The marquee is gone! The front of the building is still plastered with No Trespassing signs, as well as McKenna for Senate signs. There is a building permit posted in the window of the restaurant on the corner, but it’s too high up to read. The lobby of the theater looks just like it did when open.
Owner Eli Mizrachi now plans to convert the structure into retail and office space. More details and renderings of the plan, announced on August 13, are available at LeavingLV.net.
MovieFone now lists the theater as “AMC Theatres FunAsia Devon,” but all showtimes are for U.S. movies, no Indian films. Village’s page for the Lincoln Village still has “Coming soon” announcements for movies that opened in July.
The Rockford Register-Star reports that the Coronado operated at a $150K deficit for FY2007, on target with projections; the Executive Director says the best case scenario is breaking even. 120,000 people attended events at the theater in the past year, up from only 52,000 in 2005.
Work on the theater is progressing. There is a very large two-story building rising west of the existing theater building (visible as steel framework in Roland’s photos) with windows on the north (Park Avenue) and west sides. It looks like the auditorium will be expanded into part of the first floor of the building. As Roland’s photos indicate, there is nothing left of the lobby and Park Avenue storefronts except the exterior walls.
“Jim Schultz, director of Neighborhood Services and Inspections, said the city was doing its due diligence regarding the condition of the building and no timetable had been set for demolishing the building.
“‘We haven’t gone out for proposals (to raze the building), and we’re looking at the environmental problems associated with the building,’ Schultz said. ‘Primarily with the asbestos in the building, we’re looking to provide an examination and a report and identify what the problems are in the building and what the costs for removing it would be. Our intent would be to remove all of the asbestos before we bid it out for demolition.’”
“Fox said he is satisfied with the property’s current mix of tenants, though ADC does have an eviction order pending against the operator of the theater.”
It’s up to the theater’s management to program what it thinks will fill the seats. Since the Paradise has been open for more than two years now, the “narrow” scope of programming and the community the building serves must be a formula for success. We would love to see classic films up on the big screen all the time, but when was the last time you saw capacity crowds on a regular basis at the Loew’s Jersey? We theater and film buffs are in the minority, and it’s $60-a-seat live events that will ultimately pay the bills. We should be thankful this place is restored and not torn down or turned into another Modell’s or Marshall’s.
The Portage website is temporarily down due to server issues. In the meantime, here’s what’s coming up:
Fri-Sun, May 23, 24, 25: U.S. Premiere of Postal at 5:00, 7:00, 9:00 P.M. each day
Wednesday, May 28: Bette Davis in Dark Victory (1939) at 1:30 P.M.
Sunday, May 31: Mirosław Szołtysek i Wesołe Trio at 7:30 P.M.
Wednesday, June 4: Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers in Swing Time (1936) at 1:30 P.M.
Friday, June 13: Double Feature – Dracula, Prince of Darkness (1966) at 8:00 P.M.; Vampire Circus (1972) at 9:30 P.M.
Sunday, June 15: Smart & Clever at 4:00 P.M.
Wednesday, June 18: Doris Day & Rock Hudson in Pillow Talk (1959) at 1:30 P.M.
Friday, June 20: Double Feature – House of Wax (1953) at 8:00 P.M.; King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) at 9:45 P.M.
Saturday, July 26: World Premiere of The Blind and the Dead at 12:00 P.M. hosted by Master Ron Fitzgerald; live music by Grigori3
“May 2008 we will begin salÂvaging the midway theater located in rockford, il. The theater was designed by j.e.o pridmore in 1918. the marquee, lobby detail and auditorium plaster will be removed. The building will be converted to condos in late 2008”
And do they play “Lincoln Park Pirates” when they put you on hold?
“Fron Wilmette to Gary, there’s nothing so hairy, and we always collect our fee…” :)
Tiles now cover the area where the marquee was, which was bare brick last month. Something is definitely going on.
Chicago Sun-Times, 8/21/08: 50 people who make Chicago a Better Place
The marquee is gone! The front of the building is still plastered with No Trespassing signs, as well as McKenna for Senate signs. There is a building permit posted in the window of the restaurant on the corner, but it’s too high up to read. The lobby of the theater looks just like it did when open.
And the screen is bigger, the audience is better behaved, and the sound is probably better, too.
Owner Eli Mizrachi now plans to convert the structure into retail and office space. More details and renderings of the plan, announced on August 13, are available at LeavingLV.net.
The concerts on Wolfgang’s Vault are all soundboard recordings from the collection of Bill Graham.
I was wondering why you hadn’t shared those photos yet…
August 1 story from ABC 6 when pieces fell off the building (with a comment from Milton Bomes' son Stanley)
August 5 story & video of the demolition from ABC 6.
WPRI 12 video with closeup view of structural problems at the corner of the building.
East Bay Newspapers article
MovieFone now lists the theater as “AMC Theatres FunAsia Devon,” but all showtimes are for U.S. movies, no Indian films. Village’s page for the Lincoln Village still has “Coming soon” announcements for movies that opened in July.
The Rockford Register-Star reports that the Coronado operated at a $150K deficit for FY2007, on target with projections; the Executive Director says the best case scenario is breaking even. 120,000 people attended events at the theater in the past year, up from only 52,000 in 2005.
Work on the theater is progressing. There is a very large two-story building rising west of the existing theater building (visible as steel framework in Roland’s photos) with windows on the north (Park Avenue) and west sides. It looks like the auditorium will be expanded into part of the first floor of the building. As Roland’s photos indicate, there is nothing left of the lobby and Park Avenue storefronts except the exterior walls.
The Silent Film Society of Chicago’s Silent Summer Film Festival is coming! Six fabulous Fridays, July 18 to August 22 at 8:00 p.m.
From a March 24 article:
“Jim Schultz, director of Neighborhood Services and Inspections, said the city was doing its due diligence regarding the condition of the building and no timetable had been set for demolishing the building.
“‘We haven’t gone out for proposals (to raze the building), and we’re looking at the environmental problems associated with the building,’ Schultz said. ‘Primarily with the asbestos in the building, we’re looking to provide an examination and a report and identify what the problems are in the building and what the costs for removing it would be. Our intent would be to remove all of the asbestos before we bid it out for demolition.’”
What a difference a couple of months make…
This line is somewhat more distressing:
“Fox said he is satisfied with the property’s current mix of tenants, though ADC does have an eviction order pending against the operator of the theater.”
It’s up to the theater’s management to program what it thinks will fill the seats. Since the Paradise has been open for more than two years now, the “narrow” scope of programming and the community the building serves must be a formula for success. We would love to see classic films up on the big screen all the time, but when was the last time you saw capacity crowds on a regular basis at the Loew’s Jersey? We theater and film buffs are in the minority, and it’s $60-a-seat live events that will ultimately pay the bills. We should be thankful this place is restored and not torn down or turned into another Modell’s or Marshall’s.
What about the donation of the building to Chabad Lubavitch? That sounded like a done deal.
Correction to the above: Dark Victory and Swing Time have been rescheduled to August 6 and August 13, respectively.
The Portage website is temporarily down due to server issues. In the meantime, here’s what’s coming up:
Fri-Sun, May 23, 24, 25: U.S. Premiere of Postal at 5:00, 7:00, 9:00 P.M. each day
Wednesday, May 28: Bette Davis in Dark Victory (1939) at 1:30 P.M.
Sunday, May 31: Mirosław Szołtysek i Wesołe Trio at 7:30 P.M.
Wednesday, June 4: Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers in Swing Time (1936) at 1:30 P.M.
Friday, June 13: Double Feature – Dracula, Prince of Darkness (1966) at 8:00 P.M.; Vampire Circus (1972) at 9:30 P.M.
Sunday, June 15: Smart & Clever at 4:00 P.M.
Wednesday, June 18: Doris Day & Rock Hudson in Pillow Talk (1959) at 1:30 P.M.
Friday, June 20: Double Feature – House of Wax (1953) at 8:00 P.M.; King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) at 9:45 P.M.
Saturday, July 26: World Premiere of The Blind and the Dead at 12:00 P.M. hosted by Master Ron Fitzgerald; live music by Grigori3
How about a first-run movie? The controversial Uwe Boll film Postal with Zack Ward and Dave Foley premieres at the Portage this Friday, May 23.
November 9, 2007 – Battling to save Midway Theater
A local businessman had a plan to restore and reopen the Midway for performing arts. It fell through.
From the Rockford Register Star
February 7, 2008 – Local Businessman makes offer for Midway Theater
March 5, 2008 – Cheap Trick guitarist Nielsen joins Midway effort
April 28, 2008 – Midway Theatre renovation up in air
From the Urban Remains newsletter:
“May 2008 we will begin salÂvaging the midway theater located in rockford, il. The theater was designed by j.e.o pridmore in 1918. the marquee, lobby detail and auditorium plaster will be removed. The building will be converted to condos in late 2008”
And do they play “Lincoln Park Pirates” when they put you on hold?
“Fron Wilmette to Gary, there’s nothing so hairy, and we always collect our fee…” :)
The Palladium on March 10, 1982
Night view of the New Amsterdam and New Victory, 1/23/08
Night view showing the New Amsterdam and New Victory, 1/23/08
The Godfather at Loew’s State, 6/4/72