Alton Cine

The Alton Cine' opened on April 9, 1976 with "Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox" in auditorium 1 and "Robin and Mariam" in dusitorium 2. At the time the Alton Cine' was built there were two residential homes on Claire Ave and the took the property of both the build the Cine'. When the theatres were opened it was touted that the first new motions pictures to be built in Alton, Il. in 41 years.
By 1989 the Wehrenberg Chain was already trying to rid themselves of the Alton Cine' but could find no takers. The Alton Telegraph stated that the Wehrenbers felt they had outgrown the venue. They had recently opened the new Jamestown Mall multiplex just a short distance away on the Missouri side of the river. They hoped the people of Alton would venture across the river to attend the new theatre. The owner of the Alton Square Mall offered to build a new cinema in the Mall for the Wehrenberg Chain but they were not interested. Alton city inspectors were receiving complaints that the theatre was in disrepair with sticky floors and filty seats. Upon an inspection the inspectors threatened to condemn the theatre and it was announed that the theatre was closing on April 9, 1998. The Alton Cine' was the last remaining motion picture theatre in Alton. The Building still stands waiting to be cleaned up and remodeled and used again as a theatre.

This was the first theater i remember going too! I remember seeing "The Little Mermaid" there as a child.

Does anyone know how to get in contact with the owners to see if the Theatre is for sale?

Contact Wehrenberg Theatres, 12701 Manchester, Mo. 63131. Telephone no. 314-822-4520.

I didn't realize that this building was a theatre until after it closed and I noticed that the small sign read Wehrenberg Alton Cine. The building just didn't look like a Movie Theatre to me.

The theatre had already closed it's doors and moved all the equipment and stock out when they found out that the film booker had already prebooked a movie there. Unable to get out of the contract they reopened the doors for that movie. Only bringing in the bare min. Little did they know that the movie that was prebooked would keep them open for another few months. That movie was Titanic.

Architect was Edward Gordon.

This June 2005 blog calls the theater a grubby little duplex.
http://tinyurl.com/5ggw49

Here is a photo of the Alton.

Theatre still there, unused of course. Observed yesterday while passing by on Amtrak.

I'm heading south on Amtrak from Chicago next week. Which side of the train would it be visible from?

Can be observed from the right side and shortly before the Alton station stop.