Recently London saved the exterior of
two buildings in the downtown core. One was originally a theatre designed by the famous movie theatre architect Charles Howard Crane. The London developer razed the theatre auditorium and put in a parking lot.
I wondered what other communities have done with their old theatres as so many, if not most, have now been abandoned.
I found this: the Atrium Office Center in Lansing Michigan. It's in the former Strand Theatre. The interior was completely remodelled into first-class commercial office and retail space. It was done as part of the City of Lansing revitalization project.
The interior features a central atrium, a domed foyer with restored plaster detailing and decorative painting. New limestone detailed to match the original terracotta replaces damaged material. The grand central staircase was preserved and is now the focal point of the office centre.
Check out what was done in London. The frame-grab is from The London Free Press video.
In Indianapolis the Indiana Theatre was remodeled into multiple stages for the Indianapolis Repetory Theatre and the Circle Theater is being use as a concert hall for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. What happened in Lansing is unfortunate, because the office building destroyed the theater portion of the building and the arcade of shops that was inside the entrance. The State Theater is Ann Arbor was made into a clothing store, while the Michigan theater is still operating.
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