Bonstelle Theatre

The Bonstelle Theatre is a theater operated by Wayne State University, and located at 3424 Woodward Avenue in the Midtown Woodward Historic District of Detroit, Michigan. It was built in 1902 as the Temple Beth-El, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. As of 2019, the University plans to decommission the theatre and lease it to a private developer for inclusion in a boutique hotel.
When Rabbi Leo M. Franklin first began leading services at Detroit's Temple Beth El in 1899, he felt that the construction of a new temple building on Detroit's "Piety Row" stretch of Woodward would increase the visibility and prestige of Detroit's Jewish community. Accordingly, in October 1900, the congregation held a special meeting at which it was decided to build a new temple. The congregation purchased a site for the new temple in April of the next year and engaged member Albert Kahn to design the structure. Groundbreaking took place on November 25, 1901, with the ceremonial cornerstone laid on April 23, 1902. The first services were held in the chapel on January 24, 1903, and the formal dedication was held on September 18–19 of the same year.

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