I think this was actually on Pulaski Boulevard, which is NOT MA-126. If you google 584 Pulaski Boulevard, and look to your right, you’ll see a drive-in screen standing in what was the lot. It’s now a dirt mound-filled dump.
This is an excerpt from a November 30, 2009 Worcester Telegram and Gazette article. It answers the question about the red “X” and paints a dim future for this theater in the heart of the city.
“The former Paris Cinema on Franklin Street is branded with an "X” sign. The building, which most recently housed an adult theater, is owned by a holding company controlled by the principals of the Boston-based Mayo Group, which is renovating several buildings on the block.
The Mayo Group’s Edward O'Donnell, vice president of development, said the company bought the vacant theater as a “defensive investment” because it already had poured millions of dollars in neighboring buildings. As it stands, though, the company has no specific renovation plans for the deteriorating brick theater.
“At this point, it’s hard to say. It’s really hard to attach any type of timetable or to say what we think the reuse will be,” Mr. O'Donnell said.
In the meantime, he said, the Mayo Group has been cooperating with the Fire Department and doing its best to keep the building secure. Homeless people have managed to break into the building on several occasions, he said.
“We have had to resecure that building three or four times, but they find a way to get in,” Mr. O'Donnell said.
“We’ve worked with the Worcester Fire Department. They called us and wanted to go through the building, and we granted them entry,” he added. “Everybody who remembers that night 10 years ago knows how important it is to work with the Fire Department.”"
Also, this is a PDF of another T&G article notes that the parcel that includes the theater was purchased for 4.8 million, and that “preservationists and local theater buffs” would like to see the theater saved. Given the hurdles it faces(high renovation cost, too much competition for performing arts in the area, and questionable viability as a movie theater), I think this one might be at the end of the road. I’d like to be proven wrong….but I can’t see it.
Actually, I stand corrected. It was at the back of the parking lot for the Showcase Cinemas, which didn’t exist in 1971.
However…if you look at the historical aerial for 1978, the Dedham Drive-In is obviously closed. And the small building at the far left of the parking lot that has chewed into the former drive-in’s lot? That building is the shiny, new Showcase Cinemas. How about that?
Now we know what, or more precisely who killed the Dedham Drive-In: Sumner Redstone, that’s who!
Also worthy of note is that if you looked at the rear of the Showcase’s parking lot in aerials after it fully swallowed the drive-in, the outline of it’s final layout was visible in the asphalt.
It’s underneath what’s now Legacy Plaza. The old Showcase Cinema, now the Showcase Cinema de Lux at Legacy Place, was built on top of it(or the parking lot was, at least).
True, Roger, this theater was never named “North Adams Cinema 6”. But they are basically one and the same – Cinema North simply moved to this location and expanded operations.
The North Adams Cinema 6 was on Curran Highway, in a strip mall building that was shut down by the Board Of Health who evicted the tenants and condemned the buildings. Those tenants include the cinema, Gringo’s Restaurant, a yarn outlet, and a few other small local businesses. But I digress.
Too bad about Cinema North. But I’m glad to hear the theater will get another shot.
This one is still standing, but the marquee is gone and building appears to be empty. You’d only know this was a theater if you had prior knowledge or someone told you.
To find it on Google Maps Street View, find Sommer’s Bar. The storefront in between the bar and Frameworks Plus was the theater.
This article appeared in today’s Patriot Ledger. One has to wonder what’s going on with Streetworks. I hope things don’t take an ugly turn over the course of the next year.
Following up with ghamilton’s post, the building appears to still be doing just that. It looks like it was repurposed at some recent point, from what the marquee looks like in the Google Maps street view. However, it appears to be closed and abandoned at present.
Having taken another look, I realize I was going in the wrong direction. Thanks to Mike Rogers for pointing out my
There is a small storefront at what Google Maps says is 787 Broad Street, but is probably in actuality 767 Broad Street. I suspect this was the entrance to the Rialto once upon a time. If you look down the street to your right(photo’s left), you see the Imperial Theatre, and to your left(photo’s right), the former Modjeska Theatre.
It appears the auditorium has been demolished, and is now parking.
After looking at Bing and Google Maps, I can conclude that this theater was either in the News Building, or it’s entrance was the small facade to the News Building’s right(viewer’s left). Whether or not the auditorium is still around is an entirely different question.
After doing some more exploring, I was off on the address myself. I still say it’s not 117 North Military. The only thing in that area in the Baxter Springs High School, and residential roads.
It is also not 1145, which was the flower shop at one point, and possilby the New Baxter as well as the original location of the Blue Castle Restaurant, as mentioned in the article I forgot to link .
THIS theater, the Ritz, appears to have been at 1190 Military Avenue. If you Google Map that, the building before you is the former Blue Castle Restaraunt, as confirmed by the pictures on this page (search for “Baxter” on the page"). This was the Ritz Theater, and the the Blue Castle Restaurant. It’s now boarded up and disused.
The address given here is incorrect. The actual address for the Ritz building is 1145 Military Avenue.
According to this article, the last use was as a florist’s shop. Looking at Google Maps, I believe it might have been one of the now-empty store fronts to the left of the appliance/furniture store.
According to this issue of Box Office from August 13, 1955, the Zap Theater was located in the Zap Community Hall. It apparently was under a new operator, Norman Beck, thus the small blurb. He had a one year contract to show movies two nights a week. The lease on the building had a provision to continue if both parties were satisfied. I’m guessing one of them was not.
Looking at Google Maps, the structure at 200 Main Street, the address the Zap Community Hall, looks like it could be it.
After studying map views and looking at the post card, the windowless structure that Jeff Chapman points out is almost certainly the auditorium of the Paramount. The entrance on Main Street, I THINK, is the facade with the crucifix hanging it. It has a similar appearance to the exterior of the “auditorium”. It also appears to be used for religious functions now.
Well, maybe not. Either it’s been torn down and the Dollar General is a new building, or Dollar General gutted the cinema building and repurposed it. I can’t really tell, so I guess the “closed” status stays. Anyone able to help here?
This one is demolished, and the Bronco Dance Hall stands on it’s site. However, the old marquee remains – and what a marquee it was. Full horses head with a sign beneath it. Search for the address in Google Maps – you can’t miss it.
This one is still standing, but it’s been repurposed. The marquee is still hanging, but a sign tied to it under the “Madison” lettering says “Coffeehouse and Flea Market”. Use should be changed accordingly.
This one is still standing. If you look up the address on Google Maps, it maps to South East Street, just before it intersects with East Main Street. Look at the Street View for the intersection of East Main & South East Streets; the Capri is to your right, on the corner. Appears to be boarded up and long forgotten.
One of two things has happened, based on comparison of the pictures:
(1) This is the same building, but the auditorium was razed and parking was put in it’s place. The entrance is also now a few doors down, as they apparently have taken over the two storefronts that were there. I think this is what happened.
(2) This is an entirely new building. That seems unlikely.
I think this may actually have been on BARBER AVENUE, which is in the Greendale neighborhood and does exist.
Both yourself and Ron Newman always say that the MGM Theater Reports are notoriusly error-ridden and hard to read. I think this is one of those cases. Unfortunately, if it was there, it’s long gone. However, looking at the aerial on Google Maps, it looks very plausible that there was a theater there – the location, at least, makes sense. But I could be wrong. And there seems to be little information on this theater.
According to this website, the Strand Condos are on the land that was the site of the Strand Theatre.
Also, if you look at the slideshow, there is a photo showing what looks like it could have been part of the old building. More specifically, it looks like a stone with the words “Strand” engraved on it was saved and laid in the floor at the entrance to the complex. I am not sure is this was from the walk in front of the building, or from the building it self, or neither. Purely speculating.
I think this was actually on Pulaski Boulevard, which is NOT MA-126. If you google 584 Pulaski Boulevard, and look to your right, you’ll see a drive-in screen standing in what was the lot. It’s now a dirt mound-filled dump.
This is an excerpt from a November 30, 2009 Worcester Telegram and Gazette article. It answers the question about the red “X” and paints a dim future for this theater in the heart of the city.
“The former Paris Cinema on Franklin Street is branded with an "X” sign. The building, which most recently housed an adult theater, is owned by a holding company controlled by the principals of the Boston-based Mayo Group, which is renovating several buildings on the block.
The Mayo Group’s Edward O'Donnell, vice president of development, said the company bought the vacant theater as a “defensive investment” because it already had poured millions of dollars in neighboring buildings. As it stands, though, the company has no specific renovation plans for the deteriorating brick theater.
“At this point, it’s hard to say. It’s really hard to attach any type of timetable or to say what we think the reuse will be,” Mr. O'Donnell said.
In the meantime, he said, the Mayo Group has been cooperating with the Fire Department and doing its best to keep the building secure. Homeless people have managed to break into the building on several occasions, he said.
“We have had to resecure that building three or four times, but they find a way to get in,” Mr. O'Donnell said.
“We’ve worked with the Worcester Fire Department. They called us and wanted to go through the building, and we granted them entry,” he added. “Everybody who remembers that night 10 years ago knows how important it is to work with the Fire Department.”"
Also, this is a PDF of another T&G article notes that the parcel that includes the theater was purchased for 4.8 million, and that “preservationists and local theater buffs” would like to see the theater saved. Given the hurdles it faces(high renovation cost, too much competition for performing arts in the area, and questionable viability as a movie theater), I think this one might be at the end of the road. I’d like to be proven wrong….but I can’t see it.
Actually, I stand corrected. It was at the back of the parking lot for the Showcase Cinemas, which didn’t exist in 1971.
However…if you look at the historical aerial for 1978, the Dedham Drive-In is obviously closed. And the small building at the far left of the parking lot that has chewed into the former drive-in’s lot? That building is the shiny, new Showcase Cinemas. How about that?
Now we know what, or more precisely who killed the Dedham Drive-In: Sumner Redstone, that’s who!
Also worthy of note is that if you looked at the rear of the Showcase’s parking lot in aerials after it fully swallowed the drive-in, the outline of it’s final layout was visible in the asphalt.
It’s underneath what’s now Legacy Plaza. The old Showcase Cinema, now the Showcase Cinema de Lux at Legacy Place, was built on top of it(or the parking lot was, at least).
True, Roger, this theater was never named “North Adams Cinema 6”. But they are basically one and the same – Cinema North simply moved to this location and expanded operations.
The North Adams Cinema 6 was on Curran Highway, in a strip mall building that was shut down by the Board Of Health who evicted the tenants and condemned the buildings. Those tenants include the cinema, Gringo’s Restaurant, a yarn outlet, and a few other small local businesses. But I digress.
Too bad about Cinema North. But I’m glad to hear the theater will get another shot.
This one is still standing, but the marquee is gone and building appears to be empty. You’d only know this was a theater if you had prior knowledge or someone told you.
To find it on Google Maps Street View, find Sommer’s Bar. The storefront in between the bar and Frameworks Plus was the theater.
This article appeared in today’s Patriot Ledger. One has to wonder what’s going on with Streetworks. I hope things don’t take an ugly turn over the course of the next year.
Following up with ghamilton’s post, the building appears to still be doing just that. It looks like it was repurposed at some recent point, from what the marquee looks like in the Google Maps street view. However, it appears to be closed and abandoned at present.
Having taken another look, I realize I was going in the wrong direction. Thanks to Mike Rogers for pointing out my
There is a small storefront at what Google Maps says is 787 Broad Street, but is probably in actuality 767 Broad Street. I suspect this was the entrance to the Rialto once upon a time. If you look down the street to your right(photo’s left), you see the Imperial Theatre, and to your left(photo’s right), the former Modjeska Theatre.
It appears the auditorium has been demolished, and is now parking.
After looking at Bing and Google Maps, I can conclude that this theater was either in the News Building, or it’s entrance was the small facade to the News Building’s right(viewer’s left). Whether or not the auditorium is still around is an entirely different question.
After doing some more exploring, I was off on the address myself. I still say it’s not 117 North Military. The only thing in that area in the Baxter Springs High School, and residential roads.
It is also not 1145, which was the flower shop at one point, and possilby the New Baxter as well as the original location of the Blue Castle Restaurant, as mentioned in the article I forgot to link .
THIS theater, the Ritz, appears to have been at 1190 Military Avenue. If you Google Map that, the building before you is the former Blue Castle Restaraunt, as confirmed by the pictures on this page (search for “Baxter” on the page"). This was the Ritz Theater, and the the Blue Castle Restaurant. It’s now boarded up and disused.
The address given here is incorrect. The actual address for the Ritz building is 1145 Military Avenue.
According to this article, the last use was as a florist’s shop. Looking at Google Maps, I believe it might have been one of the now-empty store fronts to the left of the appliance/furniture store.
That’s the one, ken mc, yes. And that was supposed to say, “the address GIVEN FOR the Zap Theater…”.
Joe, I think we were working on our posts at the same time. If I’d seen yours, I would not have posted mine. Sorry!
According to this issue of Box Office from August 13, 1955, the Zap Theater was located in the Zap Community Hall. It apparently was under a new operator, Norman Beck, thus the small blurb. He had a one year contract to show movies two nights a week. The lease on the building had a provision to continue if both parties were satisfied. I’m guessing one of them was not.
Looking at Google Maps, the structure at 200 Main Street, the address the Zap Community Hall, looks like it could be it.
Ignore my first comment. What I was looking at was Fox Theatre nearby. I was mistaken, and apologize for being completely off bsae.
After studying map views and looking at the post card, the windowless structure that Jeff Chapman points out is almost certainly the auditorium of the Paramount. The entrance on Main Street, I THINK, is the facade with the crucifix hanging it. It has a similar appearance to the exterior of the “auditorium”. It also appears to be used for religious functions now.
Look closely, and see what you think.
Well, maybe not. Either it’s been torn down and the Dollar General is a new building, or Dollar General gutted the cinema building and repurposed it. I can’t really tell, so I guess the “closed” status stays. Anyone able to help here?
Based on the fact that this address now belongs to a Dollar General discount store, it’s probably safe to mark this one ‘Demolished’.
There’s also a swap meet on the site, as well.
This one is demolished, and the Bronco Dance Hall stands on it’s site. However, the old marquee remains – and what a marquee it was. Full horses head with a sign beneath it. Search for the address in Google Maps – you can’t miss it.
This one is still standing, but it’s been repurposed. The marquee is still hanging, but a sign tied to it under the “Madison” lettering says “Coffeehouse and Flea Market”. Use should be changed accordingly.
This one is still standing. If you look up the address on Google Maps, it maps to South East Street, just before it intersects with East Main Street. Look at the Street View for the intersection of East Main & South East Streets; the Capri is to your right, on the corner. Appears to be boarded up and long forgotten.
One of two things has happened, based on comparison of the pictures:
(1) This is the same building, but the auditorium was razed and parking was put in it’s place. The entrance is also now a few doors down, as they apparently have taken over the two storefronts that were there. I think this is what happened.
(2) This is an entirely new building. That seems unlikely.
Ron,
I think this may actually have been on BARBER AVENUE, which is in the Greendale neighborhood and does exist.
Both yourself and Ron Newman always say that the MGM Theater Reports are notoriusly error-ridden and hard to read. I think this is one of those cases. Unfortunately, if it was there, it’s long gone. However, looking at the aerial on Google Maps, it looks very plausible that there was a theater there – the location, at least, makes sense. But I could be wrong. And there seems to be little information on this theater.
According to this website, the Strand Condos are on the land that was the site of the Strand Theatre.
Also, if you look at the slideshow, there is a photo showing what looks like it could have been part of the old building. More specifically, it looks like a stone with the words “Strand” engraved on it was saved and laid in the floor at the entrance to the complex. I am not sure is this was from the walk in front of the building, or from the building it self, or neither. Purely speculating.