The official website (www.thefoxoakland.com) has a nice gallery of construction photos. Also, it looks like they’ve got a busy schedule of shows over the next couple months!
Their official website (in the description at top) has a nice set of virtual tours from various places in the auditorium and lobbies. It looks the original inner lobbies/mezanines are all original (restored) and the only modern part is the new outer lobby.
The virtual tours are worth checking out – the color is somewhat monotone, but in a nice way, very appropriate for a classical musical venue.
View link – Upper Proscenium View link – Auditorium ceiling View link – Auditorium ceiling at rear View link – Auditorium ceiling – from balcony to proscenium View link – Auditorium sidewalls – from balcony View link Auditorium Ceiling View link – Auditorium View link – Stage & Proscenium – from balcony View link – Auditorium sidewall
I didn’t actually post the pictures that I linked to on 12/23/08. They were posted by a man whose handle is “826 PARANORMAL” – he has quite a few interesting photostreams there. Some were posted 6/5/07 and some 10/2/08. If a movie shoot had been held there they may have repainted a few small sections for the filming. (at the Loews Jersey, they actually built a few sets – candy counters, etc, nice faux black marble with white streaks – the theatre still uses those counters). I think also a lot of the plaster damage is localized, some areas are definitely in worse shape than others. It’s still salvageable though. Looks a lot like the Waterbury Palace. The Palace and Majestic would look great restored – I hope they can pull it off. At least the roofs have been replaced – they look brand new from the Google arial photos.
It would be great if the Saenger, State Palace, Orpheum and Joy could all be restored! A criotical mass of that size could attract a lot of performances, witness Playhouse Square in Cleveland with their four restored movie palaces.
Both the Saenger and Orpheum are starting to move forward, the Orpheum hopes to have reopened by the end of 2009. Owners of the State Palace and Joy theatres are still deciding whether to renovate, sell or demolish.
the owners of the Orpheum have started to renovate the theatre and are hoping to have it reopened by the end of the year. (The Saenger is renovation is also moving forward and the owners of the State Palace and Joy are still deciding whether to renovate, sell or demolish.)
the owners of the State Palace theatre are still deciding whether to renovate, sell or demolish the theatre (ditto for the Joy. The Saenger is going ahead with a renovation project, and so is the Orpheum; they expect to have the Orpheum finished by the end of the year.)
According to the article mentioned above, the building had been triplexed by the time of its closing. From the looks of the google photo, the building had a very long narrow lobby going to the auditorium which was well back from the street.
The website now shows the building as no longer available. Hopefully it means it has been sold. The page describes the building as 20,900 square feet, with the auditorium, its balcony and the italianate decor intact. The building includes a bar which is currently operating. a town-owned 200 car parking lot is immediately behind the building.
Here’s a corrected link to the excellent photo galleries mentioned above – done by Nathaniel Bennett Photography Studio, from May and September 2008 retrospectively:
From the google photo it looks to be demolished – no buildings in the area large enough to be a theatre and a vacant lot in the shape of a long lobby with auditorium to the rear.
Here is a whole series of interior photos (267 in the set) of the Loew’s Poli and Majestic Theatres. It appears that most if not all photos were taken in 2008.
According to the website (which has a few exteriot shots), the building is now Skelly’s pub. No indication if any of the interior architecture survives.
The 1945 Theatre Catalog has an article showing the plans for the Riverview Theatre. I would assume it was built sometime between 1946 and 1948. Art style is streamline mocerne, it seats 700 and architect were Lublin, McGaughy and Associates. The building includes storefronts to the right of the main entrance. A lobby leads back to an oval shaped foyer, with the auditorium going off to the right. Unfortunately the article did not have any photos of the interior but the plans indicate it had no balcony.
Here are more of SheffieldStar’s photos of the Fox Oakland grand opening:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonfisher/3257770250/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonfisher/3257771808/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonfisher/3256940755/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonfisher/3256942417/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonfisher/3258861154/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonfisher/3258859280/
The official website (www.thefoxoakland.com) has a nice gallery of construction photos. Also, it looks like they’ve got a busy schedule of shows over the next couple months!
Their official website (in the description at top) has a nice set of virtual tours from various places in the auditorium and lobbies. It looks the original inner lobbies/mezanines are all original (restored) and the only modern part is the new outer lobby.
The virtual tours are worth checking out – the color is somewhat monotone, but in a nice way, very appropriate for a classical musical venue.
Herre are three photos of the auditorium:
View link
View link
View link
and one of the Lobby:
View link
Here are three more from the Conclave:
View link – closeup of Fox Office Bldg entrance
View link – Proscenium
View link – organ screen detail
The THSA has a large photo gallery of photos of theatres from their 2008 Conclave in the San Francisco region, at
Here are links to their photos of the California Theatre:
View link – Interior – lobby
View link – Lobby
View link – Lobby
View link – Auditorium seat
View link – Auditorium Detail
View link – Main Lobby
View link – Main Lobby
View link – Lobby window
View link – Main Lobby
View link – Auditorium Ceiling
View link – Proscenium
View link – Auditorium sidewalls
View link – Upper proscenium – sunburst
View link – Proscenium
View link – exterior
View link – vertical sign , marquee
The THSA have a lot of photos of San Francisco area theatres from their 2008 Conclave at:
View link
Here are links to their photos of the Fox Oakland (taken summer, 2008):
They are all of the marquee and vertical sign:
View link
View link
View link
View link
View link
View link
View link
View link
View link
View link
View link
View link
The THSA 2008 Conclave has a large set of photos at:
View link
Here are their photos of the Warfield Theater:
View link – Upper Proscenium
View link – Auditorium ceiling
View link – Auditorium ceiling at rear
View link – Auditorium ceiling – from balcony to proscenium
View link – Auditorium sidewalls – from balcony
View link Auditorium Ceiling
View link – Auditorium
View link – Stage & Proscenium – from balcony
View link – Auditorium sidewall
The THSA 2008 Conclave has a large set of photos on Flickr at View link
Here are their photos for the Oakland Paramount:
View link – vertical sign
View link – exterior detail
View link – vertical sign View link – marquee
View link – auditorium from stage
View link – Auditorium from stage
View link – Auditorium
View link – Auditorium details
View link – front facade
View link – auditorium ceiling – blue lighting
View link – Proscenium
View link – Main Lobby
View link – main Lobby
View link – Main Lobby
View link – Main Lobby Staircase
View link – Organ
View link – Ornamental Details
View link – Auditorium Ceiling – Golden Lighting
Lots of photos from the THSA 2008 Conclave here:
View link
Here are links to their photos of the Gonden Gate Theater:
View link – outer lobby
View link – inner lobby
View link – inner lobby
View link – outer lobby
View link – auditorium – from stage
View link
View link – balcony
View link – inner lobby
View link – stairs to balcony
View link – proscenium
View link – balcony from stage
View link – balcony from stage
View link – stage rigging
I didn’t actually post the pictures that I linked to on 12/23/08. They were posted by a man whose handle is “826 PARANORMAL” – he has quite a few interesting photostreams there. Some were posted 6/5/07 and some 10/2/08. If a movie shoot had been held there they may have repainted a few small sections for the filming. (at the Loews Jersey, they actually built a few sets – candy counters, etc, nice faux black marble with white streaks – the theatre still uses those counters). I think also a lot of the plaster damage is localized, some areas are definitely in worse shape than others. It’s still salvageable though. Looks a lot like the Waterbury Palace. The Palace and Majestic would look great restored – I hope they can pull it off. At least the roofs have been replaced – they look brand new from the Google arial photos.
The link posted by Lost Memory on 1/27/08 now shows photos of the demolition.
It would be great if the Saenger, State Palace, Orpheum and Joy could all be restored! A criotical mass of that size could attract a lot of performances, witness Playhouse Square in Cleveland with their four restored movie palaces.
According to this article:
View link
Both the Saenger and Orpheum are starting to move forward, the Orpheum hopes to have reopened by the end of 2009. Owners of the State Palace and Joy theatres are still deciding whether to renovate, sell or demolish.
According to this article:
View link
the owners of the Orpheum have started to renovate the theatre and are hoping to have it reopened by the end of the year. (The Saenger is renovation is also moving forward and the owners of the State Palace and Joy are still deciding whether to renovate, sell or demolish.)
Accoring to this article,
View link
the owners of the State Palace theatre are still deciding whether to renovate, sell or demolish the theatre (ditto for the Joy. The Saenger is going ahead with a renovation project, and so is the Orpheum; they expect to have the Orpheum finished by the end of the year.)
Hopefully they will chose to renovate!
According to the article mentioned above, the building had been triplexed by the time of its closing. From the looks of the google photo, the building had a very long narrow lobby going to the auditorium which was well back from the street.
The website now shows the building as no longer available. Hopefully it means it has been sold. The page describes the building as 20,900 square feet, with the auditorium, its balcony and the italianate decor intact. The building includes a bar which is currently operating. a town-owned 200 car parking lot is immediately behind the building.
From the google photograph it looks like this theatre is now an empty lot.
Two photo galleries of the Fox Oakland, done by Nathaniel Bennett Photography Studio, from May and September 2008 retrospectively:
View link
View link
Here’s a corrected link to the excellent photo galleries mentioned above – done by Nathaniel Bennett Photography Studio, from May and September 2008 retrospectively:
View link
View link
From the google photo it looks to be demolished – no buildings in the area large enough to be a theatre and a vacant lot in the shape of a long lobby with auditorium to the rear.
One of the photos in the above series shows that the organ console is still in place – a little worse for the wear but possibly restorable.
Here is a whole series of interior photos (267 in the set) of the Loew’s Poli and Majestic Theatres. It appears that most if not all photos were taken in 2008.
View link
One photo shows the bedraggled organ console still at the Loew’s Poli.
Here is a whole series of interior photos (267 in the set) of the Loew’s Poli and Magestic Theatres. Some are from 2008.
View link
According to the website (which has a few exteriot shots), the building is now Skelly’s pub. No indication if any of the interior architecture survives.
The 1945 Theatre Catalog has an article showing the plans for the Riverview Theatre. I would assume it was built sometime between 1946 and 1948. Art style is streamline mocerne, it seats 700 and architect were Lublin, McGaughy and Associates. The building includes storefronts to the right of the main entrance. A lobby leads back to an oval shaped foyer, with the auditorium going off to the right. Unfortunately the article did not have any photos of the interior but the plans indicate it had no balcony.