Port Theatre

You can see a photo of this theatre with the article titled, "One Theater's Experience with the National Register of Historic Places"
posted by Port Theatre on May 11, 2004 at 9:20am. Also, I have several photos on a website: www.webshots.com , under the user name wadeclarkauctions. I could also send you a direct link to the website, if you have any problems finding our page. It is our hope in the near future to see this building owned by someone who can finance the final restorations needed to put this back into a theatre. Meanwhile, we pay the bills on restoration to date by having a weekly auction in it!

http://community.webshots.com/user/wadeclarkauctions

I believe the link above will take you to the photos.......I tried the search noted in comment before and it pulls up some photos unrelated that are outdated from previous auctions.

Great facade but what a mess inside! When was it last used as a working theatre?

6-28-66! Frankie and Johnny was the last movie recorded as played here, according to a booklet we found (water damaged but not destroyed ledger book) We bought it when it had been WITHOUT a roof for TEN YEARS. Actually, we hauled off over 150 ton of debris that had accumulated (two roof systems and old appliances stored in it, etc) before we could even use the building at all. We have been working with someone who has an interest in restoring it further. We also documented with photos the original as best we could, but honestly, you wouldn't believe the mess it was when we bought it. The City of Port St. Joe had discussed tearing it down. People in the town were eventually thrilled and considered my husband a hero when he got a roof on it (cost three times what we paid for the building!) and began the process of turning it back around. The facade has alot more neon that we have finished, but not installed. We are so excited at the thought of what can/will happen here. Goes to show that when you think it's too far gone, you can pull something back out of the ashes, so to speak and give it life again!

One last thing, the roof was damaged in 1985 by Hurricane Kate. The building was built right. It is a steel building, with (in most places) walls that are four brick thick. The brick was of a special clay and mineral composition that is no longer available. It is a very hard brick, very beautiful, with great color.

I admire your efforts to restore a theatre in need of a lot of work when perfectly good working theatres are demolished in bigger cities for quick profit.

I know the photos make it look like a mess inside, but the building actually has alot of character. We fell in love with its potential when it was full of debris, boarded up and looking its ugliest. It's sad to think about the quick profit aspect. We had one potential buyer want to put condos in here, three stories of them, and we were heartsick at just the idea. Thankfully, no full price offer was made on that idea, so we had the freedom to say no to such an idea/offer. Had the offer been a full price offer, we would have possibly had liability to pay a commission on the offer, even turning it down. It's a tough world sometimes; thanks for the encouragement. After we purchased the building in 1995, it took us several months to get the building usable for any purpose at all. It's sad, to me, to see all the theatres across the country that are getting lost in the process of development. I understand how it can happen, but it grieves me. The reality though, is the highest and best use of a property. Sometimes it just doesn't pencil for an owner. Our building, should someone come in and more fully restore it, will represent an act of love for theatres; it probably has no hope of penciling out as an "investment". Certainly, for us, we have taken this building as far as we can. The manager's apartment is very livable, very nice. But the theatre itself still has alot of needs. We mostly just made it safe - which was a real project. We saved the old reader board (needs restoring), and alot of other movie equipment and misc. that we found. If it looked even halfway restorable, we saved it. I pictured a museum here at one time. We all have poignant memories of attending movies, but few of us have the money to preserve the buildings. We are certainly ready to pass the torch of this race on to another with deeper pockets than we have.

This building just officially made it back onto the market and the MLS link to the listing follows:

Click Here to View Listings

(I hope that worked....it's not highlighting for me yet. If it doesn't work for you, send me an email and I'll email you the link!)

CURRENT UPDATE: THE CITY OF PORT ST JOE IS MEETING ON TUESDAY MAY 18TH AT 5 PM (PUBLIC WORKSHOP BEFORE 6 PM MEETING) AND THEY ARE DISCUSSING THE ISSUE OF THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY ROOFLINE CHANGE/SECOND STORY ADDITION THAT WOULD BLOCK SOME OF THE MANAGER APT. VIEW, AND THE VIEW OF THE HISTORIC BUILDING FROM THE MAIN STREET, REID AVE, IN PORT ST. JOE. WE HAVE A LETTER FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA, A LEGAL DOCUMENT (PARTY WALL AGREEMENT), SOME COMMUNITY SUPPORT, AS WELL AS OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT HOPEFULLY WILL HELP US PREVAIL. ANYONE WHO WISHES TO OFFER INPUT CAN EMAIL ME FOR INFO AS TO HOW TO CONTACT THE CITY AND VOICE THEIR OPINION. AS A HISTORIC REGISTRY LISTED BUILDING, ANYONE ANYWHERE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A SAY ABOUT THIS, NOT JUST CITY OF PORT ST JOE RESIDENTS, IN MY OPINION. I'LL KEEP POSTING UPDATES ON STATUS.

One last update: the prior buyer we had on this theatre (contract failed to close) spent alot of money on research and plans for the renovation of the building. He expresses continued interest in the building, and might share his information/plans with a new buyer.

more information may be obtained by going online to the local newspaper's website: www.starfl.com and searching for archival references to the Port Theatre will bring up several articles about the theatre from the last few years. The paper's archival copies found on their premises hold a deep wealth of information about the Theatre, including ads of movies playing, all through to the mid 1990's when we purchased the building and began our renovations. The Star was very supportive and featured detailed articles back then, though those are not on the internet at this time.

A recent visit to the County official who issues permits has revealed that thus far, no permit has been requested by the City for the neighboring property. It is our hope that the City of Port ST. Joe is considering a change of mind regarding the neighboring project!

What is the latest with this theatre? Is it up for restoration yet? Thanks.

What is the latest with this theatre? Is it up for restoration yet? Thanks.

What is the latest with this theatre? Is it up for restoration yet? Thanks.

The latest is that it is on the market, for sale. My husband and I own it, and hope someone will come along who will lovingly take this project from here and make more progress along that line. We have owned this building since 1995, and have used it for our business since 1996. Our business is an auction business, and we would like to see the building back to something closer to its original use. If you look at the fiddle fest news (other part of this website) you'll see more info about the acoustics in the building. It was built right for acoustics.

The latest is that it is on the market, for sale. My husband and I own it, and hope someone will come along who will lovingly take this project from here and make more progress along that line. We have owned this building since 1995, and have used it for our business since 1996. Our business is an auction business, and we would like to see the building back to something closer to its original use. If you look at the fiddle fest news (other part of this website) you'll see more info about the acoustics in the building. It was built right for acoustics.

Please see May 26th news article, archived on this site about the Fiddle Fest hosted in the building, and the acoustics. (2004)

This property is listed effective July 1st 2004 with agent John Mazzanovich, through Anchor Realty & Mortgage Co. 850-899-3600 is his cell phone number. He can be reached at mazz@florida-beach.com also.

is this theater still for sale

This theatre is still for sale as of today. We have an appointment to show it tomorrow and the City's Downtown Redevelopment Committee has gone on record stating they wish to buy it and restore it for the City. Guess we'll see what happens. We will miss living here once it sells, as the manager's apartment is cozy and nice. BUT it's time for someone with the funds and the energy to come in and restore it more. Please note the info above is incorrect now for the listing. You could email me, the seller, at wcauctions@gtcom.net if you wish to inquire about buying.....but it may be sold soon!

http://fpc.dos.state.fl.us/general/n038267.jpg

old photo from the early 1940s

cool photo. The Star newspaper published this photo for us out of the State archives, and we know the guy that owns that car in front of the theatre. thanks for sharing it here.

Still on the market, with property all around us going crazy as wildfire. We haven't raised the price on this for nearly a year.....hoping to see it become a theatre again!

My grandfather Judge T. Stillwell and my uncles were "the or some of the" brick masons that built the theatre.
All my life I have heard my daddy talk about going to Port St. Joe and staying in a rental house with his daddy and older brothers, daddy said he was only about five years old then. I can't remember all the story but if anybody is interested....I'll call and ask him.

It would be interesting to hear more.

Current news on this theatre is that it is back on the market, listed for sale, after being off the market since last fall. Price has been lowered, because owners wish to sell and move on. Boardwalk Realty in Port St. Joe is the company with the listing. http://eliduarte.com/ or look on www.loop.net for theatre listing.

Added to the National Register of Historical Places in 2003

Port Theatre (added 2003 - Building - #03000508)
Also known as FMSF #GU135
314 Reid Ave., Port St. Joe
Historic Significance: Event
Area of Significance: Entertainment/Recreation
Period of Significance: 1925-1949, 1950-1974
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Theater
Current Function: Commerce/Trade
Current Sub-function: Business, Department Store

thank you, Lost Memory, for adding the above info on the Port Theatre. We are still trying to sell it! We have moved to Tennessee, so it is sitting empty now, not being used. We had regular auctions in it until recently. We would be willing to lease it, too, but it isn't really in condition to use as movie theatre building as it is yet, unless someone had the equipment to bring in, etc.

You should submit a news item about this theater being for sale. More people will see the news item then will read this theater listing. Good luck with the sale. I guess the status above should be changed to close.

If the status were to be changed, temporarily closed would be more appropriate. We will be doing a final auction in the building when we sell it, and if that isn't soon then we will do one in the next couple months. We had a contract on this building in November of last year, but we couldn't come to terms and agree enough to get to everyone signing. We do have a couple other interested buyers, keeping our fingers crossed! Good idea on a news item. I'll give it some thought.

Yesterday, after very long negotiations over a two year period, including a written offer last November, the City of Port St. Joe backed off from buying this treasure, "until after the elections". They had wanted to buy this gem to restore it more fully, and to use it to obtain grants for the downtown. The real estate market in Florida had a slump after Katrina, which didn't help our goal to sell. We, the owners, currently live in Tennessee, and we have quit doing auctions in this Theatre. It is on the market, for sale by owner, at around half the last listed price. We need to sell, we want to sell, we are motivated to sell. Call Wade at 931-629-4080 for more information.

PS I can't figure out how to change the status of this. clicking the status only takes me to a list of other theatres with their status.

This theatre has been reduced to less than half the price it was previously. The current price is 750,000. It was listed at 1.85 million at one point, and has had two offers on it since that time. Owners would carry an owner contract for part of the price! Call Wade at 931-629-4080. This theatre is ready for someone to complete renovations! The area is very supportive of the arts, too!

The Port Theatre In Port St. Joe Florida is going up for auction on August 2nd to the highest bidder. The acoustics in the Port Theatre are incredible! It was built acoustically RIGHT for concerts.
If you want additional information on the auction, feel free to call Higgenbotham Auctioneers, International, LLC 863-644-6681. Probably in about a week or two, there will be flyers going out on this auction. For detailed information about the theatre itself, you could call my husband, one of the owners, Wade Clark at 931-629-4080 and he could tell you detailed information about condition, size, etc. We bought the Port Theatre in 1995 and spent 12 years working on it, and doing a weekly auction in it, until late last year. It's in the center of the downtown in a lovely Gulf Coast town.

Here is part of an August 2007 article from the News Herald:

About 60 people listened to an auctioneer sell the Port Theatre in Port St. Joe earlier this month. It was the final curtain for the historic building until its next reincarnation, but no one is saying what production that might be.

Apalachicola businessman Harry Arnold purchased the theater for $505,000 after a back-and-forth bidding spree against one other bidder. Port St. Joe businessman David Warriner was believed to be the other bidder. The structure has stood at 314 Reid Ave. in downtown Port St. Joe for 69 years, a literal shell of its former self for decades.

Although the theater fronts Reid Avenue, the manager's apartment on the second floor of the building looks out over U.S. 98 and St. Joseph Bay. Wade and Paula Clark purchased the old building in 1995, holding auctions in the space for 11 years until they closed the doors in January and moved to Tennessee.

Built of brick and steel in 1938, the art deco-style theater was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in June 2003. The theater's new owner would not comment after the auction as to what might be in store for the historic building.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyum/2621638874/
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Here's a brief item from the January 21, 1939, issue of Boxoffice Magazine: "Port St. Joe, Fla.— The Port Theatre, which opened last June, reports good business at this point. The house seats 964 persons and is managed by Roy Williams. It is owned by R. E. Martin Jr., E. D. Martin and Hugh G. Martin. The same three also own a house at De Funiak Springs."

That's the earliest mention of the Port I can find. I was hoping for something earlier that might give the name of the architect.

Several later mentions of the Port in various issue of Boxoffice are mostly trivial, though one from March 18, 1950, said that a cross had been burned in a vacant lot across from the theater, and the following day manager C.J. Brown received a threatening, anonymous note warning him not to show the racially-themed movie "Pinky" or to "...suffer the consequences."

A June 28, 1965, item said "David Smith has acquired the Port Theatre at Port St. Joe, a former unit in the Martin circuit." A December 19, 1965, item said that the Port had been closed by its owner, D. Rollyn Smith. A May 1, 1967 list of theaters reopened during 1966 included the Port. No word on how long Mr. Smith had kept the theater closed. After that, there are no more mentions of the Port that I can find.

Here are two 1988 photos:

Photo1

Photo2

The Port Theater is listed on this real estate site.

Here is a 2009 photo.