Workers finish restoring Midway Theater façade in Dearborn

metromode, 12/18/2008

A little bit of Art Deco has returned to Dearborn's east downtown now that the façade of the Midway Theater has been restored.

Work crews are done with the project for the season and only have a finishing touch or two to put on the converted cinema at 4915 Schaefer Road.

"We're going to put some sealer on it later when it gets warmer," says Mustapha Hannawi, the designer and contractor on the restoration.

Local businessman Ahmed Chebbani owns the historic Midway Theater and is restoring its exterior to its original 1936 appearance. The $75,000 project repaired or replaced most of the original stonework.

The 2-story building's interior is completely different. The structure ceased to be a movie theater in the mid 1970s, becoming an office building. Today the 18,000-square-foot building has offices on the second floor and a family entertainment center is planned for the first floor.

Source: Mustapha Hannawi, the designer and contractor on the Midway Theater façade restoration
Writer: Jon Zemke

Historic Sites , Redevelopment , Wayne County

Dearborn