FeedsRedevelopment plan spells end of Quo Vadis
The battered remains of the once grand Quo Vadis Theater on Wayne Road will soon give way to a new state-of-the-art fitness center.
Westland City Council members voted unanimously on Monday to approve the creation of a 45,000 square foot LA Fitness location on the site of the empty theater building.
The Quo Vadis was originally built in 1968 using a design by Minoru Yamasaki, who also designed the World Trade Center in New York, and remained in operation until 2002 when it was closed by owner, National Amusements, and fell into disrepair.
Interior fixtures, including many of the seats, were salvaged for other uses shortly after the closure. Since then, the theater has remained derelict as a buyer was sought for the property. Officials suggested the building hadn’t attracted redevelopment interest in the past since the theater was, by its nature, ‘a very limited use facility’ and had additional challenges due to the condition.
City Council President James Godbout took a moment to acknowledge the history the site has had in the community.
“It’s a shame the Quo Vadis has to come down.” He went on to stress that not only was there really no other option legally available to the city, the proposed center would provide a welcome long-term addition to the community.
A group of area teens—Don Gurka Jr., Zac Gizicki, and Ryan Stevenson—launched an unsuccessful effort to save the theater in late 2007 before the news got out that a redevelopment plan was imminent. Their efforts included the creation of a web site, www.savetheqv.org, and a petition drive prior to the matter going before the Westland Planning Commission last month.
Ernie D’Ascenzo, who represented developer Michigan Property Group, L.L.C., said that he respected the efforts made by the students and their supporters and that he has encouraged them to continue their efforts on behalf of historic theaters in the area. He added that he is also willing to take them into the remains of the theater for some final interior photographs before the building was taken down, as they had requested. However, he said that the ravages of time, disuse, the removal of some of the fixtures, and structural issues such as damage caused by a severely leaking roof had taken their toll on the facility.
“It’s not what people think it is,” he said. At this point, he said, there’s really not much left to see.
According to D’Ascenzo, what remains of the Quo Vadis is expected to come down in July with construction immediately following. He estimated that the project would take “8-10 months” to complete.
The facility, which will be one story tall and constructed primarily of brick, is also designed to coordinate with area businesses.
“This new building would be created in line with the shopping center,” said Westland Planning Department Director Bruce Thompson.
The main entrance to the facility will face south toward Warren Road. The western edge of the facility, which will border Wayne Road, is expected to be primarily brick with a few windows near the front entrance to showcase the indoor pool. The building will be 35 feet tall, a height approved when the council granted a building height variance of 9 feet. The driveways into the center will also be realigned to improve the flow of traffic as part of the project.
The fitness center is part of a chain of health clubs springing up throughout the country. There are currently no LA Fitness locations within 50 miles of Westland although according to the business web site, a branch is slated to open soon in Troy. The web site also indicates that clubs typically offer amenities beyond just fitness equipment, including classes, racquetball and basketball courts, a heated lap pool, cafes , and a children’s program.
“I hope the community can support it,” said Westland City Council President Pro-tem Cheryl Graunstadt. “It sounds like a wonderful project.”
There are currently two other fitness centers in the immediate vicinity—one across the street on the corner of Wayne Road and Cowan Road and the other located inside the nearby Westland Shopping Center.
