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C. Howard Crane | |
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| Born | Charles Howard Crane (1885-08-13)August 13, 1885 Hartford,Connecticut, U.S. |
| Died | August 15, 1952(1952-08-15) (aged 67) |
| Occupation | Architect |
Charles Howard Crane (August 13, 1885 – August 14, 1952) was an Americanarchitect who was primarily active inDetroit, Michigan. His designs include Detroit'sFox Theatre andOlympia Stadium, as well asLeVeque Tower in Columbus, Ohio, which remains that city'ssecond tallest building.
Born inHartford,Connecticut, Crane moved to Detroit in 1904.[1] He worked as a draftsman for several architectural firms, includingAlbert Kahn Associates,Smith, Hinchman & Grylls, and the office ofGustave A. Mueller, before opening his own office in 1908.[1][2]
LikeThomas W. Lamb andJohn Eberson, Crane specialized in the design ofmovie palaces in North America.[3] Crane's career would include some 250 theaters in total, with 62 of them in the Detroit area. His 5174-seatDetroit Fox Theatre was the largest of the Fox Theatres. The 4,500 seat Fox Theatre in St. Louis was its slightly smaller architectural near twin. These were considered to have been his architectural masterpieces. Among the five massive Fox theatres, Crane also designed the Brooklyn Fox (4,088 seats, razed).
Crane also designed Olympia Stadium (Detroit Olympia), which eventually had seating for 13,375 plus standing room for 3,300. Olympia, used by the Detroit Red Wings, was razed in 1987.
Crane also designed many office buildings. Most of his many downtown Detroit movie palaces had attached office towers that he designed (the Fox, United Artists, State, Capitol). However, Crane's office tower masterpiece is the 47 story 555 ft. tallLeVeque Tower in Columbus, Ohio.
Due to the 1929Great Depression, Crane's theatre and office building commissions dried up. He became disillusioned and in 1930 moved toLondon,England,[1] although he kept his Detroit office open for many years after moving.[3] Crane designed many cinemas across Britain, but in much tamer designs than his American movie palaces.
Crane's most famous U.K. commission wasEarls Court Exhibition Centre, an Art Moderne convention center that opened in 1937. It closed in 2014 and was demolished between 2015 and 2017.
Crane returned to visit Detroit once or twice a year untilWorld War II. He then remained in London, where he died and was buried in 1952. His namesake descendants (C. Howard Crane III, et al.) now live in the Detroit area.[citation needed][relevant?]
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