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Restorations
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November 1, 2007
Roxian Theater restoration
PITTSBURGH, PA — This article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette briefly mentions the Roxian Theater being restored.
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October 16, 2007
Hanover Theater to be restored
HANOVER, PA – The Hanover Theater has been sold to Historic Hanover Theater, LLC, a group that will be restoring it and operating it as a Performing Arts Theater. Built in 1928 as a Vaudeville and silent movie house by MGM, the theater was originally named the State Theater.
In the late 30’s or early 40’s sound projectors were added and the theater was used as a movie theater up until December of 1986 when it was closed and sold to new owners who planned on converting the building into an antiques mall. The conversion was never completed and the theater has been used as a warehouse for 21 years. The anticipated opening date of the restored Hanover Theater is December of 2008.
For additional information, please visit the theater’s website.
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September 11, 2007
Alhambra Cinema Theatre to be restored to live theatre
DUNFERMLINE, FIFE, SCOTLAND — The Alhambra has been bought by developers who intend restoring this astonishingly well preserved Cinema Theatre back to its former glory as a live theatre.
Read more at the Dunfermline Press.
There also is a new website for this theatre with some photos of the interior here.
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August 24, 2007
Kansas City’s restored Midland, Mainstreet Theaters will reopen
KANSAS CITY, MO — The Kansas City Star recently published an article stating that the restored Midland and Mainstreet (formerly the Empire) theaters are slated to reopen in Spring, 2008.
Both theaters are currently undergoing restorations as part of the new $3 billion Power & Light entertainment district being constructed in the convention hotel area of Kansas City’s downtown loop. More than $60 million will be spent refurbishing the two venues. The Power & Light District retail shops and restaurants are scheduled to begin opening in January, 2008.
The Power & Light District is a 9-square block redevelopment in the south loop of the downtown business district. It takes its name from the former Kansas City Power & Light Building, a landmark art deco skyscraper that was Missouri’s tallest building for decades.
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July 24, 2007
Ritz Theatre restoration almost complete
WELLINGTON, TX — A five-year restoration effort to save the Ritz Theatre is almost complete. Historic Wellington, Inc., a local preservation group, obtained nearly $2.5 million in private funds to rebuild the 1928 mission-revival building in this small Panhandle town.
The facility is now operated by Wellington Ritz Theatre, Inc. and will be open for movie showings by mid August. The Ritz also will play host to a concert series, and will be one of two satellites of the $30 million Globe-News Center for Performing Arts in Amarillo, Texas, about 100 miles distant.
The theater was featured recently in the Amarillo Globe-News
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July 20, 2007
Hollywood Theatre to undergo restoration
PORTLAND, OR — According to this article in the Salem, Oregon Statesman-Journal, the Hollywood Theatre, once both a vaudeville and a Cinerama house, will be rehabilitated thanks to grants awarded to its current owner, Film Action Oregon.
Hollywood Theatre’s interior architectural history has been under cover for years. But as Film Action Oregon begins a comprehensive preservation plan for the theater, what’s behind the curtains moves into the spotlight.
The organization, which has owned the theater since 1997, just grabbed a $36,500 commitment from the Kinsman Foundation.
The money, along with a $10,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and a $3,500 grant from the Architecture Foundation of Oregon, will be used for seismic assessment and an architectural study of the building’s interior.
You can read the full story at the Statesman Journal.
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May 24, 2007
Olympic Theatre restoration
CICERO, IL — The Olympic Theatre is currently being restored to its original splendor.
Additionally, it will have state of the art audio and lighting. It will be used for a playhouse, concert hall and for special cinema showings.
Please share your knowledge of the theatre’s history.
I will post photos shortly.
If anyone has any fond memories of this classical theatre please post them or to share your memories or to inquire about the Olympic’s status and offerings.
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May 16, 2007
Final tour of Fox Theatre before restoration
POMONA, CA — This past weekend, the Pomona Fox opened its doors to the public one last time for a tour of the theatre before its upcoming renovation. The theatre should be ready by next year.
They lined up early, cameras – and memories – in hand. The Fox Theater opened its battered doors on Saturday afternoon for a sneak peek, a chance to give the historic landmark one last look before work begins to restore it to its former glory.
Except for the art-deco ceiling, the gilt is mostly gone. So is some of the plaster. Caution tape is everywhere, and so is graffiti from the Fox’s late, not-so-great rave days.
For more, go to the Daily Bulletin.
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April 27, 2007
Garden Theatre restoration receives high score
WINTER GARDEN, FL — The Winter Garden Heritage Foundation announced a landmark achievement Tuesday, April 10th when the Garden Theatre was awarded the highest grant score ever given to an arts organization and $250,000 in funds by Orange County. WGHF received a 98.7 out of a possible 100 points, beating their previous top score which earned them $500,000 for the Garden Theatre Restoration Project in March of 2006.
To date the Garden Theatre Restoration Project has been granted the largest amount of funding awarded to any one organization by Orange County for a total commitment of $750,000.
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February 20, 2007
Southtown facade restoration
SPRINGFIELD, IL — Restoration has begun on the Southtown Theatre!
Although slow due the cold weather, the top of the facade is finished. The marquee is in the process of being dismantled and removed to the sign shop for new sheet metal, wiring and neon. This should be complete by late spring of ‘07.