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Preservation Alert
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January 26, 2010
Fairmont’s days may be numbered
FAIRMONT, WV — Time may be running out for the Fairmont Theater on Adams Street, as the whole block of which the theater is a part is being eyed as the site for a new state office building. Now closed, the 1940s-era theater last operated as a triplex.
The plan would be to tear down the entire block and build a brand new office.
This location would bring about 250 state jobs back into downtown, it would clean up some of the vacant and run-down buildings in the city, and it would promote use of the parking garage, county commissioners said. However, officials are still in negotiations with some of the property owners on that block.
There’s more in the State Journal.
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January 22, 2010
Historic Montauk Theatre could be destroyed
PASSAIC, NJ — The historic Montauk Theater seems to be set to be torn down. In most recent years it was a xxx house, and although extremly dirty, was said to be intact.
A number of years ago a man who runs movie theatres in Northern New Jersey, offered to buy it from the city. The idea was to keep the balcony area as a divided movie theatre, and turn the downstairs into a performing arts center, with a theatre pipe organ possibly controlled by the main console of the former Roxy Theatre console.
This whole idea came to nothing, as the city of Passaic said it needed the building for retail space. If one were to look around the city, there is more than enough empty retail space, so this is ridiculous. It has been reported that a huge stained glass window with the letter M survives. The theatre once had a theatre organ by the local firm of Griffith Beach. Passaic has never been the same since they took out the railroad from downtown. I will update when new info is available.
Eric Fahner
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January 15, 2010
Save the Fairfax Theater
Thanks to Haeyong Moon for the video.
For more information about the future of the Fairfax Theater, check out this recent Los Angeles Times article.
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December 29, 2009
Vancouver’s Pantages in serious danger of demolition
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA — After years of planning and advocacy, the Pantages Theatre Arts Society is giving up on its efforts to save the 1907 Pantages Theatre (the first built by Alexander Pantages), citing the lack of support from government agencies. Heritage Vancouver is urging a letter writing campaign to encourage the City Council to take action as no developer proposal to-date will preserve the theater.
A “For Sale” sign has gone up on the Pantages. This is the signal that the current owner has been unable to come to an agreement with the city to restore the theatre after three years of planning and negotiations. Given the nature of Vancouver’s real estate climate and lack of heritage protection, if sold for development, this will likely mean the demolition of the Pantages theatre.
More information in Heritage Vancouver.
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November 25, 2009
Historic Ridgewood Theatre Received Landmark Hearing, But No Vote Taken - Call LPC!
RIDGEWOOD, NY — In March 2009, the shuttered Ridgewood Theatre (55-27 Myrtle Ave) was granted a public hearing by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission, to determine its eligibility as a NYC Individual Landmak (facade): http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/downloads/pdf/press/09-03_lpc_to_hear_5_designation_proposals.pdf Patrons, preservation & cultural groups, and residents citywide were delighted. Testimony was diverse and positive, and also included written testimony from the Thomas A. Lamb, the great-grandson of America’s foremost theater architect, Thomas W. Lamb, who designed the Ridgewood Theatre in 1916 in the Classical Revival style. The Ridgewood Theatre was boasted as “America’s longest continuously operating first-run theater” when it closed suddenly in March 2008. Shortly after, Michael Perlman, Queens VP of the Four Borough Preservation Alliance Corp, organized the Friends of The Ridgewood Theatre group, serving as Chairman.
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November 19, 2009
Edenton’s Taylor Twn Cinema in financial jeopardy
EDENTON, NC — Built in 1925 as the Taylor Theater, the Taylor Twin has hit rough financial waters and is in danger of closing. Some citizens are already rallying to save the South Broad Street landmark.
Another good friend has been Frank Jones, co-owner of the Soda Shoppe. Jones has known Krochmal since he (Jones) managed the McDonald’s franchise here and the two have participated in joint ventures before.
Wanting to help his old friend, Jones developed a plan to donate 20 percent of the proceeds from all meals eaten at the Soda Shoppe during specially designated hours on Fridays from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. and on Sundays from noon until 2 p.m.
“My brother Steve and I know Bob is struggling, as many of us downtown are in this tough economy, and we wanted to do whatever we could to help him,” Jones said.
Read the story in the Daily Advance.
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November 18, 2009
Requesting Intervention on behalf of The SENATOR Theatre
BALTIMORE, MD —
Dear Friends,
We are volunteers at The Senator Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland and members of the advocacy group, Friends of The Senator [FOTS].
The Senator was recently acquired through foreclosure by Baltimore City, and the responsibility of determining the future of the irreplaceable historic theatre has been delegated to the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC), a public/private non-profit that primarily serves as the city’s real estate development agency. The BDC issued a Request For Proposal (RFP) to identify a potential buyer or lessee for The Senator Theatre, without prior professional consultation with experts in the field of historic theatre preservation. The RFP submissions are due on Friday November 20th.
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October 21, 2009
Capitola Theater may face demolition soon
CAPITOLA, CA — The 1948 Capitola Theater may soon be torn down. The theater has been closed since 2006. The current owner has applied for a demolition permit, claiming the building is mold-infested and too expensive to seismic retrofit. The city will hold a hearing to determine if the building has any historic significance.
“Some people might think it is historic,” said Mayor Bob Begun. “I don’t.”
The property is owned by a Barry Swenson Builder partnership. The current assessment is for $2.9 million, down from the purchase price of $3.75 million listed by the county assessor.
Additional details in the San Jose Mercury News.
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September 4, 2009
Proctor’s rally today
TROY, NY — I heard on the news this morning that there is a rally today at the Proctor’s Theatre to protest the proposed conversion of this theatre into office and retail space. They are going to use a government grant to destroy a beautiful theater which is listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings. I am headed over there now.
Gregg
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August 12, 2009
Bala Theater named to endangered list
BALA CYNWYD, PA — The Bala Theater suburban Philadelphia was named last week on the endangered list of the Lower Merion Conservancy.
There are only two movie palaces in the Philadelphia region where movies are still shown, the Ambler Theatre, and Clearview’s Bala Theater. Two years ago, I sent in a nomination of the Bala Theater to the Lower Merion Conservancy, for its most endangered list, explaining that the Bala is the only surviving “exotic” themed movie palace in the Philadelphia region. There were others in styles such as Chinese, Moorish, but they are all gone.
The Conservancy states that “At its heart sits the gorgeous Bala Theater, an Egyptian revival masterpiece….” and that a local business association “built the Bala Theater, originally named the Egyptian, in 1927, working with the same architects as the Philadelphia’s Boyd Theater fame. This is the only surviving "exotic” themed movie palace in the Philadelphia area. The theater is listed as a Class 2 building, but has maintenance issues with unapproved changes that concern preservationists."