You Learn Something New Every Day.

I've been by this house on Adelaide in Brush Park numerous times over the years, and have even taken a few pictures of it from time to time. However, it wasn't until today that I learned a bit about the home's history. According to the book Home In Detroit the famous comedian/actor Danny Thomas and his wife Rose Marie Mantell Thomas lived here beginning in 1936. The photos below show the home in 2004 and again in 2009.


*Special Note* a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Home in Detroit are being donated to Motor City Blight Busters.

Mid Med Lofts Reborn as Mid Med Plaza

From Model D Media

Revisit the the facadectomy here.

Downtown Historic Movie Palace Tour Part 5

The Gem Theater opened as the Little Theatre in 1928. It was built for the Detroit woman's group "The Twentieth Century Club" as an addition to their Century Club facility which was constructed in 1903. After being opened for just one year, the theater was leased to Motion Picture Guild to show the first foreign films in Detroit. In 1959 the theater became the Vanguard Playhouse and hosted repertory theater. By 1967 the theater returned to being a movie house showing adult films until it closed in 1978.

The theater was completely restored and reopened in 1991 to host a series of hit musical and comedic productions. On November 10, 1997 The Century Club and Gem Theater were moved about a half mile from their original location to make way for the construction of Comerica Park. Thus, the theater had to be preserved for a second time. This time, the Century Club was restored as well. Many architectural features from the demolished Downtown YWCA were salvaged to facilitate the building's restoration. Pewabic tile from the pool, stained glass panels from the chapel, leaded glass doors, chandeliers, fireplaces and cornices were all seamlessly incorporated.

Ilitch Blocker Rising

Work is picking up at the new C.C. Bar.

October, 2007November, 2007

Butte, MT

Check out my Montana travelblog for some interesting architecture in Butte.

Detroit's Historic Fort Wayne

Born from anxiety raised from the conflict known as the Patriot war, Fort Wayne was constructed in 1843 in an effort to fortify the United States' Northern border with British Canada. The Fort has never seen conflict. However, Detroit's Historic Fort Wayne from Arcadia Publishing delves into the history of the fort from its earliest days as a mustering center, till its final days of military service as launch control for missile batteries during the Cold War.

The book describes the conditions that led to the fort's construction before thoroughly detailing the structure itself. Authors James Conway and David F. James have done a remarkable job compiling a host of historical blueprints and photos documenting the fort's design. Other chapters detail Garrison life and the fort's place in the community.

Through the years Fort Wayne became more than a military fortification for the city of Detroit. It was also a social center and a refuge. During the depression the old troop barracks were used as housing for homeless families and the Work Progress Administration provided jobs improving the fort. The fort was also home to those displaced by the 1967 riots. The last families left Fort Wayne in 1971.

The important final chapter of the book focuses on the Fort Wayne's life as a museum. The museum has fallen on hard times and is a mere shadow of its former self. Detroit's Historic Fort Wayne serves as a terrific reminder of what the fort once was and what it can be once again. The pages are filled will compelling facts and photos of this once proud citadel. Flipping through the pages one gets a sense of how important this nearly forgotten relic has been to our city.



Photos reprinted with permission from Detroit's Historic Fort Wayne, by James Conway and David F. Jamroz. Available from the publisher online at www.arcadiapublishing.com or by calling (888) 313-2665.

Downtown Historic Movie Palace Tour Part 2

Continuing on the Downtown Historic Movie Palace Tour, this all that remains of the auditorium to the Michigan Theater in Detroit.

The Michigan was built in 1926 by the architectural firm of Rapp & Rapp as a concert hall and movie theater. In the 1970's the theater hosted many rock concerts featuring the top acts of the day. It was during this time as a club/concert venue that the theater began to fall into decline. Finally, in 1976, the theater was closed and demolition began. However, due to problems with the structural integrity of adjoining office building, the main hall and lobby were gutted and converted into a parking structure rather than demolishing the theater completely.

Ilitch Blocker Redux

If you recall, this past spring I speculated that demolition and reconstruction of the CC Bar was an effort by the owners to inflate the value of the property in order to extort more money from Olympia Development. Olympia has been buying more land behind the Fox Theater causing widespread speculation that this is to be the location of a new arena for the Red Wings.

I stopped by today to see if any progress had been made on the bar as work papered to have stalled over the summer. Far from there being any progress, the bar seems to be in a state of deconstruction once again.

While a new expiration date for the Red Wings lease at Joe Louis Arena has been determined, I am left once again to speculate. Have the owners finally sold out to Ilitch, or did the building inspectors determine some flaw in the construction that is forcing the builders to start from scratch?

CC Bar Pre- Demolition

Reconstruction May 2007

Demolished once again August 2007

May 2007

August 2007

Mid-Med Lofts Update

The exterior work is almost done on the Mid-Med Lofts conversion. They've come a long way.

Crystal Lofts

The Crystal Ballroom was gutted this winter in preparation for its conversion to lofts and retail space. Phase one the Crystal Lofts project will include 17 lofts ranging from 950-2,200 square feet and 14,000 square feet of first floor retail space plus indoor parking.

Historical photo from Virtual Motorcity

Detroit's Downtown Movie Palaces

Detroit's Downtown Movie Palaces is a walk back in time to the Golden Age of Cinema. Authors Michael Hauser and Marianne Weldon have done a wonderful job stitching together the history of movie going in Detroit. Using photos from local archives, as well as Hauser's personal collection, the book provides glimpses of the city's lost treasures as well as rare looks at the survivors of that by gone era.

The origins of Detroit's movie palaces can be linked directly to the city's original entertainment district centered upon Monroe Street. Hauser and Weldon highlight the recital halls, vaudeville houses and burlesque theaters that dominated that area before moving on to cover the establishment of Grand Circus entertainment district. They detail the jewels of the necklace district with chapters devoted to the Capitol, Michigan, Fox, United Artists, Wilson, and Gem Theaters. The book wraps up with a look at the lost theaters of Downtown Detroit.

Detroit's Downtown Movie Palaces provides a comprehensive photographic record of the dozens of theaters that existed downtown during the first half of the last century. The interior photos of these opulent theaters, both lost and restored, are the true treasures to be found within these pages. It is a tragedy that so many of these architectural gems have been lost or damaged beyond repair. For younger Detroiters who weren't a part of the theater-going experience during that fabulous era, Hauser and Weldon have given us wonderful a taste of what it must have been like.

This is another quality addition to Acradia Publishing's Images of America series. Without question, you should make it a part of your own personal reference library.

Photos reprinted with permission from Detroit's Downtown Movie Palaces, by Michael Hauser & Marianne Weldon. Available from the publisher online at www.arcadiapublishing.com or by calling (888) 313-2665.