Thursday, February 17, 2011

Undercity And The Uptown Theatre

Undercity.org, a blog dedicated to "Urban History and Guerilla Exploration," has a slide show of the inside of the Uptown Theater.  32 photos in all, and we think they're all breathtaking, like the one above.  Click on the link to view them.  We like what he has to say and we think it's especially pertinent to the Uptown:  "As an urban historian & photographer, I try to peel back the layers of a city to see what's underneath."

(We may have run this before, but it's definitely worth another look.)  If you like the photos, some are available for purchase.

15 comments:

  1. A lot of people would like TIF money or some other form of public funding used to rescue The Uptown Theatre. Others worry about the practicality and morality of pouring millions of our dollars into a project like this in a time of economic uncertainty. However, The Uptown was built during the Depression when people flocked to see frothy entertainment like Vaudeville or Astaire & Rogers movies to lift their spirits. The Uptown was a haven and a refuge for the beleaguered during the Depression and can now serve as the symbol for the rebirth of our like this again -- ever. Let's get behind any initiative that will bring this place back to life so that it can lift up our neighborhood.

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  2. Thanks for sharing these photos. I particularly like the one looking outward from the stage.

    Hawkmoon947, I agree wholeheartedly.

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  3. Do something with it is all I care.

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  4. These are some nice pictures. That place is a gem that I hope people won't have sneak in to check out again. Hopefully it can be properly restored and reopened.

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  5. Does anyone remember the wealthy Detroit area family that purchased this glorious old theater back in the 90s and was not permitted to renovate it by Daley, who did not want the competition to the downtown theater district?

    These people were not asking for a dime of tax money. They were wealthy philanthropists who adored this finest of all the old 20s film palaces in the U.S. and were willing to shovel their own money into renovating this jewel.

    NOW what wealthy angel will step forward, knowing that he or she has to run the gauntlet of dirty local politics to spend his/her own money to buy and renovate this place?

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  6. I don't remember them, but I sure wish they'd come back now that there will be a new mayor!

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  7. I was lucky enough to attend some sort of AIDS benefit at the Uptown in the '90's....and I had the same reaction I had walking into Notre Dame in Paris for the first time.

    Such an incredible space....I hope it can be saved.

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  8. I now remember the name of the Detroit couple, it's Ilich, and they founded the Little Ceaser's Pizza chain.

    A wealthy developer at the end of his career, in St. Louis,saved the fabulous Fox Theatre there, a 4500 seat film palace that had become extremely decrepit and is now a major venue there, and helped revive the totally terrible neighborhood it's located in. So it can be done, but only by someone with extremely deep pockets who isn't looking for a fast payback.

    Sam Zell? Penny Pritzker? Are you listening? Help us save this gorgeous old place.

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  9. Using public money to save a historic landmark wouldn't be a bad idea.

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  10. The photographer was there as a part of an Urban Explorers TV show, and he agreed to not publish his photos online. Said he understood the security concerns.

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  11. Saw grateful dead shows there 1978 thru 1981. By far the most beautiful theater and funnest place ive seen live performances including red rocks in Colorado. You can tell people about this amazing venue but it cannot be appreciated unless you were lucky enough to get inside. Truly sad that it has suffered so.

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  12. I saw many shows there from 1978-81. After you'd been there once youd always do your best to go again. We will not see its like again

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