  Detroit_stylin Member Username: Detroit_stylin Post Number: 2672 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.202.227.12 |
I stopped by today and noticed a crew working inside. After inquiring on the who's who and what's what I was told that someone had actually bought the building and was possibly turning it back into a theater... Can anyone confirm or deny? | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 13 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 216.93.121.82 |
Last time I saw that theater there were plants and trees growing out of the roof and it was really sickening. I hope there is a future for that building. | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 14 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 216.93.121.82 |
http://www.forgottendetroit.co m/national/history.html some info on the last paragraph | ||
Toolbox Member Username: Toolbox Post Number: 903 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.184.29.148 |
Problem is......Last updated on April 29, 2004 | ||
Gambling_man Member Username: Gambling_man Post Number: 717 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 199.178.193.5 |
They are power-washing off the grime as we speak, looks awesome....... | ||
Chris_rohn Member Username: Chris_rohn Post Number: 229 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 69.220.233.37 |
did they pull out the trees growing in the spires? | ||
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 604 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.42.176.123 |
They pulled out the trees when they were doing work on the building in January. They were trying to rehab it to garner interest in redeveloping it during the Super Bowl. That didn't work out the last I heard and work stopped shortly after the Super Bowl. Glad to hear work is moving forward again. | ||
Detroitstar Member Username: Detroitstar Post Number: 13 Registered: 01-2006 Posted From: 35.8.144.6 |
I have never seen the inside, and therefore have no idea what the layout is or anything, but I always thought it would be a good location for a dinner/drink theater. Perhaps a stand up comedy club or something. I'm thinking something like "comedy Central Presents". | ||
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 605 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.42.176.123 |
I always thought they should run independent movies out of there, similar to the main art in Royal Oak or state theater in Ann Arbor. | ||
Machoken Member Username: Machoken Post Number: 1226 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 207.145.38.104 |
Don't you mean the Michigan theater in Ann Arbor? The State isn't primarily independents (at least not last time I checked...) Independents would do okay at the National, but they'd be competing with the DFT. Comedy clubs would be competing with the City theater (and others?). I like the dinner/drink theater idea though, we don't have enough of those around. | ||
Detroitstar Member Username: Detroitstar Post Number: 14 Registered: 01-2006 Posted From: 35.8.144.6 |
Come to think of it, I dont know if there are any dinner/drink theaters or comedy clubs downtown????? | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 51 Registered: 04-2006 Posted From: 68.40.50.194 |
Is Coco's House of Comedy still on Jefferson? | ||
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 606 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.42.176.123 |
That place closed up months ago. | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 247 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 129.9.163.234 |
The National is a case where the exterior far outshines the interior. It is sort of a plain Roman/Greek revival sort of interior, but little of that remains intact today (see forgotten's pics). It's a miracle it still stands. It's not that big a place, and would lend itself to something intimate, but there's a boatload of $$$$ needed before the first performance takes place. How about renaming it the Bill and Melinda Gates/Starbucks Cabaret? | ||
Krawlspace Member Username: Krawlspace Post Number: 251 Registered: 04-2004 Posted From: 69.14.112.159 |
I posted a lot of interior photos of the National last year. Check this thread for some background info and pics. https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/36206/42350.html | ||
Deputy_mayor_2026 Member Username: Deputy_mayor_2026 Post Number: 34 Registered: 04-2006 Posted From: 152.163.100.8 |
Was the exterior cleaning up and wooden shield created for the Super Bowl? | ||
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 607 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.42.176.123 |
Most of the pre Super Bowl work looked like it concentrated on the inside. However, they did have a lot of scafolding up. But I never saw anyone working on it. | ||
1953 Member Username: 1953 Post Number: 800 Registered: 12-2004 Posted From: 209.104.146.146 |
Why did we have to go and demolish the Monore Block? It was so terrific for vaudeville. | ||
Mbr Member Username: Mbr Post Number: 63 Registered: 03-2005 Posted From: 152.160.42.163 |
When I walked by today it looked like they were taking close up pictures of the architectural detail from a raised platform. | ||
The_aram Member Username: The_aram Post Number: 4844 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.41.124.8 |
It pretty much is, actually. For the most part, both the State and the Michigan show indie/low-run mainstream films. There's a lot of overlap between the two, often something will jump between the two theaters as the Michigan does live performances as well as films. They also have a second screening auditorium. personally, i hate the State. it's a horrible place to see a movie. | ||
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 608 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.42.176.123 |
Just walked past and the exterior looks sooooo much better. The contractor's sign said General Contracting Restoration or something like that. There was also a sign saying the Pheonix Group and the National Theater welcome football fans. I think that's left over from the Super Bowl even though I don't remember seeing it then. | ||
Machoken Member Username: Machoken Post Number: 1228 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.85.155.145 |
Ah, then it's changed since my time in Ann Arbor. What do you guys do for first run flicks anymore? The theather on 5th is long gone. | ||
Border5150 Member Username: Border5150 Post Number: 140 Registered: 03-2004 Posted From: 68.58.211.179 |
How 'bout some pics of the work on the National for the out of towners??? Please??? | ||
Funkycarrie Member Username: Funkycarrie Post Number: 208 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 68.250.41.176 |
The inside of the national is a pit, but it has some charm....it'll be interesting to see what goes in there. Its not huge, like people have said, a dinner/drink theatre would be a good fit for it I think. | ||
Hornwrecker Member Username: Hornwrecker Post Number: 1119 Registered: 04-2005 Posted From: 63.41.40.234 |
I posted these maps of the theatres on the Monroe Block on the Moviehouse thread, but in case you haven't seen them...   Nickelodeons, vaudeville, and later burlesque. Eight theatres in that small stretch. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2046 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.6.90 |
The National Theatre has seating for circa 1,000. | ||
Detroitstar Member Username: Detroitstar Post Number: 23 Registered: 01-2006 Posted From: 35.8.144.6 |
Does anyone have pictures of the theater itself? I'm curious how the dinner/drinks theater idea would fit. | ||
Krawlspace Member Username: Krawlspace Post Number: 253 Registered: 04-2004 Posted From: 69.14.112.159 |
Check my above post for a link to photos, and search the archives. I have posted many shots of interiors and exteriors over the past 2 years... On my way into another building in the CBD tomorrow morning, but I can't tell which one ;-) I'll try to snap some shots of the National and post. | ||
Dmb Member Username: Dmb Post Number: 183 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 64.88.86.3 |
I had always thought the only "alley-jumper" theater downtown was the Adams. It is very interesting to see that there were others on the Monroe block as well. Anyone have any pics of the Palace or Columbia? | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 255 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 129.9.163.105 |
 from the LOC-HABS website | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2049 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.150.189 |
Dmb, I incorrectly posted about a year ago that the Adams was the only Alley Jumper in Detroit. I was wrong. The Adams was the only Alley Jumper mentioned in the Theatre Historical Society's Marquee magazine on Detroit Theatres, my bad. Besides these Monroe Ave. Alley Jumpers, there was at least one Detroit neighborhood theatre that was an Alley Jumper. Although Alley Jumpers were more plentiful (around the country) back in the 1900-1920 era, it appears that few remain today. One interesting fact about the Monroe Ave. Alley Jumpers is the extremely long and narrow lobby that goes from the theatre entrance to the auditorium. Back in the early 20th century frontage on main streets was very expensive. One way to reduce costs was to have a "storefront" narrow theatre entrance, behind which is a long tunnel-like lobby, connecting to the large auditorium in the rear. The auditorium usually fronted on a secondary road, or as in the case of the Columbia Theatre, the auditorium was completely enveloped by alley's. This is basically how the State Theatre is configured on Woodward, except the entrance lobby to the State had its' width doubled when a shoe store in the Francis Palms Building closed, and a drop ceiling was installed over both the original entrance (hiding ornate plaster) and the newly added storefront space. Chuck Forbes removed the drop ceiling, and had the storefront lobby space ceiling restored with ornate plaster that exactly matches the original narrow lobby. The Playhouse Square Theatres in Cleveland also have long tunnel lobbys where the main entrances off Euclid Ave. are a long way from the theatre auditoriums set 200 feet back from the main street. Shea's Buffalo Theatre (Rapp & Rapp) in Buffalo New York also has a long outer lobby hallway that is set far away from the main street. In the Civic Theatre in Akron OH (John Eberson), there is also a long narrow outer lobby. But that long lobby goes over (on cement pilings) the former Ohio Canal. (Message edited by Gistok on May 05, 2006) | ||
Detroitstar Member Username: Detroitstar Post Number: 37 Registered: 01-2006 Posted From: 35.8.144.6 |
Well, today is the third day in a row that I've seen people going in and out of the aluminum overhead door on the side of the National Theater. Any updates? | ||
Bindetroit Member Username: Bindetroit Post Number: 1254 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.246.117.31 |
The City of Detroit sold the building to National Theatre LLC a few years ago. The plan then pitched to the City was for a combo entertainment venue/black cinema museum. Three partners in the venture were Bernard White (White Construction), Mel Washington (Phoenix Group) and some guy with an awesome poster collection. Rumor has it that the relationship has soured. Under pressure from the City and the SBXL Host Committee, some exterior repairs were made and the facade was cleaned up. Historic designation adds to the rehab costs and limits the possibilities. None of this is cheap and without a tenant or a use, impossible to bank finance. But for a few million dollars, the place could be good to go. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2121 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.105.166 |
That Black Cinema Museum idea has been around since 2000 when Preservation Wayne cleaned out the interior of the National (we had to wear face masks due to all the fine plaster particles in the air while we were cleaning). IIRC, Raymond Parker was the name of the Detroiter who has probably the largest collection of black cinema memorabilia in the country. He was offered gallery space in a NYC museum for his collection, but turned it down because he wanted to display his vast collection in Detroit. Just nothing ever got off the ground. If this idea is still under consideration, that would be awesome. But that museum space would have to be newly built ancillary space, not the theatre proper. | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 2627 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 66.167.58.162 |
https://www.detroityes.com/webisodes/2000/01beautiful_light/001212-02national_theater.htm This is from 2000. I doubt if the sun will ever hit it like this now that Compuware is across the street.  | ||
Llyn Member Username: Llyn Post Number: 1537 Registered: 06-2004 Posted From: 68.61.197.206 |
Still, why are people going in and out of the building? | ||
Supersport Member Username: Supersport Post Number: 10096 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.246.37.236 |
I heard that it's an after-hours club. Go to the side plywood covered hole at 2 am, knock three times, tell them you know supersport.  | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 2126 Registered: 08-2004 Posted From: 4.229.81.136 |
Thanks Lowell! Boy that lattice work on the towers is going to look awesome when it is lit up again (from within) at night. Ditto for the stud lighting around the entry arch. |
