The Gold Spot Marketing Center historic restoration revitalized a key corner of the City of Phoenix Roosevelt Historic District, and subsequently helped preserve an important part of its neighborhood fabric. Constructed in 1925 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building was one of the first shopping centers in Phoenix to serve a residential area.
For over 20 years, the once-vibrant commercial center stood vacant and in disrepair. Previous attempts had been made to save the building, but all plans required partial or complete demolition. Our design team did exhaustive structural testing and determined that the entire structure could be saved. The restoration included foundation repairs, masonry wall stabilization, seismic structural upgrades, concrete column repair, and asbestos and lead paint abatement. The team saved existing wood trusses while adding a new roof and steel canopy. A custom glass storefront was designed and a new recessed corner entry installed according to historic photos.
The project is invaluable to the Roosevelt District neighborhood for its faithful restoration of not only the building’s physical structure but of its historic use as a small neighborhood shopping center. Today, the Gold Spot Marketing Center serves as a functional symbol of the community’s vibrant past and promising future.
Photo Credit: Bill Timmerman
Fox Theatre Restoration
When the Fox Theatre in Detroit Michigan opened in 1928, it was the second largest theatre in the world. Having a lush mix of Arabic, Indian, and Moorish influenced architecture and being listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it had fallen into disrepair by 1987 when the theatre was purchased by Mike and Marion Ilitch of Little Caesar’s Pizza.
The theatre was completely restored to its original appearance. Patron restrooms were enlarged, an elevator added, food service areas were expanded and the mezzanine level was converted to private boxes. The backstage of the theatre was modernized to accommodate an entire range of performing arts – from opera to dance. The ten-story office building was renovated to accommodate 400 employees and became the home to the Little Caesar’s corporate center. An atrium space in-filled in the building’s light well and the entire building was updated to meet current building codes.
A glorious tribute to the Golden Age of cinema, the renovated Fox Theatre was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award by the Engineering Society of Detroit, as well as the 1989 Honor Award from the Detroit Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Since the restoration, the Fox Theatre has become one of the most successful theatres in the country, hosting Broadway shows, concerts, special events and even the occasional classic film.
City of Phoenix Eastlake Park Amphitheater
The City of Phoenix historic Eastlake Park Amphitheater building was built around 1945 but had been unused for a number of years. Eastlake Park has historically been the focal point of African American history in Phoenix for much of its existence. Until it outgrew the space, the park was the home of the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration. The park has been home to many civil rights rallies, visits from civil right leaders and the starting point of all civil rights marches to the Capital. After an initial Building Assessment by Marlene Imirzian & Associates, the firm provided documentation for the building’s structural stabilization, restoration of finishes and upgrades to plumbing and electrical systems.