Detroit's Abandoned Theaters (Photos)

Story courtesy of City's Best.

By Ben Worcester

A few weeks ago, City's Best writer Karen Dybis talked to photographer Michael Hodges about his series of photographs called Unexpected Detroit. This piece introduced me to the growing subculture of artists and photographers who are fascinated with urban decay, not to mention the rather unsavory term of "ruin porn" and all of the controversy surrounding the new artistic genre.

So when I came across this piece on BuzzFeed that presented 75 abandoned theaters from around the country, my eye was caught right away and it wasn't long before I had scrolled all the way through the post. Detroit, as you can imagine, was pretty well represented. Contrary to the criticism surrounding a lot of ruin porn, I didn't find any of the images exploitative. To my untrained eye, they seemed to be celebrating the former glory of the past by finding beauty among the ruins. Take for example the Quo Vadis, a gorgeous and stylish Detroit landmark (designed by World Trade Center architect Minoru Yamasaki), that was torn down recently. In many cases, the photographs are all that's left. Also, they're pretty cool.

But I guess you can decide for yourself. So here are a few examples from photographers around the world of Flickr. I've included MapQuest links for those who want to go check out the areas for themselves, though not everything is as it was. The Eastown was recently gutted by fire and the Duke Theater was also razed to the ground. If these images whet your appetite, you should definitely check out Buildings of Detroit and Water Witder Wonderland for a much more thorough experience.

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Eastown Theater -- MapQuest Photo by Robert Monaghan

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Eastown Theater -- MapQuest
Photo by Robert Monaghan

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Comments

[mburgh]

10:03 AM on 04/29/2011

Thank the GOP for this destruction. Thank them for destroying unions, unbalancing taxation, and exporting jobs. All Hail Reagan! This is his legacy. Enjoy, knuckleheads. To the rest of us: this is coming to your town if it ain't there already.

[ellaBronx]

02:29 PM on 04/23/2011

I spent so much time in the auditorium at Cass Tech when I was a student there. Heartbreaking!

[b1986]

10:20 PM on 04/21/2011

Do you people think these theaters would still be there if Detroit never declined?! They would have been torn down just like many other theaters in many other cities. Many theaters in NYC were torn down because they became obsolete and the cost of upkeep of something so ornate is staggering. The fact that Detroit emptied out and there was no financial incentive to build on these theater's sites is the only reason they still exist even though they are in ruin. The 50's through the 80's we a time of demolition for a lot of the buildings that would be considered architecturally significant today. They weren't valued because they weren't considered classic yet. The only reason we're all upset about it now is because the suburban middle classes are starting to move back into the cities again and are rediscovering what their grandparents left behind. It will happen again one day in Detroit too, remember that the Detroit suburbs are just as large and just as middle class and the suburbs of any other mid-sized American city.

[casjane1]

08:03 PM on 04/21/2011

I think a large part of the decline of indoor movie theaters is due to all the easy reach technology we now have. Why pay the price of a theatre ticket and also pay a large price for popcorn etc. when you can just rent the DVD and see a movie in the privacy of your own home and eat microwave popcorn that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? Or watch the movie channel on cable, or watch a movie on the computer. The cost of movie going has really gotten out of hand. Also I wouldn't blame it on the kids. The kids would like to work at a movie theatre instead of flipping burgers all the time. It would be a change of pace for them. The kids that really want to work and aren't trained have a hard time finding something that doesn't have something to do with food. Also a lot of those old once beautiful movie houses are so victorian in style it takes a lot of money to keep up the maintenance on them. The prior owners just didn't have the funds to keep them up and looking good.

[ostopalready]

08:31 PM on 04/21/2011

That is true also. As for the kids, they can only learn what is taught to them. If they do not receive vocational training in school and/or any other training that supports them in life, their only recourse is to take what is available according to their knowledge and tools given. Vocational skills were taught in public schools back in the day. I don't hear of any of that going on now. It was good for the majority because if you didn't have the opportunity to obtain a college degree you had a back-up skill learned while in junior high or high school. We need that for our children, now more than ever, plus some. I pray for our kids.

[babby201]

07:11 PM on 04/21/2011

Looks like Havanna

[ostopalready]

07:10 PM on 04/21/2011

Sorry to bust your bubble, but this whole loss of businesses in America is about free trade and the out sourcing of jobs. Basically America has been auctioned off to countries who who gladly work making practically peanuts for 80 hr. work days. Americans have gotten lazy and let all other countries meet our basic needs for everything, and I mean everything. Whose fault could that be? Politicians and greedy corporations. Work shipped overseas for cheap labor leaves you out. What happened to America?,,,,,,,,,,,no longer training our kids any trade skills or how to make and do anything. Nope, the majority of our young can be found texting, on the cell, tweeting, playing games on their selected electronics, strolling the malls, what can any of these young people contribute. Not everyone can afford a college degree. The old-timers are exactly that...old-timers, and can't hold up any of these industries forever. Now what? Well, just continue to get lazier and complain at the same time as our jobs disappear to people who know education is important for their children and that hard work is a part of life. When you finish blaming on everybody else that needs work just like you, then you can ask the corporate giants to bring the jobs home.

[srpimnxtc]

08:58 AM on 04/22/2011

oh yea, lets go to France to see a movie. Stupid post. Detroit is shut down purely due to the make up of the population!

[Totto]

03:56 PM on 06/18/2011

Ignore srpimnxtc, I have. F&F #1

[Bonzoid]

06:48 PM on 04/21/2011

Ohmigod...the Eastown Theatre...mecca for all rock lovers and crazies in the 70's. I couldn't count the hours I spent there...the first band I saw there was Fleetwood Mac..WITH Peter Greene!!! Rod Stewart was a regular, King Crimson..EVERYONE played there. It wasn't in great shape back then even..but to see this saddens me so. Ditto the Hamburger Auditorium at Cass Tech High, where I got to perform once during the short time I attended school there. It has fared better, but not by much. Detroit doesn't deserve this. We do fundraisers for other countries in need all the time, why not our own Motor City? We should do something before the whole state is sold off lock, stock and barrel!

[Mike Gilley]

07:17 PM on 04/21/2011

please enlighten me , what did bush do or not do to cause this? the motor city auto workers are union supported by democrats, and now they build more in mexico than here because cost are way too much. bill clinton succumbed to special interest saying everybody should own a home and banks are to loan money for housing without credit checks, employment checks and if they default then the banks will be paid by the taxpayer, thanks bill that worked great.PLEASE TELL ME WHY MORE GOV'T IS GOOD. what other country can we give more money to that we don't have, and a big thanks for nafta, now we have mexican truck drivers taking loads up north that cant read signs , speed limits etc.. DEMOCRATS SUCK , PLEASE JUST GIVE IT ALL AWAY I LOVE PAYING EXTRA TAXES FOR ILLEGALS MEDICAL CARE, WELFARE, MEDICAID FOOD STAMPS ETC.. ETC.. ETC.. ETC.. ETC..

[SuzwNews]

08:37 PM on 04/29/2011

The bit about everyone should own a home with no credit came under Bush's watch - 2005 -2008

[phoenixx1]

10:07 PM on 04/21/2011

Absofreakinlutely! I guess our age is telling, but I saw all the legends there as well. Cream, Led Zepplin, Jethro Tull and of course our own Dirty MC5. Detroit was a rocking city (do I dare say) in the old days. It makes me so sad to see these images of once upon a time splendid buildings in this now tumbled-down town. I share your sentiments regarding the restoration, but sadly I'm sure we will continue to watch the decay of this once great industrial center.

[Vanderbil Covington]

06:30 PM on 04/21/2011

The down fall of the once renoun motor capital of the world, Detroit, was due the auto designers building inferior products. It took the Japanese to remind the Motor City how cars could be manufactured with quality components and not built in obsolesence to assure more sales. I worked at Ford Motor Company for 11 years and know how they produced junk in the 70s. When the auto companies lost sales, the work force which comprised much of the city's populous, left the city. When the tax base left, the city collapsed. This had nothing to do with race.

[Cold in Michigan]

11:29 PM on 04/21/2011

Not exactly. If you are from the area you must remember NorthLand Shopping Center, followed by Southland, Westland and Eastland. These mega shopping complexes were the first of their kind and heralded the downfall of the inner cities.
Stores such as Crowleys, Hudsons, Vanity Fair, to mention a few, headed for the subs and took shopers with them. It was no longer the thing to jump on a bus for a day of shopping downtown, but far easier to head the opposite direction and not worry about parking spaces. The malls grew, the downtown area dried up and all the rest, the economy, the jobs going overseas, were just the icing on the cake.


THis article is sad, showing the once great buildings laying in ruin, but the kids today don't want these things. They want the multi-plex video gamed wonders that have sprouted up everywhere.

It is popular to blam every evil in Detroit on the awful auto industries, but the truth is not that. Ever look across the river and see Windsor's skyline? THen go there and look back at ours. We have had historically poor city planning, awful zoning laws and for a city that is unable to grow physically (due to geographical reasons) Detroit made no effort to stop the industrial blight that was ruining her. Rather than working on a real solution people outside the area blame into on the city residents and the auto industry, because the turth does not serve their agenda.

[Vanderbil Covington]

06:19 PM on 04/21/2011

To imply cities fall to ruin because of Blacks running them is pure fallousy. Altlanta, Cleveland, Phili and many others, including Detroit prior to the mid 80s, were all doing very well with African American mayors. The recent down turn in these cities now is a reflection of the plight of ALL American cities due to the economy, not the colour of their leaders. Thank you George Bush.

[Bonzoid]

06:49 PM on 04/21/2011

RIGHT ON....

[Scruffyboo2]

06:16 PM on 04/21/2011

People only invest in things with a future. People, including our government, aren't investing in America because American doesn't have a future. Corporations and their puppets (Republicans) have seen to that.

[Bonzoid]

06:49 PM on 04/21/2011

You put that extremely well....

[Mike Gilley]

07:38 PM on 04/21/2011

AND YOU REALLY THINK UNIONS SUPPORTED BY DEMO-RATS DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH CORPORATIONS GOING UNDER. WE CANT COMPETE WITH FOREIGN LABOR . IF YOU TAX GOODS COMING INTO THE COUNTRY THEN AMERICANS CAN BE ON A MORE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD TO COMPETE.IM NOT SAYING REPUBLICANS ARE THE GREATEST BUT AT LEAST THEY TRY TO HELP THE INCOME TAX PAYERS. DEMOCRATS THINK THE GOV'T SHOULD PAY FOR EVERYTHING. FACT; 68% OF DEMOCRATIC VOTERS IN THE LAST PRES. ELECTION THAT WERE POLLED DO NOT PAY FEDERAL INCOME TAX, GEE NO WONDER DEMOCRAT SUPPORTERS DON'T MIND MORE TAXES BECAUSE THEY DON'T PAY THEM.

[SuzwNews]

08:40 PM on 04/29/2011

Ha - the Republicans run my state and don't pay taxes. That's why they are cutting everything in site. It's the Death Panel state. But, they sure do have pension money for themselve.

[Mike D Hylton]

05:01 PM on 04/21/2011

Detroit the best example in the country of the failed black driven liberal state,,a once great city now except for exclusive secure areas a crime drug infested black area,, i wonder if the so called civil rights era and the rights given to the so called downtrodden blacks has anything to do with it ?? probably not, im justa old guy who saw the country turn for the worse in the civil rights era and that in todays politically correct times makes me a old white racist, i call them like i see themm

[american-dolt]

04:12 PM on 04/21/2011

My sister use to live in Detriot, I remember visiting as far back as the 80's and it was in a state of decay. I hope the rest of the Country doesn't follow in it's footsteps.

They will never build Theaters like that again.

[Al Schrader]

05:59 PM on 04/21/2011

Condemmed buildings need to be leveled. Are simply urban decay. If a good theatre becomes abandonded, it can become a college annex and classes can be taught there. Or adult ed such as safe driving, home economics like food & housekeeping, food service, hospitality,
household budgeting, practical knowledge, etc....Al-

[Joanne B]

03:54 PM on 04/21/2011

very sad :-(

[myfriendindover]

03:30 PM on 04/21/2011

Can someone please tell me what other country spend billions of dollars to defend and help other nations when its own economy is on its knees and its own cities are in decay?

[Escalonz]

03:58 PM on 04/21/2011

Only in America 'cause we have idiots in Washington. Aka "Foggy Bottom"

[Scruffyboo2]

06:21 PM on 04/21/2011

myfriend: ... capitalists on the make .. !

[frostrc911]

03:04 PM on 04/21/2011

I kinda like the mold guys analogy... and mold comes in many different colors too.