Grand Riviera Theater | |
Formerly listed on the
U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
 Grand Riviera in 1970 | |
| Location | 9222 Grand River Avenue Detroit, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°21′58″N 83°7′51″W / 42.36611°N 83.13083°W |
| Built | 1925 |
| Architect | John Eberson |
| Architectural style | Italian Renaissance Revival, Mediterranean Revival |
| Demolished | June 1996 |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002901 [1] |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | April 22, 1982 |
| Designated MSHS | October 2, 1980 [3] |
| Removed from NRHP | June 10, 2020 [2] |
The Grand Riviera Theater was a movie palace theater located at 9222 Grand River Avenue in western Detroit, Michigan. It took its name from Grand River Avenue. [4] It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1980, [3] and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, [1] but was subsequently demolished in June, 1996. [4] The building was removed from the National Register in 2020. [2]
History
The Grand Riviera cinema was built in 1925, at a cost of over one million dollars. [4] It seated over 3000, and was the first "atmospheric" theater in Detroit, using lighting, special effects, and interior design to make the audience feel like they were sitting outdoors in a garden. [4]
The theater was immediately successful, and in 1927 an 1,800 seat annex was built. [4] In 1957, the Riviera was converted to a stage theater. When the Fisher Theater reopened in 1960, however, the Grand Riviera took a back seat. [4] The building was used for music concerts until it closed in the mid-1970s. Afterward, the structure deteriorated, to the point that it was considered unsafe and demolished in 1996. [4]
Description
The Grand Riviera Theater was a three-story structure built from brown brick in an Italian Renaissance Revival and Mediterranean Revival style. [3] An 80-foot-tall (24 m) octagonal pavilion sat on the corner of the structure. [3] The pavilion had arched, multi-paned windows and substantial cream terra cotta decoration. [3]
To the west of the pavilion was the three-story wing with commercial and office space. To the north was the auditorium section which was built with windowless paneled brick walls. [3]
The interior design and decorations of the Grand Riviera were very ornate. [3] The original "atmospheric" interior elements included a simulated courtyard, a dark blue ceiling with inset electric "stars" and projected moving clouds, and walls with artificial trees and vines. [4]
Gallery
Images from 1970
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References
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
- ^ a b "Weekly List 20200612". National Park Service. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g Grand Riviera Theater - Demolished Archived 2008-09-17 at the Wayback Machine from the state of Michigan
- ^ a b c d e f g h Grand Riviera Theater (Demolished) Archived 2012-02-24 at the Wayback Machine from the city of Detroit
External links
- Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. MI-270, " Grand Riviera Theatre, 9222 Grand River Avenue, Detroit, Wayne County, MI", 28 photos, 6 measured drawings, 25 data pages
- The United States Library of Congress. Free to Use and Reuse: Movie Magic. February 24, 2020 by Neely Tucker.
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| Lists by county |
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| Other lists | ||
- Movie palaces
- Theatres in Detroit
- Theatres completed in 1925
- Demolished buildings and structures in Detroit
- Buildings and structures demolished in 1996
- Historic American Buildings Survey in Michigan
- Michigan State Historic Sites
- National Register of Historic Places in Detroit
- Mediterranean Revival architecture in the United States
- Renaissance Revival architecture in Michigan
- Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan
- Former National Register of Historic Places in Michigan