Thursday, June 21, 2007

Blogger reports Ilitch has let Fine Arts Building deteriorate

Inside the Fine Arts Building..." water has been leaking from the roof for so many years that the center of the floor of every level has collapsed, leaving a pile of rubble on the ground floor."
Photo by David Kohrman

Blogger Detroit Area Dork, a 21st Century urban explorer and, by his own admission, amateur photo journalist, recently found his way inside Detroit’s abandoned Adams Theater and the adjoining Fine Arts Building and he’s documented the experience on myspace with photos and narrative:

"Around the corner from the place that I will always call the State Theater, is a building that most people pass by without even noticing. The Adams Theater. I had no idea until recently. Not even as I watched someone juggle knives at Cliff Bell's a month ago in the building directly adjacent to it.

"The funniest thing about this place is that when it was open you didn't enter from the street. You would go in the front of the Fine Arts Building on the other side of the block, at Grand Circus Park, which back in the day was the theater district...

"The condition of the building is really bad. There are large gaping holes in the roof above the stage area. All the rain water over the years has caused the stage floor to rot, and it already has many holes. I almost made another hole in it myself when my foot started sinking through the floor of the stage...

"Since I was already there, and the buildings are connected, I decided to take a look at the Fine Arts Building too…I have to highly recommend that no one goes into this building. Water has been leaking from the roof for so many years that the center of the floor of every level has collapsed, leaving a pile of rubble on the ground floor. What a surprise to find that is owned by Olympia (Ilitch)."


The blog Forgotten Detroit gives an excellent look into the dilapidated Adams Theater and Fine Arts Building with it's stunning, and oddly enough, artistically beautiful pictures by blogger David Kohrman.

The Ilitch organization's last commitment was made 18 months ago when they stated they were going to conduct a feasibility study to "determine options for the property."


note: the photo used here is from David Kohrman's collection. Photos taken by Detroit Area Dork further document the buildings' current state.

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