Ithaca Theater
314 W. State Street,
Ithaca,
NY
14850
314 W. State Street,
Ithaca,
NY
14850
1 person
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The Ithaca Theater at 413 West State Street opened in November 1940. Designed by local architects Stanley Perez and Ed Crumm, the theater became the most intimate and comfortable of the city’s downtown houses.
The two-story Art Moderne facade in tinted sand-colored stone supported an off-centered triangular marquee with green neon tubing and black letters on white opal glass. Coral drapes and brown wainscoating covered the front lobby. The latter led to an attractive auditorium with two flowing aisles and three sloping banks of seats, accommodating 600 patrons. There was no balcony. Red and blue drapes, sidewall lighting, and gold and red carpeting drew the eye to an ample, nicely masked, gently curved screen. In 1981, the theater was twinned awkwardly, with a straight wall bisecting the auditorium and seats angled uncomfortably toward that wall.
In the late-1980’s and early-1990’s, the theater closed periodically and reopened under new managements, at least once as a techno nightclub. Currently it serves as a warehouse for Bishop’s Furniture and Garden Center.
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
Cheers to Ithacans and all Cornellians, past and present, on Green Dragon Day ‘05.
Notable films from the 1970s include “Jaws,†“New York, New York,†the remake of “King Kong,†and “Popeye.†Successful films after the bisection in 1981 included “The French Lieutenant’s Woman,†“Radio Days,†“Fatal Attraction,†and “Swann in Love.â€
Would love to see a photo of this theatre!
Ask and you shall receive:
1980 Photo