What it Takes to Save a Neighborhood Theater on Detroit’s East Side

posted by ThrHistoricalSociety on September 30, 2015 at 3:29 pm

For decades, neighborhood cinemas were commonplace throughout the city of Detroit. Today, just a handful remain, and only the Redford Theater in northwest Detroit and the Senate Theater on the city’s west side have been restored and feature regular programming. But if an east side nonprofit group is successful, the Redford and Senate will soon have a cross-town compliment in the Alger Theater.

Located at East Warren Avenue and East Outer Drive, the Alger Theater has been an east side landmark since it opened in 1935. For decades, it was a cherished destination for locals, but by the 1980s the theater had fallen on hard times, and after a short stint as a B-movie house, it eventually closed.

But the Alger was not destined to molder forgotten in the elements, or worse deteriorate at the hands of scrappers. Shortly before the theater’s closure, a group of concerned residents banded together to form a nonprofit, Friends of the Alger Theater, to protect what they deemed a tremendous community asset.

Read the Model D article here: http://www.modeldmedia.com/features/alger-theater-092915.aspx?utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=What+it+takes+to+save+a+neighborhood+theater+on+Detroit%27s+east+side&utm_content={Email_Address}&utm_campaign=What+it+takes+to+save+a+historic+neighborhood+theater+on+Detroit%27s+east+side

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ABOUT THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA: Founded by Ben Hall in 1969, the Theatre Historical Society of America (THS) celebrates, documents and promotes the architectural, cultural and social relevance of America’s historic theatres. Through its preservation of the collections in the American Theatre Architecture Archive, its signature publication Marquee™ and Conclave Theatre Tour, THS increases awareness, appreciation and scholarly study of America’s theatres.

Learn more about historic theatres on our website at www.historictheatres.org