Enean Theatre
325 E. 10th Street,
Pittsburg,
CA
94565
325 E. 10th Street,
Pittsburg,
CA
94565
1 person
favorited this theater
The Enean Theatre was opened in 1936. It was badly damaged by fire on November 22, 1940. Repairs were carried out and it was reopened. It was still open in 1957. Once a beautiful attraction in what was once the center of Contra Costa’s fishing and steel industry, now sits a former movie house that was up until recently a foreign auto repair shop. Let’s hope the citizen’s of Pittsburg/Antioch will support another renovation/restoration of a once grand theatre!
Contributed by
Ralph Soliz
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Recent comments (view all 15 comments)
Interesting article as I always enjoy reading about neglected theatres and seeing what they looked like in their heyday and what they should still look like rather than the way they become due to so many reasons. It sounds like the City of Pittsburg is ‘stepping up to the plate’ to help which is wonderful. Keep us posted on this one. Thanks.
Patsy, I was the owner of what your are calling an “unauthorized foreign car body repair shop” . Let me clear your confusion . I bought the theater as an existing auto repair facility back in 1990 ,when it was a Volkswagen wrecking yard. I cleaned and restore many parts of it installed new roof . Some of the pictures are posted by me , in fact that old boat is mine , the City of Pittsburg used Eminent Domain Power to purchase the building from me. The remarkable part about it is that I saved the place from being demolished and turned in to a new office building site.
I spent 15 years of my life working to preserve this palace and my “unauthorized repair shop” helped pay for it. The Eminent Domain story is long an painful but is the past.
Best Regards
Jaime F. Penuela
Jamie: Thanks for your post and explanation.
Plans for the Enean Theatre, by architect F. Frederic Amandes, were announced in the March, 1936, issue of Architect & Engineer magazine.
That same year, Amandes was the architect for remodelings of the Strand Theatre in Alameda, the Egyptian Theatre on San Francisco’s Market Street (listed at CT as the Guild Theatre), and the former T&D Theatre in Richmond, which became the Fox Theatre and then the United Artists Theatre.
It looks like Pittsburg wants to allocate 15 million of its stimulus money to renovate the Enean:
http://tinyurl.com/bbhrb5
This is from the Modesto Bee, 11/23/40:
PITTSBURG, Nov. 23-Fire of undetermined origin swept through the new Enean Theater yesterday, causing damage estimated at more than $25,000. The flames damaged the theater balcony and ceiling and melted sound transcription records. The playhouse was constructed five years ago at a cost of $150,000.
Anyone know the status of this theatre?
Just toured it today. pretty sad shape with pigeons roosting in it. Being used by city fir storage. Since they ran out if money before putting in balcony seats in California Theater I don’t see the city restoring this before it is too late. All seats are gone and raked floor is now level concrete
the marquee is now gone
City of Pittsburg owns the building. Stripped of seats and furnishings, the theatre had the main floor levelled for warehouse use. Proscenium, balcony, lobby and lounge areas are all there—-awaiting reuse. It would make a great dance floor for the younger set, with a parking lot next door. The neon and bulb lit deco ceiling lighting along with side wall murals should be fabulous once restored. The lobby has a circular wall mural replete with the Enea family crest. The city has repaired the roof and painted the exterior in repulsive beige. Anyone got a few million to revive this place…?