The Kuhn-Riddle page has a nice photo of the main auditorium. Sleek modern decor, black walls with horitontal silver lines and stylish square white lights across the walls. Bright blue stadium-style seating. Large screen, with great sound and projection. Seats about 175 (the other cinemas are around 80 and 45 seats.) Even the smallest one is stadium seating.) The other two screens have the same style decor. Film fare is first run, primarily of the art and foreign film genres.
More updates on the organ! On March 3, the console was installed, and at present (3/10/09), 16 of the 35 ranks have been installed; the left chamber is about 95% complete. Donald Phipps is overseeing the effort, and was the one who built up and donated the organ. When operationmal it will be the largest theatre organ in New England, just slightly bigger than the 4/34 at Shanklin conference center.
Plans are for the installation to be completed by December 2009.
More details in the feature article at the Hanover’s web site at:
Their website has some good virtual tours of the various interior spaces. The original ornate pressed-tin ceiling is still intact. It was a fairly long and narrow theater. The triangular marquee is still there, redecorated. The rest of the original decorations are all gone, all new elements and some bare brick. It’s quite a fancy place now.
Now open as the Park Cinema. Shows 1st run south asian films (i.e. Indian subcontinent). They have installed state of the art projection and DTS equipment and stadium seating.
You can click on the Google Maps link at the top of the page to get both aerial and street-level views of the site. The red pointer will point to the entrance at the Taft hotel. The auditorium was just to the right, between the Taft Hotel and the Time-Life building. It is a very plain modern building about 7 floors high, the facade all large glass rectangles. You can still see the arched and circular windows on the TGIF restaurant facade, although the marble paneling appears newer.
has a good photo from the back of the auditorium showing ceiling to be intact. The sunlight I referred to in my previous post may simply be from the media lighting. Fire officials are suspecting arson.
I certainly hope the insurance settlement is generous so they can restore this wonderful place.
The Boston Globe article (linked above) has a better picture shoring the roscenium and left side wall. It is definitely restorable – the decorative plasterwork is singed, but largely intact, although sunlight is clearly coming in through the parts of the roof that collapsed.
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.
Actually, I don’t think it is. The addresses are different. Perhaps the photo above was misattributed.
Recent (post-renovation) photo of the Allen Theatre Lobby:
View link
The Kuhn-Riddle page has a nice photo of the main auditorium. Sleek modern decor, black walls with horitontal silver lines and stylish square white lights across the walls. Bright blue stadium-style seating. Large screen, with great sound and projection. Seats about 175 (the other cinemas are around 80 and 45 seats.) Even the smallest one is stadium seating.) The other two screens have the same style decor. Film fare is first run, primarily of the art and foreign film genres.
Here is what is probably the most official website – – The Capitol is park of the Salt Lake County Center for the Arts:
View link
More updates on the organ! On March 3, the console was installed, and at present (3/10/09), 16 of the 35 ranks have been installed; the left chamber is about 95% complete. Donald Phipps is overseeing the effort, and was the one who built up and donated the organ. When operationmal it will be the largest theatre organ in New England, just slightly bigger than the 4/34 at Shanklin conference center.
Plans are for the installation to be completed by December 2009.
More details in the feature article at the Hanover’s web site at:
View link
Their website has some good virtual tours of the various interior spaces. The original ornate pressed-tin ceiling is still intact. It was a fairly long and narrow theater. The triangular marquee is still there, redecorated. The rest of the original decorations are all gone, all new elements and some bare brick. It’s quite a fancy place now.
Now open as the Park Cinema. Shows 1st run south asian films (i.e. Indian subcontinent). They have installed state of the art projection and DTS equipment and stadium seating.
Actually, my mistake — the circular windows are not original.
You can click on the Google Maps link at the top of the page to get both aerial and street-level views of the site. The red pointer will point to the entrance at the Taft hotel. The auditorium was just to the right, between the Taft Hotel and the Time-Life building. It is a very plain modern building about 7 floors high, the facade all large glass rectangles. You can still see the arched and circular windows on the TGIF restaurant facade, although the marble paneling appears newer.
More info: Boston Herald has related articles that you can link to from the one above (links on right). One of them:
View link
has a good photo from the back of the auditorium showing ceiling to be intact. The sunlight I referred to in my previous post may simply be from the media lighting. Fire officials are suspecting arson.
I certainly hope the insurance settlement is generous so they can restore this wonderful place.
The Boston Globe article (linked above) has a better picture shoring the roscenium and left side wall. It is definitely restorable – the decorative plasterwork is singed, but largely intact, although sunlight is clearly coming in through the parts of the roof that collapsed.
According to the Reclamation Project website (link in the description at top), the first phaser of their restoration has been completed.
According to their website, the grand re-opening of the Pomona Fox is set for April 5, 2009!
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.