Theatre... after 20 years of Ilitch demolition by neglect.

The Detroit Opera House was restored by recreating 90% of the interior plasterwork... so for anyone except the Ilitches and Emmett Moten Jr. this would be doable...

[K-slice]

I've seen pics of it looking even worse than that. Not to say it couldn't/ shouldn't be saved, although it won't be, but this post from 2020 has it looking pretty rough.

https://afterthefinalcurtain.net/202...re-detroit-mi/

Don't forget everyone! The Ilitches are great preservationists because they renovated the Fox 35 years ago!

[masterblaster]

I've seen pics of it looking even worse than that. Not to say it couldn't/ shouldn't be saved, although it won't be, but this post from 2020 has it looking pretty rough.

https://afterthefinalcurtain.net/202...re-detroit-mi/

Don't forget everyone! The Ilitches are great preservationists because they renovated the Fox 35 years ago!

Oh my goodness, the deterioration of the theater space from Gistok's photo to the photo on the website is absolutely shocking and infuriating and saddening. How can a billion dollar family treat a downtown building like that?

[Gistok]

^ No they are actually of the same interior. Both pictures were taken after the roof was repaired [after the damage was done], and with the main floor cleaned out of debris. Only the photo I posted only shows a closeup of the ornate plasterwork, the back part of the auditorium photo shows all the sidewalls... which were mainly just flat plaster walls painted to look like stone ashlar blocks with 2 murals from "Rajastan" [which were all painted over in the 1950s]. The sidewall flat plaster shell of the back of the auditorium is totally gone, but replacing flat plaster is not difficult.

[Gistok]

When the Capitol Theatre was restored into the Detroit Opera House, 90% of the plasterwork was new/replaced.

[Lowell]

^Amazing pictures! David DiChiera was a true Detroit Hero.

[EastsideAl]

I've seen pics of it looking even worse than that. Not to say it couldn't/ shouldn't be saved, although it won't be, but this post from 2020 has it looking pretty rough.

https://afterthefinalcurtain.net/202...re-detroit-mi/

Don't forget everyone! The Ilitches are great preservationists because they renovated the Fox 35 years ago!

It was Chuck Forbes who saved the Fox when it was closed, decaying, and appeared to be in grave danger. Ilitch came along a few years later with the money to actually complete the renovation that Chuck had planned, after they saw the profit potential in a renovated theater and office building.