United Artists Theatre Building

Why did the United Artists Theatre Building in Detroit develop a peculiar habit of crushing Oldsmobiles? The United Artists Theatre Building, a majestic structure on Bagley Avenue, has a history as dramatic as the films it once showcased. Built in 1927 by renowned theater architect C. Howard Crane, it was a movie palace meant to rival the grandeur of its neighbors, the Michigan and the Fox theaters. The United Artists Theatre Building opened its doors in 1928, a symbol of Detroit’s booming entertainment scene. It was a marvel of Spanish Gothic and Art Deco architecture, complete with an 18-story office tower built as a safeguard against the theater’s potential failure. The theater itself was a masterpiece. It boasted a 2,070-seat auditorium, designed exclusively for films, a rarity in that era. The United Artists Theatre Building hosted premieres of classics like “Gone With the Wind” and was the first in Detroit to install CinemaScope and 70mm technology. But the golden age faded. By 1969, the theater struggled, resorting to X-rated films and grindhouse fare before closing its doors in 1971. The office tower, once bustling with businesses, emptied by 1984. Then, a bizarre pattern emerged. Bricks fell from the aging United Artists Theatre Building, not once, but twice, crushing Oldsmobiles parked below. Despite being listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building continued to decay. Its windows became canvases for graffiti artists, their Mayan-inspired murals a stark contrast to the building’s crumbling facade. The building changed hands multiple times, with plans for casinos and baseball stadiums never materializing. Finally, in 2022, a new chapter began. The office tower was slated for renovation into apartments, but the theater met its demise. It was demolished, its site destined to become a parking lot, a bittersweet ending for a building that once held the dreams of Detroit’s moviegoers.