Riviera Theatre

I am an architecture student.My final project is about movie center,and I need your information of technology and designing in movie center. please send me this information.

As a kid in the late 50's, went to the Riviera on many a Saturday afternoon. Double features changed every Friday. One week a horror double bill, next week a couple of westerns or two war movies. Favorite memories: "I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF" plus "INVASION OF THE SAUCERMEN" then later "ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS" plus "NOT OF THIS EARTH". AN almost full house of screaming kids... what fun...and only 25cents admission!!

Did anyone else notice the Riviera's cameo in a TV commercial last year? It was an ad for an auto service chain that featured people saying "I brake for" various things. One segment must have been shot across the street and south of the theatre as the marquee was visible on the left side of the screen--only for a few seconds, but once you noticed it it was obvious. It ran a lot during the baseball playoffs (although there must have been more than one edit as the Riviera shot was not included every time).

I live within sight of the Uptown Theater here in Chicago and saw perhaps the last of the second runs at The Riviera in November of 1982,Superman II. I just love standing at the corner of Broadway and Lawrence and looking around me at the Uptown & Riviera and behind me at the wonderfully ornate Aragon Ballroom.
I also remember many a matinee at both theaters in the '70s.

Anyone know what's going on with the Riv currently? There are only two shows booked, Devo on 9/24 and Monty Python 12/21 - 01/01. Perhaps it's being restored? I found this note suggesting it might be under renovation. The last show I saw there was Air on 4/20, and it looked like there was new plaster restoration work going on in a few areas, so i'm guessing (hoping?) a restoration is underway.

A recent photo of the Riviera (and its block of Racine Avenue) can be seen here. The shuttered Uptown Theatre is visible in the background.

The Riviera was one of several Chicago theaters on the Keith-Albee-Orpheum circuit in the mid-to-late 20s, including the Majestic (the Shubert today), the State Lake, the Belmont, and the Tower.

This may be a dumb question but why does one side of the marquee not have the script Riviera name on the top? On that side it's where the attraction titles should be.

The Riviera is located at an odd intersection, three streets intersect at one place, Broadway, Racine, and Lawrence- you can see this in the mapquest link. Commercial traffic is primarily on Broadway and Lawrence- Racine is just a splinter following the path of Broadway, were it to continue straight instead of detouring into a diagonal. There's not really any traffic on the Racine side (residential), and from any apporach you can see one of the sides of the attraction board, which is presumably why they didn't bother adding a third one. Kinda unpleasantly asymmetrical though. I think they might've done some work on the marquee recently, it's almost fully lit and looks like it's in really nice shape. Unfortunately, I was incorrect earlier; there hasn't been any further interior restoration. It's still in the terribly ugly scheme of purple, black, gild, and green, with some parts still in a 60s beige and marbleized yellow, and still other parts in different colors. And the murals are barely legible from the years of smoke and dirt... the place is really begging for some TLC. But at least it's standing and restorable. I hope the city comes through and buys it or the uptown. Anyone know what the proscenium was like? It has a lot of openings and looks like neon (?!) covering some of it... were the organ chambers in the proscenium? Also interesting to note is the prescence of a number of parts from the demolished Granada- there are a number of seats in the upper balcony, and I believe the chandeliers in the auditorium and lobby.

Brian
Thanks for the info.
Rob

This was Rapp & Rapp's first theater, and they had a non-existance of a lobby.

R&R had a few earlier theaters, like the Al Ringling and Bryn Mawr, and one of the brothers worked on the Shubert/Majestic. It was the second B&K/R&R collaboration though, after the Central Park.

The Riviera Theatre came under Orpheum Circuit management and operation September 6th, 1925.

Over the weekend some of the ugly modern facade was stripped off of the attached Riviera Office Building, which stands vacant. Unfortunately the masonry looks to be in pretty poor shape, but perhaps restoration of the facade (maybe the office building will be condo-ized?) and theater as a whole will follow? One can only hope!

In the 60's, I saw many films at the Riviera and at the Uptown Cinemas. All the American International Beach Party Movies, the newest Disney features, Raquel Welch in 1 Million B.C. a satire on the undertaking business called THE LOVED ONE, which went right over my 10 year old mind... also, a film which featured the British Beat group Herman's Hermits in a Beatle's Hard Days Night kind of mode. You received a "signed" autographed photo of the group if you bought a large buttered popcorn! I remember using it for darts practice. Because of the close proximity of the Uptown and the Riviera, I don't know where I saw what. Did one theatre play new releases and one primarily B-Movie classics like Beach Blanket Bingo? If so, which did what? Thanks for any leads! Also, does anyone remember a magazine published in 1965 called Beach Boys and Girls? I was a huge fan of the Beach Party movies and of course bought them (long gone) and have never heard about them again or seen them for sale on e-bay or anywhere else. Growing up on Chicago's beaches we could very well relate to
surf music and films - at least in the summer months.

Thanks again!

The Internet Movie Database search for Herman's Hermits only comes up with one title they appeared in; "When the Boys Meet the Girls" (1965) starring Connie Francis, Harve Presnell, Liberace, Louis Armstrong and Sam the Sham!

How a British group got involved in that one, I just don't know!

Wow! What a cast! I vaguely remembert the plot had something to do with the space program...There were other films with British Beat bands like the Dave Clark Five ( I believe the title was CATCH US IF YOU CAN?) and Gerry and the Pacemakers but none were up to Beatles standards. I'm surprised none have appeared on DVD. Of course I have all the Beach Party movies - there is one with 11 year old Little Stevie Wonder accopanied by Dick Dale and band!

Charles, the Riviera and Uptown were second run theatres showing double features.After a film premiered downtown, it would go to the neighborhood theatres.In the late 50's, the Riviera played many horror films(many from AIP):"VOODOO WOMAN" plus "THE UNDEAD","I WAS A TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN" plus "BLOOD OF DRACULA", "THE BEGINNING OF THE END"plus "THE UNEARTHLY","THE BLOB" plus "I MARRIED A MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE" ,and dozens more. Many of these double features initially played the Roosevelt theatre for a two week period.The Uptown played more adult oriented fare-lots of dramas("GOD'S LITTLE ACRE").There were exceptions- the Uptown played-first run- "HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL"with EMERGO(a skeleton floating over the heads of the audience,starting from behind the right side of the screen to the edge of the balcony,and back again). In the early to mid 60's the Uptown played most of director Roger Cormans films..."HOUSE OF USHER", "TALES OF TERROR", "PREMATURE BURIAL", "THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM".All of these films played with a second feature.The Uptown also showed most of the beach movies..."BEACH PARTY", "MUSCLE BEACH PARTY", "BIKINI BEACH".At this time, the Riviera was playing all sorts of double features-comedies, dramas, some horror/sci-fi. "THE LOVED ONE" was a hoot. Saw it downtown at the United Artists theatre. I remember it so well for two reasons: a great black comedy, and the ticket taker at the UA- an elderly gentleman named Morrie- had to dress as a mortician(complete with top hat).He was not happy about it! I don't remember the magazine you mentioned; I do remember the Foster and Montrose beaches in the summer, and playing softball behind the Edgewater Beach Hotel.

Hi Ken!
Thanks for clearing up my confusion concerning the Uptown and Riviera theaters! I saw all the horror films you mentioned, especially the Roger Corman Edgar Allen Poe films, at my local theatre the Modè on Sheridan Road near the Sheridan "L" station. Also, remember the badly dubbed Italian sandal epics like Hercules Unchained, Samson this and that, Ajax vs. Samson and numerous interchangeable others. And fantasy films like The Magic Sword...oh yes and my favortie from that period: I WAS A TEENAGE WERESOLF with Michael Landon as the beast - pre Bonanza! The Edgewater Beach Hotel also brings back memories - I was there often visiting the radio staion that was located there. I saved the clipping from the Chicago Tribune when the building was demolished in approxiamtely 1969? The newspaper article is long gone but I do have a period postcard showing the Hotel from the beach perspective though.

This is 2000 photo of the Riviera marquee in Chicago.

Here is another view of the Riviera Theater.

This page shows an advertisement for the grand opening in 1918:
http://tinyurl.com/l7fdm

Saw the new movie-the Break Up with Jennifer Aniston tonight.This theater has a role.You see quite a bit of it.

Saw the new movie-the Break Up with Jennifer Aniston tonight.This theater has a role.You see quite a bit of it.

Here is a small news flash: they removed some more of the false front from the Riviera's office and retail block. It also looks like there are work lights inside the building. The Uptown Broadway building across the street is also being worked on. Condos I suppose? Noticed this all on my way home tonight.

Here's a bigger news flash: Jam productions has purchased the Riviera and may rehab it with TIF funding.

Someone was good enough to spray paint their tag across the grand window last week.

Update: The metal cladding that has marred the building for probably 40 years now is now totally removed, although the framework is still up. Despite the missing cornice, terra cotta work, and windows, it still looks a lot better to me at least now that it has some architectural expression. It would take a lot of money to fully restore, though, so we'll have to wait and see what happens. As for the tag, i'm almost certain that's been there for a couple years now.

I pass the place quite a bit from the south (where you have a better view of the facade), when the morning sun is hitting the building. One morning it was clean, the next morning...there it was in all it's glory.

Here is the Uptown Borders/Goldblatts/Loren Miller, across from the riviera, in its original form as a bank. Note that the windows didn't go as low and there was a pediment that was not replaced in the restoration. Also a balustrade along the top.

Russell Phillips Photos:
Upper Lounge
Riviera Auditorium Bar

You can't even make out the murals anymore... and it looks much less garish then.

I pass by the Riviera on foot almost every day, and I can confirm that the tag across the grand window has been there for close to two years now. I noticed it the day it went up, and I've been annoyed by it ever since.

Here are a few good recent photos of the Riviera.

Pretty cool photos.

I dispute the age of the tag. But I suppose it is a matter of he said, she said.

But... lts... the tag is visible in that last shot, which was taken in August of 2005.

Here's another shot, incidentally from the same show that auditorium photo came from. http://www.flickr.com/photos/senor_codo/296432845/ And another, from a third user, and that same show. How strange. I guess there is a lot of overlap between Decemberists fans and Flickr users. Wish I was there.

Also some more good photos from a few days earlier at http://www.flickr.com/photos/wbrstreet/tags/riviera/ . And at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashwinnair/293415187/ . How strange that there's such a sudden influx.

LOL. Well, Ok. I guess it is no longer he said she said.

Here are photos of this theater.

It has been busy lately. Good to see those chaser lights blazing away, and people lining up around the corner onto Lawrence.

This is a recent close-up of the Riviera Theater.

NEWS ITEM:
Chicago Daily News, Wednesday, June 5, 1940, p. 23, c. 7---
COMPLETE 'GWTW' FOR NEIGHBORHOODS
The most-talked-of picture ever filmed, "Gone With The Wind," begins its one week only engagement in the neighborhoods on Friday, June 7, when Balaban & Katz books the technicolor classic into the Tower Theater, 63rd street and Blackstone; the State Theater, 5814 West Madison street, and the Riviera Theater, Broadway at Lawrence.

It will be presented complete and intact, as it is being shown in the Loop.

Reserved seats for the engagements are on sale at special box-offices in each theater and mail orders are being given prompt attention. Seats are reserved for the evening performances which start at 8 pm and for the Sunday matinee, which will begin at 2 pm.

Week day matinees will be continuous from 10 am. Patrons may come as late as 2 pm and see a complete matinee performance.
_________________________

Another recent photo of the Riviera can be seen here.

There is finally some action taking place on the Riviera's retail and apartment block. They are now stripping metal framework which held the yellow later-day facing. They are also removing windows and damaged sections of terra cotta work. It will be interesting to see the final outcome. Between this renovation work and the fact that the Riviera is booked all the time these days, it would seem that the people now calling the shots intend to make the property a going concern.

There are three vintage views of the Riviera, including one of the auditorium, in David Balaban's "The Chicago Movie Palaces of Balaban & Katz," published last year as an Aracadia paperback. Ordering information can be found at www.arcadiapublishing.com

In the book "CHICAGO- GROWTH OF A METROPOLIS" by Harold M. Mayer, there is a nice shot of Broadway- looking north- from Leland to Lawrence on page 344. The year is 1926; the vertical sign RIVIERA is clearly visible in the background. Photos of the Paradise, Marbro, Tivoli, Wilson(aka 4 Star), and Parkway(on the south side)are also featured on pages 345, 347, and 348.

Was this theatre a Plitt at one time?

I think it was. If I am remembering correctly, Plitt succeeded ABC Great States in the mid-to-late 70's. The Riviera didn't turn into a night club until the mid 80's (rough guess '84). If they kept a barn like the Chicago Theatre open as late as 1984-5, and many large neighborhood houses like the Nortown, it would seem strange to close the Riviera.

By the way, the Riviera office building renovation looks like it is being carried out with a high degree of quality. They ordered custom building details to replace those damaged when the yellow facing was attached. They don't look like terra cotta from a distance. But they do look like they will work very nicely.

I've heard that the ground floor tenant will be a bank.

I added more photos including many of the interior to the site linked in my Dec. 3 comment.

A nice view of the Riviera's auditorium in all its purple-ness.

The office building is in fact receiving what, from what I can see from the el, is an accurate replica of the cornice. Although it seems to be copper and I had assumed the original was terra cotta. So far, they're really doing a phenomenal job of facade restoration.

It is a very impressive project. They are investing a lot of money.

I'm looking at this old photo of yours B. It appears that the cornice is made of something other than terra cotta. I'm judging by the contrast to decoration on lower portions of the building. The cornice looks darker to my eye when I stare at it for a minute.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bwchicago/739550783/

This is a recent photo of the Riviera Theater.

Probably a first for the Riviera takes place tonight:

"Change Rocks", a benefit concert for Barack Obama's campaign, takes place tonight at 8:30, featuring Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco), Stephan Jenkins (of Third Eye Blind), Jill Sobule, Cool Kids, The Changes ,and Canasta. Barack will be there too!

Such a cool event for the Uptown neighborhood! I'm going, and I can't wait!

By the way, update on the office building next to the Riv: a Bank of America is definitely coming soon. The square gets better all the time...the boarded-up buildings are starting to come back to life!

I know I sound like a broken record, but if only the majestic Uptown could be next...

Here is another photo of the Riviera Theater.

The theatre's name is spelled incorrectly in the very first sentence of the introduction.

With all the money they spent on the office building (which looks fabulous), you would think they could spend $1,000 to power wash that graffiti off of the grand window. It brings down the whole presentation considerably.

I believe the theater and office building are separately owned.

Interesting. Thanks for the information.

I am so happy they renovated the Riviera Building. In fact, I am shocked that this happened. I always assumed this building eventually would be torn down because it looked so far gone.

My only regret is that they did not replace the terra cotta detail that was originally along the top edge of the roof. Other than that, the renovation is spot-on.

There were a couple other little differences. I *think* the cornice originally had stud lighting, the frames of the windows are slightly off (the middle windows on the second floor should be slightly wider), and there is no terra cotta in the spandrels above the storefront windows, as there is between the secon and third floors. Otherwise it's pretty perfect, and now the Riviera Theater facade is definitely in need of similar attention. Overall an excellent project. It would be great to get some condos or offices or anything next to the riv where that ugly pancake house is.

I agree, this renovation is better than any of us could have expected for this building. You are right about the windows. Also, the window details are too thin when compared with the originals. I wish that contemporary window manufacturers could duplicate the thicknesses used on vintage windows. It would make restoration projects look much better.

BW, I tried to open your photos from your Dec. 3 comment, but it says that I need permission to view them (this is after signing into Yahoo). Can you tell me how to view the photos.

By the way, the Jewel at Broadway and Montrose has a great photograph of the Riviera building from about 1957. It shows all of the details perfectly. Until I saw this photo, I assumed that the facade was put up sometime in the 1930s, but it was put up after 1957. From the photo, the building does not look like it was in bad condition. I guess they wanted to "modernize" it.

The enameled steel panels were indeed just modernization, and the Riviera itself had a similar treatment proposed - good thing that never came through! I will have to check out the photo you mention.

I don't know of any reason why you wouldn't be able to see the photos. They should be visible to anyone.

I checked again and I was able to see the 1924 photo. In the 1957 photo, there is a Peter Pan clothing store on the first floor retail space.

I am so happy that the Riviera theater never was "modernized!"

What is the story on the bar on the main floor in the Riviera? It looks old, but it cannot be older the the 1980s. Was it just designed to go with the rest of the interior?

Ah!...the Riviera!

I can't add much here except to say I join in that it is wonderful this theater was saved, and evidently the corner is being dealt respect, and it would seem it really could revitalize and restore the integrity of the neighborhood. Has there ever been talk of restoring with some sense of continuity, in even a mild way, all of Broadway from, say, Diversey to Uptown?

What I remember about the Riviera Theater is that I liked it somewhat more, or found it more beautiful and satisfying for me, than the Uptown, special though the Uptown is - just personal preference. (It may be that the Riviera had something about it that reminded me of a theater I visited in San Francisco when I was young; not sure.) Thanks for the photos of the beautiful interior. I seem to recall something about the ceiling in the foyer above the bar now that I see the photo. Don't the approximately 1900 seats make the Riviera a jewel of a venue? Anyone - if it was a vaudeville house first, does its construct lend itself to fairly effective accoustics, or is it miked as if it has none?

Stopped attending the Riviera in the early '60s though, and invariably, somewhat sadly, went to the Uptown or elsewhere, simply because the fare offered at the Riviera was not satisfying on any given night to me by then. I do not remember what was offered at the Riviera, and I did always check it, longingly, hoping I could justify buying a ticket, but always ended up elsewhere by '61. I am wondering if the Riviera changed ownership about that time, and whomever owned it booked the horror shows, or others?

I keep thinking that the Riviera closed for a time, maybe a few seasons, in the mid '60s or later. I thought that at one point, I couldn't even look to see if anything was playing there because it wasn't showing anything - that would have been by 1970. Maybe it just ceased to show movies.

Noticed the postcard of the bank at the "Y" intersection on a number of the Chicago history websites but couldn't place it. Now it comes back - it was across from the Riviera, and it still was that building in the '60s, maybe only slightly modified, but still there. I think it was some other type of financial establishment then, rather than a straight bank, and I think its double doors opened right at the "Y" intersection, and may have had brass details on them. That building was worthy of restoration. I liked to walk down that side of the street, along that building, because it reminded me of bank buildings in my hometown in California; this one was always kept up. I thought it was the most aesthetically pleasing building on the west side of Broadway down to Wilson.

(BTW, there were a number of "Y" corners or blocks coming north up Broadway from about Diversey. I am thinking of the block at Broadway and Montrose. Also sort of in the reverse, one just to the west of Diversey and Broadway. They kind of gave the north side of Chicago, up Broadway, a sort of splendor, as if saying how great Chicago could be in its construction when it wanted to be, and that Chicago could appreciate and incorporate the finest aesthetic beauty too. Remember the scene in the movie version of "The Philadelphia Story" when MacCaulay Connor (Jimmy Stewart) says to Tracy Samantha Lord Haven (Katherine Hepburn) something about "...there's an unholy splendor about you..."? But I wax nostalgic.

The name "Peter Pan" seems familiar. The photos of the pancake house call to me to remember that site in the '60s (if not a pancake house, what; maybe a cocktail lounge or restaurant?). Not sure.

In the mid-'60s, about '65, maybe '64, Bobby Rydell appeared at the Aragon Ballroom on an afternoon - maybe a Saturday. Filled with younger youths who were very noisy. Don't think Bobby was expecting that, and he had to tell them to be quiet or he wouldn't sing (and I think he lip-synched anyway). If I remember right, management had to tell them to "smoke outside," and there was some extra little chuckle about that. I always liked Bobby Rydell; though he was the headliner, there were other acts, but I don't remember them.

Thank you again for the photos. (Some of the early links are bringing up page error now.)

The Y-intersection you mention across the street from the Riviera has been given a huge restoration and make-over the past 5 years. There were three connected buildings that made the Goldblatt's department store from the 1930s until the late 1990s. At that point, the masonry building toward the south was torn down and rebuilt as condos (it is a shame because that beautiful building should have been restored). The middle building and corner building toward the north were restored and turned into a Borders bookstore and more condos.

The Buena Memorial church was at the Y-intersection you mention at Montrose and Broadway. That building had a structural flaw and the roof collapsed in the mid-1990s. The remaining walls of the church were torn down and the lot sat empty for years. Just recently, a non-descript condo building was built on the site. It is too bad, because that site deserves a building that is architecturally significant like the old church.

Thanks. That is wonderful to learn that the area there is being restored. (BTW, what is the condition of the seats in the Riviera?) I can't picture Goldblatt's (but, of course, know the store) yet had to have known it because I walked that block and worked at Woolworth's farther down the street which was in the building evidently razed and left as a parking lot. I can't remember the west side of Broadway from the bank to Wilson, but can remember some of the shops on the east side of the street.

I agree with you. "My church" was an imposing marker structure and it should have been replaced with another "significant" structure for a number of reasons.

Another thought just came to me. In the area of the church, on the east side of Broadway, was there a terminal or parking garage for taxis?

Village Entertainment operator Ron Rooding got his start at the Riv when it turned into a nightclub.

I plan to visit Chicago next week. I would like to walk some of the north side theater areas. Is there a recommended theater or architectural tour for this? Thank you.

Here is a list of all of the architectural tours by the Chicago Architectural Foundation. The tours for neighborhoods and theaters are spotty, so there may not be anything available for next weekend. You may have to go on your own. Have fun!

http://www.architecture.org/tours.aspx

Thank you. I see the tour schedules don't quite fit my schedule, but I will know how to check the neighborhoods.

Here are some blog posts on the Riv restoration:

http://www.uptownupdate.com/2007/12/maybe-they-were-hoping-for-another-tcf.html
http://www.uptownupdate.com/2008/03/action-at-riv.html
http://www.uptownupdate.com/2008/04/windows-coming-soon.html
http://www.uptownupdate.com/2008/05/riv-gets-windows-crew-goes-gray.html

Also, a couple on the proposed multiplex across from the Aragon:

http://www.uptownupdate.com/2008/01/parking-complextheatre-and-high-rise.html
http://www.uptownupdate.com/2008/01/aragon-owner-partner-in-uptown-movie.html
http://www.uptownupdate.com/2008/01/aragon-owner-partner-in-uptown-movie.html

Some sort of work is going on with the Riv's facade:
http://www.uptownupdate.com/2008/08/riv-theatre-joining-in-on-rehab-craze.html

Ah The Riv. This place could still be the ultimate, if it would just get some cosmetics done. Concert business has cleary kept it alive. I've seen so many shows there I can't even remember which were films and which were concerts. Robert Palmer, Cheap Trick years back on New Years, etc. (Noticed they had seats from the Granada in the balcony.)
My last was The Pretenders last Christmas. Which unfortunately we were not told was a Toys-For-Tots show, so we arrived empty handed.
All we could do was say "Hi" to WXRT's Terri Hemmert.

Back in the `80's, there was a brazen armed robbery of whoever ran the then Riviera niteclub. The newspapers later reported that it was an inside job. When pictures they ran surfaced of the alleged thieves laying on a bed of money.

In the early `90's, then Chicago Bull Cliff Levingston reportedly bought the Riviera. But he was unfortunately traded from the team days later. So I don't think he ever took over.

As I get older, I kind of wish these places didn't remove all the main level seats. It's what make the House Of Blues only viable if you pop for the dinner packages. I know I'm in no way their main cash cow audience, but I think it's why bands like Steely Dan & Ray Davies now play the Chicago Theatre. The Congress also removed all the main floor seats. Surely essentially costing themselves the recent roller derby revival. Which re-opened on their floor, and coincidentally in Chicago in the 1920's. Yeah, yeah I went.
They had an original roller girl in her 80's there. And initially seats.
A friend told me once Natalie Merchant apologized to the audience at one of the two, for the conditions of the house. Which ever one she doesn't play at again we'll know.

The Riviera I'm pretty sure did a short late `70's stint as a revival house, similar to the Parkway & Music Box. Mixed double features of cult classics.
Had the nearby Uptown not succumbed to all that befell it since 1981, The Riviera might itself now be dormant. But it's a trooper. "Faded Elegance" can certainly be reversed with money and vision though.

http://img484.imageshack.us/img484/3738/980610chicagorivieratheatre048.jpg 1980s

Actually given the billboard I suppose that would be 90s

http://digital.chipublib.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/rvw&CISOPTR=487&CISOBOX=1&REC=2

Passed by the Riviera today. It had some newer looking, protective white tarps over the top span of the front wall, oer the marquee.
Same as the Uptown still has. Though the Uptown's upper terra cotta arches had been removed a while back.

A good sign that both are being protected from the elements, until brick/facade work can be done.

Here is another photo:
http://tinyurl.com/cl4k5g

Hey Ken Mc. FYI, your March 28th link comes up blank with a header of "this photo may only be saved by friends".

There was also a recent shot of the Riviera's marquee in the Friday April 3rd Chicago Tribune "Homes" section.
An avant garde angle with the old Uptown Bank building in the background.
A building used in the filming of John Goodman's "The Babe", a number of years back.

I just saw the film, "The Break Up" with Jennifer Aniston, and there is a great scene involving the Riviera, you can see a lot of it.

A 2/9 Wurlitzer (210) was installed in the theatre in 1918