Sun-Ray Cinema
1028 Park Street,
Jacksonville,
FL
32204
1028 Park Street,
Jacksonville,
FL
32204
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This theatre was on the market back in the early 80’s by a company that I had inquired about called BR Brokers and when they let me see inside that the heat did not work and a lot of seats were ripped right out of the floor because of a live performance company was having financial problems but I don’t remember the asking price at the time.
Re “Vixen”, as discussed above:
http://tinyurl.com/2wgfu9
In the 60s, the Five Points coverted to show Cinerama movies, and for a while it concentrated on the (relatively few) available movies in that format. I saw “This is Cinerama!” there (that’s the one with the roller coaster), and later “How the West Was Won.” The Five Points also showed “2001: A Space Odyssey,” which was in fake Cinerama: I remember at the first showing I attended, the sound system was set wrong and the opening “2001” theme from Richard Strauss was ear-splittingly loud. THAT was one of my most impressive movie experiences ever.
Before that, I remember taking a bus to see Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita” at the Five Points. This was daring for my 13-year-old self. I believe that there was an attempt to restrict attendance to adults, but somehow I got in.
There was a restaurant nearby, Hargrave’s Steak House (I may have the name misspelled) where my family would sometimes eat prior to a movie at the Five Points.
The 5 Points was indeed one of the premier theatres in Jacksonville. My movie-going memories are primarily from the 1960’s. The 5 Points was the theatre where big movies played…I recall, for example, Dr. Zhivago, The Sound of Music, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Godfather. Usually, the big movies played the 5 Points, and, downtown, at the Florida and the Center theatres. And, at the 5 Points, the movies would play for weeks, even months. I also recall a point in the late ‘60’s when the theatre turned a corner. All of sudden, movies such as “Russ Meyers’ Vixen” were playing. Perhaps it was a sign of things to come, as 5 Points in general (the shopping area around the theatre— named for the convergence of several roads into 5 points) went into decline. Happily, the area is undergoing quite a revival with lots of contruction in the surrounding Riverside neighborhood.
The latest news about the 5 points is so sad.It was such a beautiful centerpeice of a formerly wonderful shopping district.With the revival of the area out from there,I had hoped for better.My cousins and i often went ther in the late 50’s.
Under the 1970’s stucco lies the original 1927 tan brick facade of one of the first theaters built in Florida equipped for films with sound. The building was designed by architect Roy Benjamin, of Jacksonville, who also designed the Florida Theatre downtown, and over 200 other theaters around the country, concentrated mostly in Florida.
Some of his other theater designs:
View link
http://www.floridatheatre.com/history.htm
http://www.palmbeachica.org
The Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission will consider the building for landmark status Aug 2004.
As part of the Five Points area renovations project began in 1987, plans are in place to renovate the theater. Due for completion in approximately December 2005, the plan includes converting the top two floors into loft apartments, the second floor to leased office space and the ground floor into retail space. They hope to convert the old theater section, now occupied by Club 5, a nightclub, into a restaurant.
The Five Points is listed in the 1950 Film Daily Yearbook as having 800 seats.