Grand Riviera Theater

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]

Empty lot where cinema formerly stood

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]

The Grand Riviera Theater was a three-story structure built from brown brick in an Italian Renaissance Revival and Mediterranean Revival style.[2] An 80-foot-tall (24 m) octagonal pavilion sat on the corner of the structure.[2] The pavilion had arched, multi-paned windows and substantial cream terra cotta decoration.[2]

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.[2]

The interior design and decorations of the Grand Riviera were very ornate.[2] 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]

• 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.