Gistok, sorry to have lost you on the point of the Pontch. However, I was in no way equating the butchering of historic structures with the design of the Pontch. There is no comparison, and you shouldn't, and I hope don't think there is any resemblance.

In no way does the crummy "renovation" of the Whitney, the Stroh Building, or the Lafayette compare.

The Pontch was an architect designed structure, and most people who are familiar with the Pontch give it high marks for it's overall design, including it's unexpected lobby and interior.

While I am in complete agreement that the other structures you mentioned should never have been touched, in the case of the Fisher Theatre, I feel that it's current interior design should not be touched either.

There is nothing short of returning it to it's Mayan deco spelendor that could be an improvement over how it looks today, which is, like it's Mayan predecessor, a snapshot of design, albeit good design, frozen in time.

In fact, the Fisher has had it's current interior design longer than it had the Mayan decor, and should be a consideration whether it's ever changed again.

You mention how foreigners don't like the Lafayette Park development, which I can understand, knowing how much of that sort of look has been built in Europe, especially in light of the immense destruction of the built environment brought on by WWII.

I, being American, and knowing the genius of our import, Mies van Der Rohe, can really appreciate it's qualities and it's place in our architectural heritage.

But good examples such as the Pontch, and even greater examples like the old Michcon [[One Woodward) also have their place.

And I particularly have a fondness for the old NBD [[Chase) building which is open, airy, and used superior materials in it's construction. Cheese grater, or not!