Uptown Theatre

Not much of a lighting.

Uptown Theater marquee lighting ceremony. Skip to the 6:00 mark for the action shots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGRkNp_FPSQ

Another Uptown story here, but nothing much new in it.

Good news in the Philadelphia Inquirer article above. The group working to save the theater has raised enough money to do the first phase of renovation – restoration of the exterior and the office portion in front. Rental income from the offices will help raise the $5.5 million needed to complete phase II – the auditorium. They’re on the right track!

Here is an interior photo, circa 1930s:
http://tinyurl.com/llc9ap

1983 photo of the Uptown Theatre.
View link

I go to Temple and drive past the Uptown every day on my way to school. It really is a gorgeous building and I’m sad to see it in such disrepair. I’m only 25 years old and I’ve never seen movie theatres or concert halls like the Uptown or the Boyd in use during my lifetime. It’s a shame because buildings like these really are works of art, and as a movie history buff, I wish they could make a comeback.

I did want to comment that some of the photos other people have posted several years ago look very little like the Uptown today. Last year (or maybe it was the year before), there was a lot of work being done on the theatre – the facade was restored a bit and the marquee was fixed up. They put new lights in the “Uptown” sign (although many of them have burned out again since I don’t think they ever turned the lights off!) There is still wooden boards covering the entrance with murals of the Jackson 5 and other things I don’t remember off hand. In late 2007, there was a nice mural done on the side of the building (you can see it if you’re coming North up Broad Street) with Richard Pryor, and other Motown acts that I assume performed at the theatre at one time.

The only sad thing now is that the theatre is still not being used as far as I can tell and I haven’t seen any work done on actual restoration since early 2007 (not including the mural!)

Here is an undated interior photo:
http://tinyurl.com/26csar

Mayor Street recently presented a million dollars to the nonprofit engaged with saving & reopening the Uptown

how can i fond out who currently owns this building?
is anyone making renovations on it now?

Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982

Uptown Theater and Office Building (added 1982 – Building – #82003817)
Also known as Uptown Theater
2240-2248 N. Broad St., Philadelphia
Historic Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Event
Architect, builder, or engineer: Magaziner,Eberhard & Harris
Architectural Style: Art Deco
Area of Significance: Performing Arts, Architecture
Period of Significance: 1925-1949
Owner: Local Gov’t
Historic Function: Commerce/Trade, Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Business, Theater
Current Function: Vacant/Not In Use

Does anyone know where to find concert footage or any film reels from the Uptown Theater’s glory days. I’d love to see what the place looked like before it started to deteriorate.