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Tarkus
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Username: Tarkus

Post Number: 128
Registered: 04-2006
Posted on Monday, October 30, 2006 - 2:28 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Driving by today (Mon.)I saw people going in and out of the Theatre building and the connected offices. There is also screened fencing around the building. Anyone know what's happening?
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Bob
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Username: Bob

Post Number: 1206
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Monday, October 30, 2006 - 2:34 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Preparing for demolition so Illich can turn it into another parking lot.
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Dan
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Username: Dan

Post Number: 1299
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, October 30, 2006 - 3:00 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

"screened fencing"

Was this the fence that has been there for months?
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Eric
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Username: Eric

Post Number: 574
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Monday, October 30, 2006 - 3:26 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

There's been a fence around that building since at least the Super Bowl
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Tetsua
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Username: Tetsua

Post Number: 841
Registered: 01-2004
Posted on Monday, October 30, 2006 - 3:41 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

What's with all the port a potties on the Statler site? I can't remember if they just got there, but there's gotta be close to 100 of them there.
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Ndavies
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Username: Ndavies

Post Number: 2277
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, October 30, 2006 - 3:44 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)


quote:

What's with all the port a potties on the Statler site?




They were brought in for yesterday's Marathon.
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Genesyxx
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Username: Genesyxx

Post Number: 604
Registered: 02-2004
Posted on Monday, October 30, 2006 - 3:53 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Probably more people taking pictures of the inside for our amusement!
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Exmotowner
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Username: Exmotowner

Post Number: 45
Registered: 06-2005
Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 8:21 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Please keep us informed. This is such an important historic building!! Hopefully Ilich is going to restore it!!!
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Stecks77
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Username: Stecks77

Post Number: 154
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 9:04 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The Ilitch folks went inside to audit the progress of their policy "demolition by neglect."
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Gistok
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Username: Gistok

Post Number: 3014
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 1:01 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The United Artists Theatre opened on Feb. 3, 1928. It was one of 3 similar theatres that Detroit Architect C. Howard Crane designed for the United Artists circuit.

UA principal owners actors Mary Pickford "America's Sweatheart", her husband Douglas Fairbanks Sr., and Charlie Chaplin commissioned Crane to design a trio of theatres for Los Angeles (2200 seats), Chicago (1739 seats) and Detroit (2070 seats). Mary Pickford even added a few Hollywood touches to Cranes design.

They were all built in a similar "Spanish Gothic" design, with Art Deco accents. No theatre architect did a better job of using Gothic architectural designs in a movie palace.

The Detroit UA has sat empty since 1972, although due to its awesome accoustics, it was used as a recording studio for the DSO in the 1980's. The Chicago UA, smallest of the 3 was pounded to rubble in 1990. The Los Angeles UA today is a Jehovah's Witness church.

Besides his twin Fox masterpieces, most theatre historians and architectural critics consider his United Artist designs his best work.

So to lose the Detroit UA would be a sad ending to a C. Howard Crane masterpiece, especially since Detroit has so much of his surviving work.
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Naturalsister
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Username: Naturalsister

Post Number: 853
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 1:26 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

For Mike Ilitch's name to be brought up in so many comments at DetroitYes, I sure do see a plethora of spelling options:

Bob: Illich
Exmotowner: Ilich
Stecks: Ilitch

Yaay! Stecks wins!!! Your prize, you get to walk over to the Fox Theater Offices and give him the finger!

Lowell - Clutch the pearls!!! The local spell check seems to like Bob's spelling best.

later - naturalsister

(Message edited by naturalsister on October 31, 2006)
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Stecks77
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Username: Stecks77

Post Number: 155
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 1:33 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Well said Gistok. I just wish the powers that be were aware of the value and history and then gave a shit.

It will take a special person or a consortium of individuals with a ton of money and dedication to save the United Artists. Ilitch did it once with the Fox but I don't think he'll do it again.

And in this economy its going to be tough.

I still wish one of the casino's would have considered it as an option to use the building and theatre in addition to whatever they wanted to design.

Unfortunately the building probably wasn't suited to their needs or the contemporary trends of casino architecture.
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Stecks77
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Username: Stecks77

Post Number: 156
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 1:40 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Naturalsister: I'd rather take a shit on his front porch and yell GO TIGERS as I run off into the distance.

Don't get me wrong. I know Ilitch has done a lot for this city but when it comes to managing most of his abandoned property, I don't have any respect for him.
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Gistok
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Username: Gistok

Post Number: 3015
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 1:47 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Stecks77... I'll bring the brown paper bag and the matches... :-)
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Stecks77
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Username: Stecks77

Post Number: 159
Registered: 08-2006
Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 1:50 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Sounds good Gistok. Let me go eat at Mexican Village first and then I'll be ready.

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