Grand Riviera Theater
Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Michigan State Historic Site
Grand Riviera in 1970
Location	9222 Grand River Avenue Detroit, Michigan
Coordinates	42°21′58″N 83°7′51″W / 42.36611°N 83.13083°W / 42.36611; -83.13083
Built	1925
Architect	John Eberson
Architectural style	Italian Renaissance Revival, Mediterranean Revival
Demolished	June 1996
NRHP reference No.	82002901[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	April 22, 1982
Designated MSHS	October 2, 1980[3]
Removed from NRHP	June 10, 2020[2]

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,^[3] 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.^[2]

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]

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.^[3] An 80-foot-tall (24 m) octagonal pavilion sat on the corner of the structure.^[3] The pavilion had arched, multi-paned windows and substantial cream terra cotta decoration.^[3]

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.^[3]

The interior design and decorations of the Grand Riviera were very ornate.^[3] 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]

Gallery

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Grand Riviera Theater.

External links

• Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. MI-270, "Grand Riviera Theatre, 9222 Grand River Avenue, Detroit, Wayne County, MI", 28 photos, 6 measured drawings, 25 data pages
• The United States Library of Congress. Free to Use and Reuse: Movie Magic. February 24, 2020 by Neely Tucker.