Detroits Iconic Abandoned United Artist Theater

The United Artists Theater. 150 Bagley Street. Detroit, Michigan.
This historical and gorgeous gothic theater was Arguably one of Detroit’s most challenging abandoned locations to access but it was not always this way.
Long before downtown Detroit had made its now storied comeback, the United Artists Theater was just one of many abandoned, neglected, and wide open buildings scattered throughout downtown.
But years before that, the theater was once a symbol of Detroits impressive and busting theater district. The theater was built in 1928 and was designed by famous architect C. Howard Crane in a Spanish-Gothic style unmatched by any other theater before.
The theater was admired by many and continued to have great success with sold out shows nearly every weekend for almost 30 years straight before closing in 1974.
After sitting abandoned for 40 something years, the united artists theater was sadly and unfortunately demolished this year but not before we got in one last time. The one good thing is that The United Artists Building will at least be saved, but it’s sure bittersweet for anyone that got to experience this majestic treasure of a theater.
With the historic theater now demolished and the high-rise building being renovated, we felt that doing this video was a must. The entire experience was emotional, especially as Detroit lost another piece of history, however there has to be room for both progress and growth. furthermore, we hope everyone liked the video and you can see more photos at our website, abandonedcentral.com. Thank you all, we truly appreciate the continued support.

[@mizzkay2145]

I love learning Detroit history. When I’m driving around the city I always wonder what it looks like inside of the abandoned buildings in downtown Detroit and midtown

[@jerielliott6502]

I grew up in Detroit and remember it very well. A majestic building.

[@xcasmithx]

Awesome work! Thanks for risking your hind to show us! RIP United Artists Theater Detroit.

[@abandonedcentral]

Thanks for watching!

[@larryshumakerhihvv5294]

What a beautiful building wish it could be saved

[@Rattlinghope4]

Excellent video bro, it is sad how that beautiful building was ever allowed to deteriorate as it has. It’s great to know there are explorers like yourself capturing and presenting such vids before their final demise to dust. All those folk, history, thanks bro from Shrewsbury England.

[@abandonedcentral]

Thank you so much for the support and for watching our videos. Greatly appreciate it my dude!

[@groovydonkey]

So fascinating to be taken around a theatre that had such wonderful architecture and now going to be destroyed and gone for ever. Excellent job done 👍

[@hapaboy0808]

So sad to see this theater fall into disrepair. Chicago's Uptown theater almost faced a similar fate, hopefully one of these days it will be restored as they've been saying for years.

[@thebestchannel5456]

The United Artist building is renovated

[@cbdaug]

What a great video. There won't be another one like it showing the theater in it's final days on KZbin. Thank you for posting.

[@abandonedcentral]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching.

[@Kevin_Bemis]

Spectacular! You have taken it to the next level with this explore. We were visiting Detroit just 3 hours ago, so you were close to home for me. Wish I could have experienced that building in its prime.

[@abandonedcentral]

Thanks for watching Kevin!

[@wildestcowboy2668]

​@@abandonedcentral how do you break into the locks?

[@nicolemerriman-darling772]

Too bad you were not in time for the old Train StTion. THAT WAS FANTASTIC!!! I'M FROM DETROIT, SOOOO I CAN ASSURE YOU HOW MAGNIFICENT IT WAS!!! I REALLYB ENJOY YOUR VIDEOS😊

[@abandonedcentral]

Been doing this for a very long time. Check out my documentary on Abandoned Detroit. Theres entire section about the train station. kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5O3cqugj6iSi6c

[@antonioguglielmetti2661]

This is crazy. Just one building in Detroit has this much. I can't believe how much more of this there is or was in the city

[@pjmccabe5923]

Thank you so much for such a wonderful look at this beautiful building Such a shame it is lost now

[@ladyturantulo]

It’s heartbreaking it’s deteriorating, I’m guessing it’s at a point of no refurbishment.

[@abandonedcentral]

Unfortunately not for this one.

[@JoelWigley]

Excellent video, really well done. Thanks for taking the time and risk to document the last days of that beautiful theatre. Oh, and love how you handled those locks, like a pro!

[@brucebeamon5460]

It’s REALLY disturbing that because of the circumstances ( with the help of the Federal and State Government and the mindset of the majority class )Detroit lost its place as the wealthiest city in the country there are or were MANY buildings here that showed that status including this one the Masonic Temple , the Fox theater and the Train station that were built ( including joining offices ) that weren’t done in other cities , either just larger or more opulent than the ones built in other cities buy these same developers. Absolutely outstanding exploration .Thanks for inviting us to it

[@csteinmayer71]

Oh boy, being a theater guy, I would have loved to explore under the stage, around the stage and everywhere I could access.

[@elizabethpeterson1644]

It is so sad about very old movie theaters with all of those details from the 1920’s. I would have gone in awe in it. I went to a movie theater in early 80’s that had something liked this. When I was watching The Fox and The Hound. I kept looking at the details of the ceiling. It looked like a castle. Even this one theater that I used to go with my family during the 80’s to the late 90’s. It was built in the 1930’s or 1940’s. I remembered the colored of the walls was teal green color. One side of the wall had King,Queen, and Jack. The other wall had classic movie stars from the 1930’s or 40’s. Even had big vents for air conditioning that looked like bottom of UFOs. It was one big theater. By in the late 80’s they made it into 2 theaters. It was ideal of having 2 theaters in one building. I even went to a play in an old theater with lots of lights on the ceiling. I went Gaga over the details of the theater. I can’t image watching a movie in those palaces movie theaters.

[@tomreicher455]

Growing up in Detroit seeing these awesome buildings in the shape their in pisses me off, Detroit was at one time the jewel of the nation.....

[@bigstuff52]

Excellent...Great narration...

[@abandonedcentral]

Glad you liked it! Thank you for watching.

[@СолнечныйПарус-р7щ]

It is very lamentable, that this masterpiece of splendor has been torn down. I am grateful to you for managing to document the remains of luxury for posterity. It might happen, maybe a replica of this theater shall be restored someday.👍👍👍☝☝🙏🙏😢😎🧐

[@LittleLilith481]

Such beautiful details! Honestly if I was there I would have taken a piece of the highly detailed plaster for preservation. It’s all going to get destroyed anyway so might as well keep a part of the memory alive.

[@colinlove5062]

Losing the UA theater might hurt even worst with the tower being renovated. Detroit’s most famous ruin Michigan Central Depot is being renovated by Ford they’ve gone to incredible length to recreate what was lost down to nearly the last detail. Ford even using limestone from the same abandoned quarry in Indiana where it originally came from. Michigan Central is nearly completed, it that was a job that seemed impossible, what makes the UA even more tragic is Olympia is an entertainment company that saved the granddaddy of all Detroit theaters The Fox back in ‘88. Smh there have been so many of the city’s old theaters saved they even moved the whole Gem when they built Comerica Park. There’s a vibrant preforming arts scene here with over 13k seats enough to make the claim of having the 2nd largest theater district outside of NYC. Man I’m glad you got to get in there before it’s gone, I saw urbex pictures from 1997 when it was still mostly intact this shit makes me cry.

[@mrbill3576]

Outstanding sir thank you

[@abandonedcentral]

Thanks for watching Mr Bill!

[@shellylyelly]

Great video, incredible decay...thanks for sharing from California!

[@abandonedcentral]

Thank you for watching Shelly!

[@tonyg6103]

Cheers from Grand Rapids! What a badass tour of this place.

[@abandonedcentral]

Thanks for watching Tony!

[@unklbred]

Incredible. Thank you.

[@abandonedcentral]

Our pleasure! Thank you for watching.

[@jeanaesamuel47]

So very cool

[@gringopig]

Amazing! Thank you for showing us.

[@abandonedcentral]

Our pleasure! Thanks for watching.

[@lizb1537]

Amazing! Thank you for sharing! I used to go to pipe organ concerts in Detroit with my dad. I wonder what theater that was? Too bad they couldn’t save this amazing building.

[@mikebas7325]

Too bad they didn't attempt to keep some stuff for repurposing. Some of those railings are a site to see from so long ago and nothing will ever be styled or built like it again more than likely. Just so sad to see these beautiful places got to scrap. Thanks for taking us on this awesome adventure, didn't seem too bad until you showed the stairwell that dropped off to nowhere lol.

[@joedoomsdaypio4374]

The Bank section was a short lived Nightclub in the early 90s, called "The Vault"- it wasn't open long at all, but my friend's band,"Baghdad Cafe" was the house vand

[@cartierdiamonds2967]

There is so many buildings and houses there like this in Detroit

[@reneastle8447]

Good thing we can come together to raise funds to restore the Untied Artists Theater to its former glory and appearance.

[@USlisa50]

So sad. Thanks!

[@jimhiner1244]

It's a shame those original metal railings are not being salvaged for use elsewhere. Great video.

[@alisham8232]

Love the long video! Shout out from DETROIT

[@abandonedcentral]

Thank you for watching Alisha!

[@bernardmeyre]

Hi from France Very good job man Well done bravo!

[@abandonedcentral]

Thank you so much! We go to France to explore in a few weeks :)

[@bernardmeyre]

@@abandonedcentral nice! Hope you like it!

[@scottygsgarage3808]

Super cool. Love the exterior drone shots, throwback photos, and interesting/engaging commentary. Also the intro where he goes inside is sketchy af and I love it. A lot of other pages never show how dedicated and persistent you have to be to make it into some of these older buildings. Especially ones with security. Also the huge building next to it with the blown out windows on the exterior shot @5:14 does anybody know what it is or the history behind that building?

[@MrFullService]

The light gray building at the lower left corner of the frame is the Michigan Building. At its rear is the Michigan Theater which has for many years served as an indoor parking lot for the people who work in the Michigan bldg. The photo might have been taken at a time when they were doing something with windows(?), but it is still viable and used. The Michigan theater/office building was designed by Rapp & Rapp in 1925. The same architectural firm also designed the nearby Hotel Leland in 1927.

[@tracyturner9406]

What an absolute waist off such a beautiful building makes me sad ❤

[@scottygsgarage3808]

This is wild, so the blown out building next door on the exterior drone shots is “The Michigan Building” at 220 Bagley. But in Google Maps images as recent as 2021, the building looks to be fully renovated, from the bottom up. So I scrolled back to older dates, all the way back to like 2007. And in all of them, the windows are for the most part closed and intact. I wonder when those drone shots were taken?? Same with the UA Building itself. I couldn’t find any images on Google maps of the exterior windows covered in graffiti, but Google maps only goes back to 2007, and I think the video says the new owner scrubbed the windows and installed alarms around ‘05 so that makes sense

[@josebarrera1746]

This was a great video I'm a old Insane Clown Posse fan so anything from Detroit is awesome thanks great footage. I wish FAYGO had an old factory you could explore

[@abandonedcentral]

Glad you enjoyed it Jose! Thanks for watching.

[@HardcamFrio]

Would love to go exploring with you. I’m like 20 minutes outside of Detroit

[@xtralate]

awesome video bro

[@abandonedcentral]

Thanks for the visit!

[@jackphantom]

May I sample this visually for the backing track for a music project? Thanks.

[@MrFullService]

I heard that the people refurbishing the UA were planning to fully restore the theater lobby, which is in the same style as the theater, but contained in the tower, not in the theater proper. This was partially..and successfully done in the old RKO Radio theater right across the way. It was made into a really cool restaurant. Then again, the architectural rendering for the finished UA apt. pile doesn't look promising. The part I was referring to is the section withe maidens and the mirrors.

[@lordrobert12]

It fills me with rage that this theater was demolished for more parking!!

[@JessiS86]

Amazing! Can you send me some of the stills? Some areas that look fully intact may have been the newest repairs due to something? .. we need to look into the most recent repairs. YEARS AGO OBVIOUSLY, but how new?! 🥰❤️🤷🏻‍♀️👍🏻😋

[@JessiS86]

Before they threw the towel in and gave up! 💔😢😳

[@slicksnewonenow]

Gosh... It's tough to wrap your mind around how easily things deteriorate so quickly, if left unattended. Hopefully you swiped at least a hunk of the plaster detail that was laying around... I try to sneak away with a little bit of whatever decaying building that I explore... I even have a chunk of concrete curb from the old Route 66 that I repurposed into a waterfall in the garden. It's amazing that no one ever salvaged all of the beautiful Spanish style ironwork in that building.

[@jocelyncallis3773]

So sad! 😢

[@brettsalter3300]

Lock Picking Lawyer is enjoying those Master lock hacks!

[@parkerburns4023]

Would you ever consider making a coffee table book of all your photos?

[@colinlove5062]

The office tower is being renovated into apartments but the theater is being demoed. It’s a damn shame 20 years ago under same ownership the theater was in pretty good shape. Olympia saved the Fox and State theaters but they let the UA rot.

[@jamesmcdonald5868]

That red machine that you said might have been a vending machine? That's exactly what it was it was a soda machine. The door on the left was once you deposited your Change, and that's exactly what it was a soda dispenser.

[@stepheneggert5333]

I bet there was a nice pipe organ in there one camber on your left still up ..with the nice grillwork .

[@angelsone-five7912]

Nice explore, what a shame. Would have been interesting if you could have gotup into the organ chambers.

[@gavincurtis]

Have to have a culture to have a working theater.

[@AlexanderWaylon]

Absolutely a shame that was allowed to be allowed to crumble.

[@TheMightyCookieShow]

What a shame to see this building in this sad state. Not sure why all the measures to "secure it" are bothered with at all.

[@transkohr]

GET IT YO

[@theverybestyoutubeaccount]

This is breaking and entering.

[@carrierussell5309]

Too bad you didn't find a square piece of tile you can take home in frame so you can always I mean you'll always remember it but that would be cool

[@jugandoclasicos]

Wasn't it going to be restored?

Detroit? Storied comeback? Some folks are truly delusional...

[@hersirnordic2814]

our world is rotten. amazing spanish gothic style teather gets neglected and demolished because noone cares about culture anymore. meanwhile, badbunny concerts are full. sad sad

[@2AWD]

So sad

[@misha2197]

😔💔

[@oppie47]

Here’s the Detroit Symphony inside this theater in 1981: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2G7e2h7mLWNrpI

[@thebestchannel5456]

You all are acting like the whole building is going to be demolished 😂

[@hookshot55]

so you're the jerk who kept unlocking my bike in middle school! LOL. I had a similiar lock back then.

[@abandonedcentral]

🤣🤣

[@jamieryall8341]

I'm surprised the architectural dealers haven't either bid on the remains legally or illegally had scrappers removed sections.

[@robertmailhos8159]

Why are they working on it when the cost is the factor of doing that 🙄🙄

[@jamesmcdonald5868]

The reason why this type of thing happens are people like the ilitches and Dan Gilbert. Those multi millionaires sat there and purchased this land years ago, and let it fall in disrepair! Now on the other hand when the illeges purchased the Detroit Tigers and all of the work that had been done with the Fox theater that was a blessing, but all of the other buildings and historical sites throughout the downtown area, they let them fall in disrepair, And allowed things like this to happen total annihilation!

[@josephzilafro2720]

This was a movie theater

[@Dallas_K]

Incredible, isn't it?

[@sisutytto8110]

This is sure TARTARIAN building.

[@PashutHerenstein]

This was prob not built in 1928

[@genevievehawkins9856]

Its a #Saddie #Hawkins Dance LOL

[@GT47179]

They want the Cities true history gone forever

[@dr.calebrobbins.3177]

Yes , it's a beautiful Theater. Yet it sat there for years neglected . It pissed me off that that happens when other uses could be found. There is so much Homelessness all around the world and some fat cat rich dude buys it - we all know how it goes. One man has the power to compound the existing social problems & no one bats an eyelid. It is immoral. I can imagine Trump and the fat cats in my Country have done this to thousands of people. Greed/ social injustice - oh yes we're civilised. On a different level I'd love to do some urban exploration in the City where I live. This is great. .

[@userapplellly2032]

Crysis 3

[@cgimovieman]

You didn’t have “the opportunity” to explore this beautiful relic. You broke in and were trespassing. You should have been arrested.

[@abandonedcentral]

😂😂😂😂 Please just STFU and never watch our videos again.

[@lilpoindexter]

I lived in SE Mi from '97-01 and 04-09. i went exploring in the David Whitney building and climbed on the roof and enjoyed the sights. i also explored the now revived train station. I didnt have any friends that liked doing this kind of shit. i went into the United Artist building. it was dark, cool and dusty inside. For some reason this place creeped me out, so i didnt explore it

[@abandonedcentral]

David Whitney was a great building to explore back then. Thanks for watching!!

[@someonewithballs]

what did you do to that lock??? Love your vids by the way. Greetings from the great white north

[@abandonedcentral]

Worked some magic on it 😏 Thank you for watching!