Gateway Theater

A fantastic photograph of the facade and signage of the Gateway prior to its remodeling in the 80s can be seen here. The marquee shows that "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" is playing, which dates the photo to around 1968.

One of the few northside B&K theatres in which I never saw a movie, but about ten years ago I saw the inside and it's a typical spectacular B&K movie palace. Unfortuately the marquee and huge vertical have been removed but the auditorium and lobby remain intact. The staff were very friendly and let me look around even though nothing was scheduled that day. The Gateway is definitely worth a visit and probably in the best shape of any of the former B&K theatres in Chicago except for perhaps the Chicago theatre

GATEWAY HOSTS SILENT SUMMER FILM FEST
Six Fridays Remain in Chicago's Best Annual Silent Film Presentation

CHICAGO - AN ANNUAL FILM SERIES that should not be missed is the
Silent Summer Film Festival at the GATEWAY THEATRE, Milwaukee at
Lawrence, in Chicago. This Silent Film Society of Chicago
presentation continues Friday, Aug. 6, through Friday, Aug.
27. Don't miss this opportunity to see how historic cinemas were used in their halcyon days!

In fact, the Friday, Aug. 6 show includes organ and orchestra! "The
Iron Horse" will be accompaniment by the 30-piece American Music
Festival Orchestra with music director Philip Simmons, conducting.
The ensemble will highlight international photoplay organist Dennis
James at the Gateway Grande Pipe Organ.

Remaining dates in this year's Silent Summer Film Festival schedule
include the following programs. All shows begin at 8 p.m.

August 6: "The Iron Horse," starring George O'Brien
August 13: "It," starring Clara Bow
August 20: "Lilac Time," with Colleen Moore
August 27: "Blood and Sand," starring Rudolph Valentino

Tickets for individual films (except Aug. 6): $8 seniors and
students, $9 regular. Aug. 6 (The Iron Horse): $14 seniors and students, $15 regular. Day of show: Aug. 6, $17; all other shows $11.

(Popcorn, snacks and a variety of beverages is available at a modest
price from the friendly GATEWAY candy counter.)

Designed by the Chicago architecture firm of C.W. and George L. Rapp, the 1930, 2,045-seat GATEWAY THEATRE, 5216 W. Lawrence Ave., is the second to last major cinema building built here for the tremendously successful local corporation of Balaban & Katz. And, it is the only remaining "atmospheric" theatre (a simulated outdoor-courtyard auditorium with stars and clouds above) from architects Rapp & Rapp.

"The unusual interior detail of the GATEWAY's open-arcade side arches was used some three years earlier by architect John Eberson in his PARADISE, Chicago. Rapp and Rapp copied the detail here and in the firm's SOUTHTOWN THEATRE (1931), Chicago," according to Marquee magazine of Theatre Historical Society of America, Elmhurst, Ill.

The GATEWAY shares a design heritage with the CENTRAL PARK, RIVIERA, TIVOLI, CHICAGO, UPTOWN and SOUTHTOWN theatres, all of which were designed by Rapp and Rapp for Balaban & Katz.

Today the building serves the Chicago Polish community as the
Copernicus Cultural and Civic Center and as venue to many special
bookings, such as film festivals. The building's clock tower and
facade, added 1980-5, is said to be a one-quarter interpretation of
the royal castle in Warsaw, which was rebuilt following its
destruction in World War II.

The Silent Summer Film Festival is partially supported by a Community Arts Assistance Program grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

For more info about the films, the venue and the not-for-profit
society, please view this Web site: http://www.silentfilmchicago.com

Or, call (773) 205-SFSC to leave a message for Silent Film Society of Chicago volunteers.

The first link Bryan posted is broken. The new URL is http://www.trolleybuses.net/cta/htm/cta1249.htm

I attended a children's theater program with my students at the Gateway this past December and got a look at this beautiful theater! It's sad to think that kids don't get to see movies or plays in architecturally-gorgeous movie houses like that anymore; all my preschoolers were in awe at the decoration inside the theater as we waited for the show to start.

Last month I went to Six-Corners (first time in 40 years) looking for this theater and I couldn't find it! Wasn't it right around there?

Jack, I think the theater you're thinking of at Six Corners is the Portage, which is on Milwaukee Avenue near Cuyler Avenue and it's currently vacant. The Gateway is on Lawrence Avenue, next to the Kennedy Expressway.

Wow, very surprising jolt to my "memory"! I lived near the Irving Theater and I swear we used to walk to the Gateway...is that possible? Even though I remember ~nothing at the Irving, I very clearly remember Planet of the Apes, The Cheyenne Social Club, The War Wagon, and Hombre at the Gateway Theater! (however I got there)

5 1/2 city blocks. Maybe you took a streetcar?

This theatre was a landmark on the NW side of Chicago for many years. In a way, it was a shame what Coperincus did to the exterior. I loved the old marquee, especially the vertical one. It was so tall, it could be seen from the Kennedy Expressway, the L (now the Blue Line), and what is now METRA/Union Pacific NW line.

After Copernicus took over, it was still used for mainstream movies for awhile. They used a portable sign in place of the marquee and the entrance had been moved to the side.

Perhaps the Gateway's greatest moment was in 1975 when JAWS had an amazing run there. It played at the Gateway for nearly the entire year

In today's NewsFlash by the Theatre Historical Society, former president Joe DuciBella announced that negotiations are well underway to demolish this Rapp & Rapp atmospheric to build more condos in a city with one of the highest percentages of condos in the nation. The famous duo did few atmospherics, and therefore this charming design will be all the greater loss.

I believe this theater is a Chicago city landmark. Unfortunely that doesn't mean much in Chicago.

The Gateway does not have landmark protection status in Chicago. Even if it did, that only protects the exterior from being demolished, and in the late 80s they actually took one building off the landmark list so it could be demolished for a full-block redevelopment(the site still sits empty). The only movie theatres I see currently landmarked are the New Regal, Congress, Chicago, Biograph (which is being gutted into smaller live venues), Harris & Selwyn (which are only facades now), and the Uptown. The Auditorium and Civic Opera House are only protected as part of the larger buildings they are in, and Medinah Temple never showed movies...and is now a Bloomingdale's Home Store (thank heavens they didn't completely gut the interior of that).

Not to mention that the Gateway's art deco exterior was removed to build the Warsaw Castle styled facade. While it's good as far as new facades go, it's still not historic. The auditorium here is really beautiful and well-preserved, and it would be a real tragedy to lose it. I've only had the opportunity to go there once.

Ok, thanks for the correction. If you actually look into Chicago's landmark laws, a building can be demolished if the owner says it is too much of a finacial burden.

Actually, the Gateway art deco facade (less vertical, less marquee) is intact under the "remodeling." The new construction is essentially a "front" boxing in the original Lawrence Avenue entrance.

It is my understanding that the nightclub disaster on the near South Side of a couple years ago caused this. I have heard that the city really clamped down on code violations & that the Copernicus Foundation couldn't afford to upgrade.

Interesting to hear that the deco facade still exists. What about the lobby? That was chopped up, wasn't it?

Sounds like a copout to me. There are plenty of other former movie theatres like the Vic, Riviera, Congress, Apollo's 2000, Admiral, etc that remain in operation. They're probably just trying to make themselves not look like the bad guys for selling it out.

It would be a great shame to lose this theatre, especially one which appears to be in good condition. It could be used for concerts (Abba appeared here recently, I believe) and unlike the Uptown, there is adequate parking.

I don't dispute the amount of tax dollars condos can raise. Done sensibly, condos have breathed new life into aging downtowns (Des Plaines and Arlington Heights are good examples). And in my neighborhood, the South Loop, they make sense as people can live walking distance from work, entertainment, etc.

But the Jefferson Park area has already reached the point of "enough is too much!" I returned to the neighborhood recently--I used to live in adajacent Portage Park near the Patio Theatre--and I was stunned. And not in a good way. One block of stores has been demolished and replaced by a CVS. East of the Gateway, a whole neighborhood of condos, some in the $500,000 (I believe) have gone in where a light industrial area was. This is in an area bounded by two expressways, two major railroad lines, the L, etc. so you can imagine the noise.

I'm not against progress and change. I'm not "pro-preservation-at-any-cost." (just read my comments on the DuPage Theatre page). But our neighborhoods are losing their character with all of these look-alike condos and CVS's, etc

And BTW, for $500,000 bucks, I can get a condo in my nieghborhood with a view of Lake Michigan

But you could have such a wonderful view of the Kennedy here! Plus two sets of commuter train tracks (obviously the main appeal). I think there are condos going up directly across from the Gateway too, on two different streets. And to further dispute the assertion that Copernicus couldn't keep running it, i'll bet they could build condos just in their parking lot to fund any necessary retrofits to the theatre.

Brian, that would be a good idea to build the condos on their parking lot. But, as I said above, one good point about the Gateway IS the parking lot. And, there's a parking deck about 1 block north of the theatre too. I also forgot to mention in my above post that the now condo-ized area east of the Gateway was light industrial for a reason. NOISE! I wonder if the idiots who buy these condos will complain about the noise AFTER they move in!

To: Life's Too Short -- About one third of the original lobby remains (mostly the grand staircase although its design/direction has been altered with a 90 degree turn to fit into the "new" space). The remaining part of the lobby is three floors of meeting rooms, offices, and a third floor ballroom utilizing the old lobby's vaulted ceiling (IMHO - Good intentions/lousy result: a loud miserable space and potential fire trap).

The Gateway is vital to it's neighborhood not just as a movie house but as gathering place for local productions like the locally produced movie about a 100 year old nun from a nearby parish, public forums such as Aldermanic debates, City sponsored hearings such as the recent Planning Dept.'s Revised Zoning Hearing, The Jefferson Park Historical Society's meetings, independent campaign kickoffs and on and on. Where else in the neighborhood can we get so many people together in one place? I remember trying to rent Jeff. Parks fieldhouse for the last Aldermanic debate only to have the Park District call our neighborhood assoc. back to say we could not have it on that date afterall and then when we tried to rent Wilson Pk. after initially being told it should be no problem, we were told that the floors were being sanded that week! The Gateway is not only a historic gem and a neighborhood identifier, its integral as a meeting place for the residents right to assemble and participate in the elctoral process.
If the City can spend $688 million on Soldier Field for 8 football games surely they can invest a few million thru tax credits and grants, into the Portage, Patio annd Gateway Theatres.

Can Jim Rankin contact me regarding his July 28 comment about Chicago having one of the highest percentages of condos in the nation. I would like to attribute this quote in my next article of our neighborhood newsletter.

Robert Bank: since you give no contact information either here or on your Profile Page, I cannot contact you. I imagine that I got that remark about condos from Joe DuciBella's NewsFlash quote, but since I no longer have that quote/bulletin, I can't swear to it. Possibly it was from something I had read elsewhere. You might try to contact Joe via his E-mail: jducibella@aol.com He is the Chicago Area Director of the Theatre Historical Soc. and would be in a position to know.

Brian: you make a good point on 9/13. Doesn't make sense when stated in this way.

I am bothered by this situation. I like the way Paul says it: I am not "pro-preservation-at-any-cost." But this auditorium is in good shape, and the building is used on a regular basis. It is, near as I can tell, a living part of the community.

So, has this condo plan ever been verified? Because it certainly looks like they're putting money into the building from their october newsletter. Also their theater page mentions "The Copernicus Foundation is in he midst of a fund raising effort to build a new theatrical stage and renovate the Mitchell Kobelinski Theatre. You can be a major contributor to this effort. "

Also, here is a photo of the top of the lobby ballroom.

The money that they're putting into the theare is chump change compared to the eventual final sale price.

All right, that's plenty of verification for me. Any timetable? I see they have events scheduled through the end of the year.

I rode past this theatre recently on METRA's Union Pacific NW Line. Workmen were up on the roof and it looked like they were doing a major tuckpointing project. So I'm holding out hope that this place can survive and not be demolished for condos (I know, I know, I could have such a nice view of the Kennedy).

If they MUST claim an old theatre for a condo project, then take the Portage Park. At least that's in deplorable shape (although it could probably be used for concerts)! The Gateway is in good shape and should be saved.

Oh, BTW, I wouldn't necessarily support the demolition of the Portage Park Theatre. I'm simply stating that if I HAD to choose between the two, it would make more sense to retain the Gateway.

Here's an interesting message from a friend of mine who lives in Portage Park. Dennis worked at the Copernicus Gateway some years ago. Don't know what he's up to now, or if this project has anything to do with the Copernicus Center.

>My neighborhood paper's got a front-page article
>saying major renovation work is currently under way at
>the Portage Theater, and that they hope to be open by
>the end of the year or not long thereafter. The
>article includes a photo of the auditorium, but I
>can't tell if it's current or an old stock photo.
>
>The guy they mention as the manager is Dennis
>Wolkowicz. Know anything about him?

The Gateway was home to two of the biggest films of the 70's in its original release. On Christmas Day, 1973, the Gateway was one of two theatres (the other being the UA Cinema Oakbrook) to open "The Exorcist". On June 20, 1975 the Gateway was one of five theatres (the other four being the United Artists, Ford City, Yorktown and Golf Mill) to open "Jaws". Both films ran at the Gateway for months.

Acdtually the Portage is slated to reopen in early February- thew Chicago Silent Film Society will open a six-week series with a concert by my friends the West End Jazz Band, who will return March 10. They have supposedly taken down the partition and restored it to a single theater.

I have gotten mixed signals on this building. One report says that the Gateway condo deal has fallen apart. Another report says that it is still in progress. Anyone have new info to share?

If you've read my other posts, you'll know that I beleive certain theatres have outlived their usefulness and many have been excellent candidates for adaptive re-use (the Hinsdale is a good example of this). However, as I've said above, the Gateway/Copernicus Center is viable and must be retained in order to keep a sense of place to the community. Developers must realize that proximity to theatres (movie and performing arts) can be a selling point. The developers of Downtown Arlington Heights realized this when their plans included a cinema and a live theatre.

With that in mind, I foound the following article in the Chicago Sun-Times interesting. "Bike shop owner wins fight against city: Officials drop lawsuit seeking to get land for redevelopment". The owner of Sportif, a bicycle shop across the street from the Gateway, sued the city because the city wanted to take the store away for more condo redevelopment. Big surprise, right? That big CVS that was droppped in the middle of the area was an eyesore enough. Although I have nothing against CVS, etc, places like these add nothing to the character of a neighborhood except traffic congestion.

To link to that article, go to www.suntimes.com and search for SPORTIF. Let's have condo redevelopment, but let's have sensible condo development that works with the surrounding community instead of being imposed upon it.

Hey everybody

I am a Michael LeVan. I have lived in the city of Chicago my entire life. I am a filmmaker and a attendee of Columbia College, heading into my final year. I love all the old movie palaces of Chicago. It has been my intent for sometime to Make a documentary on the history, and the ongoings of these historic theaters in the present. The means to make this documentary are finally in my grasp. I planned on featuring 3 theaters, the Copernicus Center(formally The Gateway), The Patio(Formally The Avalon), and The Uptown. While the Documentary will focus on the entire history, These are the three that will be visual examples, and the ones i would like to film in. I have spoken with the People at The Gateway Theater, and they are estatic that i am doing this. The only problem now is The Uptown and the The Patio. These two theaters seem to have ghosts of owners , or even managers. If somebody could help me in finding someone to talk too, i would be very appriciative. Also, this documentary will require interviews, and finding old information as well. If anybody would be kind enough to do either that would be fantastic. My somewhat set date to start filming is June 10 ,2006. My goal with the entire project is to help and benifit these theaters. Help alot more people to gain interest, and all the profit that i attain, if any, will be donated to help with these theaters. I am going to submit it to Wttw(Pbs Chicago) , and also the History Channel. So if anyone would like to help in anyway, they can contact me at my email.

Bleedingchicagoproductions@gmail.com

or by phone (773)-656-5821

Well i appriciate if you read that entire thing, and hopefully i will be hearing from you

Michael Levan of Bleeding Chicago Productions

Here are some recent views of the Gateway.

I'm amazed nobody has commented on the fact that the Gateway and the Dupage have remarkably similar prosceniums.

Gateway:
1
Dupage: 1, 2

Here is a profile from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency's HAARGIS system. It includes a small picture.

Here is a photo of the Gateway Theater and its unusual WurliTzer-Kimball (thats what the website claims) theater organ.

Someone told me at a recent party that asbestos abatement has been conducted in the Gateway's attic, although events continue to be scheduled.

All this talk about the GATEWAY and no mention anywhere about its' nearby (former) 'little cousin' the JEFF THEATRE (after neighborhood Jefferson Park), which old timers will recall was around the corner on Milwaukee Ave 4700 block, west side of street. Just recently in on-air reminisces the JEFF theatre was mentioned on WDCB's Saturday "THOSE WERE THE DAYS" radio show (by those who should know).
The JEFF and its' bldg disappeared in early '50s, but maybe someone w/ more info than me will upgrade this (misplaced) comment into a full-fledged, pin-pointed theatre entry.

Consider it done.

4700 block of N.Milwaukee?? West side of the street??
Could that be the building with the name "JEFFERSON" made out of the brickwork?
If so, that building was a nickelodeon and its still there! The brick is painted cream and the "JEFFERSON" is highlighted in maroon now, but for a long time it was all one color and not very noticable.
The "TIMES" was on the other side of the street a block north where Higgins runs into Milwaukee; I only remember that one as the "Holiday Ballroom".

The Jeff was a different one, a few doors down the street at 4750. I submitted a writeup on it a little while ago.

The theatre description should be updated; the Gateway hasn't been the home of the Silent Film Society of Chicago since the Portage reopened last year.

Sadly, Sportif, the jewel box bicycle shop across from the Gateway that Paul Fortini mentioned a year ago, has been a vacant lot for a few months.

http://www.trolleybuses.net/chi/htm/usa_h_chi_mh_18_rt81_gatewaytheatre_in6869_rh.htm
http://www.trolleybuses.net/chi/htm/usa_h_chi_mh_9713_rt81lawrence_gatewaytheatre_in6869_rh.htm

MP775, you're not entirely correct. Sportif is alive and well. They successfully fought attempts by the city and developers to steal their property and demolish their shop. They are surrounded by vacant parcels formerly occupied by a bank and other storefronts.

Is the sign still under the clocktower or was it removed first?

It was removed first. The terra cotta is still intact underneath, however.

Recent photos are HERE

I don't think this early photo of the Gateway has been posted here yet.

I saw Superman-The Movie here. It was either late 1978 or early 1979. I remember the lobby was decorated with several mobiles that a few rowdy teenagers tried(unsuccesfully) to steal!

The Copernicus Center has recently updated their site with some nice new photos. It seems like they're at least embracing the theater now, even if it is underutilized.

http://www.copernicusfdn.org/theater.html

The *Gateway* was B&K's flagship?? Wrong end of Lawrence Avenue...

I suppose it was a flagship in the physical sense - right at the gateway to the city.

You are being generous.

The Copernicus people are embracing the theatre so much that they ordered the removal of the 3/17 Wurlitzer-Kimball. Removal was completed this week.

Hmm.

Here are two 1982 photos:

Photo1

Photo2

They've done a terrific job with this place. Some new photos are here:

http://www.mekong.net/random/cinema24.htm

Regards,
Bruce

At the Gateway Theater back in the mid-1950's I spent 50 cents for admission, popcorn … and a candy bar! I recall sneaking up into the balcony with a girlfriend (when the balcony was closed). Does anyone remember the ladies’ bathroom with the facing mirrors that reflected on and on? Do you recall how the bad boys would toss flattened popcorn boxes way up into the air … and also stomp on the big popcorn cups to make loud bangs? I recall how the kids would scream their lungs out during the showings of Frankenstein, the Mummy, and the Wolfman. What great memories!

One interesting fact about the Gateway Theatre. It is the last theatre in Chicago to have carbon arc lamphouses. I've been a projectionist at the Gateway for 16 years and I hope the Copernicus people do something special to commemorate the theatre's upcoming 80th Anniversary.

Pardon me I may've heard differently, that either the MILFORD or the ESQUIRE Theatres (when the latter was a single screen, before 'plexing) were in fact the last of the hard-top carbon arcs.

Am I misunderstanding the above post tell me, the wording implies Gateway STILL has an old carbon-arc lamphouse on its projector(s).

Drive-in theatres in this area (down to a couple?) probably never changed over to Xenon.

I am the projectionist at the Gateway and they STILL have carbon arc lamphouses. Trust me. They hardly ever show movies there, but next time they do, come on upstairs and you can check them out.

Heres a working link
http://www.copernicusfdn.org/index.php

tim o'neill:

what's the polish word for ozone?

I don't know the Polish word for ozone; however, the Irish word for ozone is "O'Zone."

On The Watch List
http://www.landmarks.org/chicago_watch_2004_6.htm

This is pretty cool:

http://www.compassrose.org/balaban-and-katz/Gateway-Theatre.html

As stated on my other posts I am so glad I found this site!!! I have enjoyed reading all and I mean all the post about several of the theaters that I have looked up.

Back in 1995 – 1997 I did production for many events @ the Gateway everything from Pay to Play Heavy metal shows to Indian pop music that the promoters spared no expense to put on.
Overall the place was in great shape back then always clean very clean. About the craziest thing to happen while I was working a show there was when the lead singer of a National Punk band kept jumping up and down so hard in one spot of the stage (down stage right) he put a hole in the stage and fell about 2.5” down.
Attendance at most of the rock shows was poor, it wasn’t a big deal to play the Gateway it was just another place for all ages music. In the mid 90’s my old boss told me that the place would be backed to see all types of glam metal acts
The Indian shows packed the place every single time. I was told that ticket prices were big back then ~$100 for the first few rows then prices worked their way back as you went further back in the house.

In late 1997 early 1998 my new business partner and I put together a proposal for the manager of the Gateway for a PA system and lighting system that would be suitable for any type of live production that came through. He liked it and it was considered for a time but the insurance company was reviewing the riders for live performance, I guess the liability was pretty high when it came to live shows. One of the best things about the meeting was that we got an official tour of the place, nothing I hadn’t see before except for taking a trip above the auditoriums ceiling knowing you were a good distance from the floor was something but walking on the catwalk gave you just this feeling of being in a subterranean level, I know that is an oxymoron right…..

The house staff was great they never had a bad attitude from the time we rolled in they at 2pm and not rolling out until 2am after hours of ear bleeding music still happy but glad the night was over.

I haven’t done a show there since 1998 and I miss the place a lot it was a great place to be a lot of the talk about the place becoming a condo complex makes me sick.

Sorry never took pictures I was just a 18 – 20 year old kid when I was there working never thought to snap pictures back then at the Gateway.

For those who may be interested, The Copernicus Foundation has just acquired the old factory building next to it, on the east, and the parking lot across the street from it for the expansion of the center. From the plans I saw on display in the lobby this weekend, they are planning a new 200 seat in-the-round theater, office and meeting space for the addition. So, it looks like the old Gateway in its new incarnation, may be secure for some time to come.

I'd be still be skeptical about the longevity of the Gateway. The people in charge of the Copernicus Foundation (not many arts minded individuals - mostly lawyers, developers, and real estate types) are in love with the Copernicus Foundation and NOT the Gateway Theatre. The clock tower portion of the building and the proposed new addition that fronts Lawrence Avenue would remain, but the theatre could be gone when the economy recovers. The recent visual improvements to the theatre are a pittance compared to the pricey land the theatre sits on. The Gateway had asbestos removal completed in 2005 (in other words, it's ready to go) -- so teardown could occur before any grassroots action to save the theatre could be organized. THE THEATRE SHOULD BE LANDMARKED NOW TO AVOID THIS POTENTIAL TRAGEDY.

Good point PeeWee. Although, I suspect the Copernicus Foundation would fight like crazy against landmarking. In addition, and I don't know much about either the local Chicago landmark or the National Register of Historic Places landmarking processes, but I wonder if the radical changes made to the exterior years ago would make it harder to get landmark protection? That would probably be an argument advanced by Copernicus against having it landmarked.

It will be a long time before the real estate market in Chicago shows any luster again. There has been so much construction in the last ten years. The fact that they seem to make efforts to keep the theatre consistently booked is a sign that they share this view.

Equally good points Scott. For sure the Copernicus Foundation would fight any landmark action. The mix of board members (those in the inner circle) have been waiting for the $hip to come in (thus the opposition to landmarking), only to have the economy tank. The interior of the theatre has been altered only slightly, plus it is a rare Rapp & Rapp atmospheric, and one of Chicago's first designed for sound film theatres which should certainly qualify it for landmark status. The radical alterations to the exterior were done so many years ago (including the replica Warsaw castle clock tower - a true neighborhood beacon of sorts) that the alterations themselves now qualify for landmark status.

I hadn't thought of the exterior (as is) qualifying for landmark status. That's an interesting perspective. You're certainly right about the interior. Though it is somewhat plain by 1920s standards, it is still an attractive design, and as you said, that rare Rapp & Rapp atmospheric. The only other one I know of is the Paramount in Toledo (razed).

The Gateway struck me as a smaller, plainer (cheaper) version of the Southtown. But when the Gateway in full decorative lighting is experienced, it is truly stunning.

WoW this Theatre had one great vertical sign at one time.

i was here in the gateway just the other wknd for a show

jackasses don't even have an ordinary water fountain anymore

That's because they can't make any money off of it - so out it goes!

Pay toilets are next!

Jay Warren for Mayor, 2011