Famed theater architect C. Howard Crane, who also designed the Fox Theater in Detroit, designed the State Theater in downtown Ann Arbor. Built in 1942, the State Theater was the last commercial building to be completed in Ann Arbor after the start of World War II. During the war, building was restricted due to rationing of construction materials. Patrons of the theater fondly remember the blue neon clock to the side of the screen. The clock was there to keep co-eds aware of the time so that they wouldn't be late for dormitory curfews that were enforced during the 1940's, 1950's and into the 1960's.

Built solely to show movies (with only a screen and no usable stage), the State Theater is a high-style art deco cinema. The building was owned and operated by the Butterfield Theater Company until the early 1980s. Butterfield also operated the historic Michigan Theater a half block away from the State in addition to many other theaters in and around Ann Arbor.

In the early 1980s, the George Kerasotes Corporation (GKC) took ownership of the building. GKC owned a chain of theaters in the mid-west and their signature carpeting can still be seen on the floor of the State Theater lobby today. As with so many movie palaces throughout the country, the theater was "quaded" (sub-divided into four smaller theaters) at this time to better compete with the new trend in movie theaters - multiple screens -- both the main floor and the balcony were divided to have two screens each.

In 1987, GCK pulled out of Ann Arbor and Tom Borders (co-founder of Borders Books) bought the building as a real estate investment. The first floor was gutted and converted to retail space to make room for a new commercial retail tenant, Urban Outfitters.

In 1997, the current owners of the State Theater, a group of private investors, hired the Michigan Theater's Film Programming team to provide booking and marketing services. Future plans include improving the seating and making both theaters handicapped accessible.

At the east end of Liberty Street, above Urban Outfitters in downtown Ann Arbor.
     233 State Street
     Ann Arbor, MI 48104

From DETROIT:
I-94 West to State St. (Exit #177). Right (north) about 2.5 miles. Theater is on the right at the intersection of Liberty and State Streets.

From SOUTH of Ann Arbor:
U.S. 23 North to I-94 West. Follow above directions.

From Detroit's NORTH-WEST Suburbs:
I-696 West to I-275 South to M-14 West OR I-96 West to M-14 West. (M-14 merges with U.S. 23 for a stretch, then M-14 splits off again) Exit at Ann Arbor Downtown Business 23; exit ramp merges with Main St. headed south. Go south about 2 miles. Turn left (east) onto Huron St. turn right (south) onto State St.. Theater is two blocks down on the left at the intersection of Liberty and State Streets.

From FLINT and NORTH of Ann Arbor:
U.S. 23 South to M-14 West. Follow above directions.

From GRAND RAPIDS and WEST of Ann Arbor:
I-94 East to Jackson Rd., Ann Arbor (Exit #172). Straight (east) on Jackson about 3 miles. [Turns into Huron about halfway.] Turn right (south) onto State St. Theater is two blocks down on the left at the intersection of Liberty and State Streets.

There is limited metered parking on local streets. The closest parking structures are:

Maynard St. Parking Structure
one block south of the Theater (across from Borders Book and Music), with entrances off Maynard Street and Thompson Street. Rates are 55 cents a half-hour, or $1.05 for the first three house and $1.25 for each subsequent hour.

The Liberty Square Parking Structure
is one block north of the Theater with the entrance off Washington Street. Pedestrian entrances on both Washington and Liberty Streets. Limited metered space available before 3:00 p.m. every day ($1 per hour). $2 general entry Monday - Friday 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m. all day Saturday (pay machine, exact change only).

All parking in Ann Arbor is free on Sundays and holidays.