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Theaters
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June 14, 2004
Keith-Albee Acquires $50,000 Organ
HUNTINGTON, WV — As time edges closer to the opening of the new Stadium Seating mega plex a block from the Thomas Lamb Keith-Albee, the historic theater has gained an organ.
In addition, Bob Edmunds, a Marshall University speech professor, played a short patriotic concert as a prelude to the presentation of Disney’s “America’s Heart and Soul” at the first Appy Film Fest.
The small group of organ enthusiasts have invested about $50,000 to bring an organ to the Keith. Edmunds hopes that groups step forward to intervene in what is now a stand off between the federal governemnt which provided the money to put the Keith out of business, the state which has no money available, and local business people who can’t imagine Huntington without the Keith.
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June 9, 2004
Mayor To Sign Lease To Friends of the Loew’s Tomorrow
The following email was sent by the Friends of the Loew’s:
“In one of his first major acts as Jersey City’s Acting Mayor, L. Harvey Smith will finalize the long-term lease of The Landmark Loew’s Jersey Theatre at Journal Square over to Friends of the Loew’s, Inc. This action will finally clear the way for FOL to undertake a vital fundraising campaign, which, in turn, will make possible additional restoration and the eventual full operation of this Landmark Theatre.
A press conference and reception to formalize the lease will be held Thursday, June 10, 2004, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Grand Lobby of the Loew’s Jersey Theatre, 54 Journal Square, Jersey City, N.J.
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June 1, 2004
Macon Drive-In Closed Due To Storm
MACON, MO — According to this report in Macon’s Chronicle-Herald newspaper, the Macon Drive-In will not open due to recent storm damage to the theater’s screen tower.
To view photos of the damage, visit the Macon Drive-In website.
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May 24, 2004
Villa Theatre Sold; Will Become Rug Gallery
SALT LAKE CITY, UT — According to a report from deseretnews.com, the Villa Theatre was bought by local businessman Hamid Adib.
Adib plans to preserve and hopefully restore the theater, and will use the theater as a showcase for his rug business while creating a “museum” of sorts of the Villa.
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May 20, 2004
Church Sets Sights on Defunct Concord Cinema… Again
CONCORD, CA — The long-gone Capri Theatre, located in the city’s Park & Shop shopping area, is at the center of another debate between a local church that needs a home and city business leaders.
The church, which has unsuccessfully bid for the property in the past, is now making another push for the property. But city officials are fighting against this, citing a rejuvenation of the theater, and a commitment to supporting a retail-only environment.
Full details can be found in this report from the San Francisco Chronicle.
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May 19, 2004
Port St. Joe Allows Project to Proceed
PORT ST. JOE, FL — Yesterday, the City of Port St. Joe decided to recommend that a building permit for the “reconstruction project” next door to the Port Theatre be issued.
In spite of legal counsel and abrogation laws in our favor, it was determined that if we wish to continue fighting this, it will have to become a civil matter in a court of law.
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May 11, 2004
One Theater’s Experience with the National Register of Historic Places
PORT ST. JOE, FL — Recently, I clearly saw the value of Historic Registry status for our Port Theatre.
The process of application for National Historic Registry nomination is not a quick process. It could take 2 to 3 years to get through successfully. One needs to persevere and not get discouraged because in the long run it helps preserve one more theater, one more treasure.
Contacting your state’s historic department is probably the best first step in the process. You may also want to visit the National Register of Historic Places website.
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April 30, 2004
Garden Theater in Charleston in Danger
CHARLESTON, SC — A few dozen people gathered on Monday night, April 26, to discuss a strategy for saving the Garden Theater as a theater. It was recently sold to a group of investors who plan to lease it to a national clothing chain. Many said converting the theater to retail space would be a loss for the city.
Jonathan Poston of the Historic Charleston Foundation said that would be “a perfect example of the mall-ization of King Street. If Charleston wants a theater on King Street that is still a theater… the community has to come up with the money.”
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April 28, 2004
Hartford Drive-In May Become Townhouses
NEWINGTON, CT — The Hartford Drive-In on the Berlin Turnpike in Newington was one of only four remaining drive-ins in Connecticut when it screened its final movie in 1996.
Since then, the theater has sat and deteriorated, with occasional seasonal use as a flea market or Christmas tree lot. While efforts to purchase and reopen the drive-in theater failed long ago, efforts to redevelop the property with a large retailer (like Wal-Mart) weren’t successful either.
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Movie House Giveaway in Paducah
PADUCAH, KY — In an effort to lure artists to a formerly run-down area that’s currently in the midst of a revival as an artists colony, the neighboring Arcade and Columbia Theatres, closed for more than 20 years, are being given away by City of Paducah.
The city, according to this report in the Chicago Tribune, is hoping to donate either one or both of the theaters to the right party with the right plan. Carol Gault, executive director of the Main Street Paducah program says “the theaters would be perfect for a non-for-profit group that wanted to put on plays, or, for that matter, start showing films again. We’re willing to listen to any ideas.”