McDonald's Releases Proposed Building Sketches
City's Architectural Board of Review set to meet Sept. 8.
Photos
UPDATE: Seems like the proposal to build a McDonald’s restaurant on the property of the former Detroit Theatre is still on the table.
A meeting to discuss the company’s full proposal is set for 5:30 p.m. Sept. 8 in the auditorium at Lakewood City Hall. This meeting will allow public comment — the last one did not.
Dru Siley, the city’s director of planning and development, said he hasn’t had enough time to “digest the plans,” but added he plans to spend some time this week going over them.
“Obviously, (McDonald's) listened to the board’s comments about concerns over traffic impact,” he said.
At its meeting in July, the architectural board of review expressed a number of concerns over the proposal to demolish the decades-old theater and plant the Golden Arches in its place.
The primary concern, however, was traffic flow at the intersection of Detroit and Woodward avenuss.
The building — at 16409 Detroit Avenue — has been on the market for years with a price tag of $695,000, but gained little interest. With declining attendance in an industry that has struggled to remain financially viable, the Detroit Theatre closed the curtain earlier this year after 87 years.
Ruth Sholtis-Furyes
12:11 pm on Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Is there a way to click on the image and enlarge? Hard to read the site plan. Thanks!
Karen Morris
12:33 pm on Tuesday, August 30, 2011
i tried to save the images and enlarge them but they just get distorted, no way to see what this all means.
Alan R.
12:36 pm on Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Looks a lot like Sherwin Williams, Walgreens, and the new CVS.
Brandon Scullion
1:26 pm on Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Hit your control and the + button. then to go the other direction just hit the ctrl and -
Ruth Sholtis-Furyes
10:00 am on Friday, September 2, 2011
Zooming the screen just makes it bigger, still not readable.
Peter Grossetti
1:33 pm on Tuesday, August 30, 2011
You can always go to City Hall and ask to see the drawings ... I'm assuming they are public record.
Kelly Flamos
1:42 pm on Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Is there some generic commercial architectural plan book at Lowes that CVS, Starbucks, Target, etc use to design these boring brick boxes? Detroit Theater is one of the coolest buildings in Lakewood. This makes me sad.
Peter Grossetti
1:55 pm on Tuesday, August 30, 2011
@Kelly - This is apparently what the Lakewood Architectural Review Board now considers "The Lakewood Look" as they keep suggesting this look for new comercial buidings. We can't blame McDonald's et al if this is what ARB approves!
btw ... "beauty is in the eye of the behoder" as I find The Detroit Theatre about as ugly as they come.
Brandon Scullion
2:12 pm on Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Peter, the only reason this building looks the way it does is because the family who owned it was broke and could never do the up keep on it. On top of that, just like 70% of the other facades in this city, the storefronts on this building were covered over with junk back when people thought it was a good idea to cover up beautiful architecture. I hope people are noticing the amount of cities, including Lakewood, who are facilitating the restoration of these facades. With a little TLC this place could look like the "Majestic", or simply majestic.
Peter, I'm not trying to dismiss you and your opinion. I appreciate them to be sure. I'm just pointing out the fact that this was once a truly beautiful building that went into disrepair. It deserves some respect.
Peter Grossetti
2:55 pm on Tuesday, August 30, 2011
... or perhaps the reason the family who owned the building was broke was because Lakewoodites prefered take their movie dollars to Crocker Park, Valley View, etc. with their multi big screens and hi-tech surroud-sound, etc.
Brandon ... I, too, do not want to dismiss you and your well-stated and well-intended opinions, but I think The Detroit is beyond a "little TLC." Even if the place could be spiffed up, what goes there - and more importatly - who has the resources to for day-to-day operations? Another cinema is ceratin to meet the same doomed fate. Do we need another bar/night club in the city with a bar and church on nearly every corner? Can the area support another arts center when Beck Center cries poor every other year or so?
It is sad to see our memories slammed away with the swing of a wrecking ball .. but "we" are the only ones to blame.
Perhaps several public and private entities (ARB, Planning & Develoment Dept. Lakewood Historical Society, Downtown Lakewood to name a few) could team up to come up with a master renovation plan (to restore the architectural details that have been "covered over with junk") and get the entire Detroit and/or Madison corrdior named a Historical District which would then make the area eligible for all sorts of renovation funds from various sources.
Brandon Scullion
3:40 pm on Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Peter,
You have absolutely made some incredibly valid points and in no way am I faulting the owners/former owners for losing the business or not having the money to make the building "new" again.
Funny you mention the "what goes there question". I ponder that quite often, and not just with regard to the Detroit Theater. As a student of history (BA in History and Social Studies from CSU), I find that too little value is placed on "place". Buildings are incredibly important to our communities as well as our identities as we grow up around them. Take them away and we take away pieces of ourselves; parts of our own personal history are destroyed, and for what, fast food?
When this issue first came up and I started to comment on it, two books came to mind that definitely shaped the way I think on these issues. The first is “The Power Of Place” by Dolores Hayden. The other is “How Buildings Learn” by Stewart Brand. I have copies of both if anybody is interested in looking at them.
I guess the main point of my displeasure with the McDonalds plan is that they would rather destroy a piece of our history vs. reusing a historic building. I've seen some seriously cool places that have occupied the oddest of buildings. This could be a prime example of this. It certainly would be the most unique McDonalds in the area. And before I close, I had to mention that your last paragraph is truly one option that needs to be explored. It is a great point/idea.
Pat Ballasch
12:23 pm on Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Brandon do you have any evidence the owner of the Detroit lacked funds? Some people use deferred maintenance as standard operating procedure.
Brandon Scullion
12:36 pm on Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Pat, unfortunately I am basing this on the condition of the building inside and out. So it is true that I am simply assuming here. However, there could only be a few possibilities as to why this has happened with some being more likely than others. Another one would be they cared so little about the building however, I like to think they were good people who just couldn't get rid of the dead weight (the weight being the old theater) and were doing their best not to loose everything in the process. Looking at a brighter side, it would be nice to think that they are free or soon to be free of this major stressor.
I didn't mean to come off as insensitive. I apologize if I did.
Brandon
Pat Ballasch
1:41 pm on Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Brandon, I met the owner and some of his friends some years ago. Judging by what I witnessed, the decline of the theater was part of a business style.
Pat Ballasch
12:47 pm on Wednesday, August 31, 2011
My experience (in Lakewood) is there has been a lack of a comprehensive plan & vision. I'm going to do a Google search for City Planning, innovation and renovation for idiots. I've got to believe someone's written a short version so we can bring everyone up to speed. As our city ages our structures will need additional attention. We will need to build an environment that encourages that.
Brandon Scullion
2:31 pm on Wednesday, August 31, 2011
"We will need to build an environment that encourages that".
Well stated.
Peter Grossetti
11:25 am on Friday, September 2, 2011
@Ruth - digital images have their limitations .. but you can probaly see the drawings at City Hall, as I guess they are public record and city employees are there to serve you.