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Gem Theatre

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This page is about the theatre in Detroit. For the theatre in Kannapolis, North Carolina, see Gem Theatre (Kannapolis, North Carolina).
For the saloon in Deadwood, South Dakota, see Gem Theater.
Gem Theatre
 
Located between Century Theatre and Ford Field
Map 
Former namesLittle, Rivoli, Drury Lane Europa, Cinema, & Vanguard Playhouse
Location333 Madison Street
Detroit, Michigan 48226
Coordinates42°20′15.63″N 83°2′46.22″W / 42.3376750°N 83.0461722°W / 42.3376750; -83.0461722
OwnerForbes Hospitality
TypeWedding venue and general event venue, former movie theater
Seating typeTraditional row and aisle seating in balcony; cabaret tables at stage level
Capacity456
Opened1927
Website
Gem Theatre
Century Building and Little Theatre
 
Former location in Parking Lot #2, left
Coordinates42°20′15″N 83°2′47″W / 42.33750°N 83.04639°W / 42.33750; -83.04639
AreaComerica Park
ArchitectGeorge D. Mason
Former location62 East Columbia Street
Detroit, Michigan 48201
Architectural styleRenaissance Revival, Spanish Revival
NRHP reference No.85000993
Added to NRHPMay 09, 1985

The Gem Theatre is a historic movie theater building located in Detroit, Michigan. Built in 1927, it now serves as a wedding venue and general event venue. The building shares a lobby with the Century Theatre, built in 1903. The National Register of Historic Places listed both theatres together in 1985.[1]

History

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The Twentieth Century Club, a group of prominent local women, built the Century Club on Columbia Street in 1903. In order to gain rental income, they built the adjacent movie theater in 1927 as part of the Little Theatre Movement. The club closed in 1933 due to the Great Depression but the cinema continued. The theater went through a variety of owners who in turn used a different names: Little (1928-1932), Rivoli (1932-1934), Drury Lane (1935), Europa (1935-1936), Cinema (1936-59). From 1960 to 1964, director George C. Scott established a live theater troupe called the Vanguard Playhouse.[2]

In 1966, it became a pornographic theater called the Gem before eventually closing in 1978.[3] The National Register of Historic Places listed the two vacant buildings as a single entry in 1985.[1] Local Developer Charles "Chuck" Forbes restored both the Gem and Century and opened them as event venues in 1991.[2]

But, in 1997, both faced demolition as part of the Comerica Park stadium project for the Detroit Tigers. Forbes led efforts to preserve the buildings by relocating them both to Madison Street next to the Detroit Athletic Club and across from the Music Hall.[4] The buildings weighed 2,750 tons and were moved together on 72 dollies, each equipped with a 50-ton jack for a total cost of $5.5 million.[5] The five-block move covered 1,850 feet (563 meters).[6]

That move set the record for the farthest distance relocation of a major building according to the Guiness Book of World Records.[7][8] The History Channel's Mega Movers series featured the project and the National Register of Historic Places approved the move without delisting the building because the architectural integrity was preserved.[9]

Since the move, the theatre primarily serves as a wedding and corporate venue, although it has also hosted several prominent events.[10] During Super Bowl XL in 2006, ABC aired Jimmy Kimmel Live! on site for a week.[11] Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders held a town hall during the 2016 Democratic presidential primary.[12] In 2024, Detroit Opera House director Yuval Sharon staged Europeras 3 & 4 at the Gem in order for a more intimate venue.[13]

Architecture

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The front of the Gem uses the same red brick with sandstone trim as the attached Century Club. In 1927, the women's organization hired the same architect, George D. Mason, who had designed their clubhouse decades earlier. As a result, the Gem shares a roof and cornice with the older building to the left to unify the new addition.[2]

Renaissance Revival details appear prominently on the exterior. The three windows on the second floor each have quoining and balconettes with wrought-iron railing. Between each window, are stone medallions that replaced a canopy in the 1940s. In contrast, the side of the building now facing Brush Street just consists of common brick with no windows.[2]

The interior employs Spanish Revival architecture. The lobby includes a wood-beamed lobby with local Pewabic Pottery used for wainscoting. The 456-theater is dominated by a large arch decorated with shields, rosettes, cupids, and fleur-de-lis all framed by tongue-and-dart and rope moldings.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Century Building and Little Theatre (#85000993)". National Register of Historic Places. Washington, D.C.: National Park Service. May 9, 1985. Retrieved December 26, 2024 – via National Register Information System.
  2. ^ a b c d e Caldwell, Ken (January 5, 1984). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: The Century Building and Little Theatre". National Register of Historic Places. Washington, D.C.: National Park Service. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  3. ^ Voss, Elizabeth H. (January 5, 1984). "Old Hollywood in Detroit: Movie palaces give birth to entertainment sector". Crains Detroit Business. Crain Communications. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  4. ^ Hightower, Brendel (October 5, 2022). "Charles Alexander Forbes: Preservationist who helped save Detroit's theater district dies at 92". Detroit Free Press. Gannett. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  5. ^ Paller, Rebecca (October 27, 1997). "In Detroit, It's Theatre A Go Go". Playbill. New York City. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  6. ^ Gallagher, John (April 1, 2019). "These historic Detroit buildings were saved — by hauling them away". Detroit Free Press. Gannett. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  7. ^ "Farthest Building Relocation". Guinness World Records. London: HIT Entertainment. 1997. Retrieved August 26, 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ Stiem, Erik (February 13, 2014). "Landscope: Moving Detroit's 2,700 ton Gem Theater". Great Lakes Echo. East Lansing, Michigan: Knight Center for Environmental Journalism. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  9. ^ "National Register of Historic Places 1997 Weekly Lists" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places. Washington, D.C.: National Park Service. August 7, 1997. p. 88. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  10. ^ Kornacki, Maria (November 24, 2022). "5 Must-Visit Theatres in Detroit With a Decorative History". Detroit Is It. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  11. ^ "Kimmel gets warm welcome at Gem". The Oakland Press. Troy, Michigan: 21st Century Media. February 1, 2006. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  12. ^ Livengood, Chad (March 20, 2016). "Clinton sidesteps question about Sanders as VP". Detroit News. MediaNews Group. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  13. ^ Swed, Mark (March 18, 2024). "L.A. lost Yuval Sharon to Detroit. Here's what we're missing — and what we might win back". Los Angeles Times. Nant Capital. Retrieved December 26, 2024.


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Category:Theatres in Detroit Category:Music venues in Michigan Category:Relocated buildings and structures in Michigan Category:Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan Category:Event venues established in 1927 Category:Theatres completed in 1927 Category:National Register of Historic Places in Detroit Category:1927 establishments in Michigan Category:Renaissance Revival architecture in Michigan Category:Spanish Revival architecture in Michigan Category:Former cinemas in the United States Category:Cinemas and movie theaters in Michigan Category:Downtown Detroit

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