Grand Riviera Theater

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,[2] 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.[3]

Grand Riviera Theater
Grand Riviera in 1970
Location9222 Grand River Avenue
Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates42°21′58″N 83°7′51″W
Built1925
ArchitectJohn Eberson
Architectural styleItalian Renaissance Revival, Mediterranean Revival
DemolishedJune 1996
NRHP reference No.82002901[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPApril 22, 1982
Designated MSHSOctober 2, 1980[2]
Removed from NRHPJune 10, 2020[3]

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]

Empty lot where cinema formerly stood

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.[2] An 80-foot-tall (24 m) octagonal pavilion sat on the corner of the structure.[2] The pavilion had arched, multi-paned windows and substantial cream terra cotta decoration.[2]

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.[2]

The interior design and decorations of the Grand Riviera were very ornate.[2] 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]

Images from 1970
  • Rotunda
  • Foyer
  • Auditorium
  • Auditorium

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. Grand Riviera Theater - Demolished Archived 2008-09-17 at the Wayback Machine from the state of Michigan
  3. "Weekly List 20200612". National Park Service. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  4. Grand Riviera Theater (Demolished) Archived 2012-02-24 at the Wayback Machine from the city of Detroit
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