In 1927, in order to gain rental income, they built this movie theater next door as part of the Little Theatre Movement.

[4] But, in 1997, they both faced demolition to clear space for the Comerica Park stadium project, the new home of the Detroit Tigers.

Forbes led efforts to preserve the buildings by relocating them both to Madison Street next to the Detroit Athletic Club and across from the Music Hall.

[7][8][9] The History Channel's Mega Movers series featured the project and the National Register of Historic Places approved the move without delisting the building because the architectural integrity was preserved.

[12] In 2024, director Yuval Sharon staged Europeras 3 & 4 at the Gem in order to provide a more intimate venue than the nearby Detroit Opera House.

A large arch dominates the 456-seat theater which is decorated with shields, rosettes, cupids, and fleur-de-lis all framed by tongue-and-dart and rope moldings.