The United Artists Theater, which is currently owned by the Ilitch family, is in desperate need of a miracle. The Tigers Tycoon has threatened it with demolition a handful of times, but at this point, it still stands. The building has been secured (for the most part, my shattered heel says otherwise) and it sits empty on the corner of Bagley and Clifford. Originally Ilitch wanted to demolish the structure to make way for Comerica Park, but when the ballpark was moved to the other side of Woodward the empty movie palace was saved. It was then stated that it would be demolished to make way for more parking for the stadium/theater district that sits only a few blocks away, but Ilitch’s plans were met with uproar from preservationists. In the 1980s the theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Grand Circus Park Historic District, which makes it much harder for anyone to demolish it, but far from impossible. The United Artists Theater needs to be saved because it truly is a beautiful building, and in the right hands it has the potential to be the only venue in the city that can rival The Fox in terms of overall beauty. The venue is also said to have perfect acoustics, a feat that not many theaters in the world can boast. Another key reason to save the United Artists Theater is to preserve the rich history in film that the City of Detroit has. Detroit was by far one of the best cities for the theater, movies, and shows in its heyday. The United Artists Theater was said to be one of the most beautiful of them all, and not many of these palaces are left. Another abandoned theater downtown, The National Theater, is much smaller and located in an area that Dan Gilbert has had his eye on for years. Although it too is on the National Register of Historic Places, the rest of the block was once as well, but it is the only remaining building in the original theater district of Detroit. Assuming Dan Gilbert gets his way, as he often does, I do not think that the National Theater will be saved, or for that matter is as grand, magnificent, or breathtaking as the United Artists Theater. Another great aspect about the United Artists is the office tower that connects to the building. We are currently running out of room for offices in Detroit. Dan Gilbert recently announced he may have to start putting some jobs in the suburbs because there is simply no room left for him in Detroit. The United Artists’ office tower is 18 stories that upon my examination seem to be in alright shape. It wouldn’t be a cheap endeavor, but at the prices that office spaces are currently going for in Detroit, I can imagine it would be a profitable one.

Belle Isle Zoo