Easttown theatre building on fire

[Detroitej72]

I checked it out this morning. The front door was wide open and the lobby was totally trashed. I don't see how the theater can be saved at this point, which is too bad because up until a few years ago, the inside was in pretty decent shape.

[hamtown mike]

Theatre floor covered with mattresses. creepy creepy creepsters.

[buildingsofdetroit]

Posted the chapter on the Eastown from our upcoming book here:
http://www.buildingsofdetroit.com/places/east

[mauser]

Jeez BofD - who thought you would be writing what turns to be the obituaries for some of these places ? Dont blink lately - something will disappear.

[cub]

That corner is going to look awfully empty. I rode by there yesterday and saw some people sizing it up....Scrappers!

[goggomobil]

Somewhere, I have a recording of a WXYZ-FM [[Stereo 101!) announcing Spirit, Bloodwind Pig, and 'special guests', Taj Mahal, 'Saturday night at the Eastown'.

[Rocko]

Ironically, that streetlight was actually on and functioning the entire time the building was ablaze....and still worked at the end!!

This is a real architectural loss for the city.....which makes the efforts to protect the Redford, Alger, and Senate Theatres all the more important and worthwhile.

[Gsgeorge]

It is an unfortunate situation, but this building was already lost in many ways. It was afflicted by vandalism, scrapping, heavy decay, and to top it off was in the worst of locations. Finish it off and get rid of this sad sight.

[Detroitej72]

That corner is going to look awfully empty. I rode by there yesterday and saw some people sizing it up....Scrappers!

All the folks I witnessed though out the day were, as fellow DY'er, Danny would say, "hip skinny white, suburban kids" taking pictures and documenting the demise of a Detroit ghetto-hood institution.

[papillonaquatique]

Ironically, that streetlight was actually on and functioning the entire time the building was ablaze....and still worked at the end!!

This is a real architectural loss for the city.....which makes the efforts to protect the Redford, Alger, and Senate Theatres all the more important and worthwhile.

Are those the only surviving theaters? It seems everytime someone dares to mention a theater it gets destroyed. What a shame.

[daddeeo]

I like the old description of it as "The hell pit of rock and roll."
Time to find a grave marker for the place.

[Traxus]

Its head is on the chopping block:

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/g...8110806&Ref=PH

[East Detroit]

Anyone want to go in on the National with me?

[56packman]

The Senate is still for sale, step right up and you can save it!
Call Farbman, they can give you all the details. The building is in turn-key condition inside.

[Hermod]

This is a real architectural loss for the city.....which makes the efforts to protect the Redford, Alger, and Senate Theatres all the more important and worthwhile.

The Civic, the Vogue, the Ramona, and the Alger were my old stomping grounds.

The 25 cent Sat matinee at the Civic was mandatory for kids.

[detroitbob]

The Beverly at Grand River /Oakman Blvd is a church and the intetior of the original auditorium remains basically intact. The Tower, Great Lakes, Victory, Ferryfield, Grand Riviera and Riviera Annex, the Globe, and others I've missed are all gone. I just located a series of photographs I took of the Grand Riviera about 10 years prior to demolition. when I get a chance I will scan and post.

[buildingsofdetroit]

I just located a series of photographs I took of the Grand Riviera about 10 years prior to demolition. when I get a chance I will scan and post.

Bob! Those would be amazing to see! If it's OK with you, once I get the history of the Riviera up on the site, I'd love to be able to share them with people [[giving you full credit/retaining ownership, etc. Sadly, the Riviera passed on before I could see her. I wasn't old enough to drive. It and the Tuller are my two biggest regrets having not seen before they came down.

Here's an old postcard from the BuildingsofDetroit.com archives of the Riviera in better days:
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/c...ds/riviera.jpg
And here's a photo from its "worser" days:
http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/c...g?t=1281812727

[Hornwrecker]

There are 28 photos and six drawings of the Grand Riviera in the LOC HABS/HAER collection.

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/habs_haer/

[detroiturbex]

The Eastown after the fire:

[kraig]

This is a shame. I wanted to buy this building a few years ago, but the owner wanted 2.5 million for it. I didn't want the building that bad. But, all in all, it was in pretty good shape. The rehab wasn't going to be as bad as I anticiped. Again, it's a shame.

[Gistok]

Direct access to the Grand Riviera site that Krawlspace mentioned:
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage...pe=1&maxCols=4

[KarmicCurse]

Does anyone have pictures of that auditorium from its heyday?

[DetroitZack]

[DetroitZack]

[softailrider]

I like the old description of it as "The hell pit of rock and roll."
Time to find a grave marker for the place.

I remember a few drug addled nights in that place in the late 60's early 70's.