The worst renovations in history (house, church, space, build)

[HiFi]

Here we can post some of the worst renovations in history, to collectively mourn I guess.

I'll start it with one that inspired the thread, the Fisher Theatre in Detroit. Housed in the art deco Fisher Building, it was of a mayan revival design with a complex aztec inspired interior.
http://www.theatreorgans.com/souther...herDetroit.jpg
checkout the tile work
http://www.theatreorgans.com/souther...oitconsole.jpg



In the mid century if was 'improved' to become ....
...
...
http://www.lasplash.com/uploads//3/fisher_stage-6.jpg

[stevo6]

I'm guessing it was a choice between renovating cheaply or tearing it down? So many theaters and churches have met the same crossroads.

[luv4horses]

It probably was improved to have better acoustics, too. Do you think the old tile work is just covered up? Or was it removed (sadness).

[HiFi]

I found some better photos of the theatre.
http://historicdetroit.org/image/2/7...h-ro-final.jpg
http://historicdetroit.org/image/2/7.../dfpa43689.jpg
http://historicdetroit.org/image/2/7...h-ro-final.jpg


and the improvement
http://historicdetroit.org/workspace...h-ro-final.jpg

the theatre area was made larger so it was a complete gut and not a cover-over. Not even structural parts of the first design seem to remain.

[HiFi]

Here is another fine detroit renovation
The michigan theatre converted to a lovely parking garage.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...bbyDetroit.jpg
Better than having simply razed it I suppose. Ironically more of the original remains with this parking garage convert than does with the fisher theatre renovation.