Cleve Theater
1754 Cleveland Avenue,
Columbus,
OH
43211
1754 Cleveland Avenue,
Columbus,
OH
43211
3 people
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The Cleve Theatre was designed by the F&Y Building Service, according to the latest version of the theater’s official web site.
the cleves floor has been leveled from back to front of the building so there is a big difference in floor height about 20 feet from the front door.
On Friday, August 26, 2011, WBNS-TV news reported on the church that is trying to recover the CLEVE. Their report says,
“The Cleve Movie Theater opened in 1938, and now a north Columbus pastor has an ambitious plan for the long-neglected building.
Larry Cochran said it will take about $1.5 million to transform the building into the new Linden Cleve Theater and Cultural Arts Extension Center, 10TV’s Jerry Revish reported on Friday.
The Cleve ran for 26 years before closing in 1964. Cochran said it is worth saving.
“It’s worth saving because of the community. We want to save our community,” Cochran said. “There’s nothing like this in this community. A venue where people can come and enjoy a play or a concert or any type of activity like that.”
Cochran said he envisions it as not just a place for viewing the performing acts, but also learning them. Fundraising for the project has already begun, Revish reported."
Thanks for that information, Keith. Looks like they will have a LOT of work to do to bring that building back to any kind of use. County database doesn’t show any change in ownership yet. My records show that the CLEVE has been closed since 1964.
I was in the cleve today! looks like the church now owns it. new “linden cleve” sign replaces the for sale sign. inside is just brick and steel beems. It still has the projection room. you walk in the front door to lots of wood paneling. nothing left from its theater days.
Thank you, retroguy, for checking in to that. I was wondering if that project was moving forward. It would take a lot of money to put that building back into running condition.
There has been an attempt on the part of the Linden neighborhood to bring that area back to life. I wish them well on this project. It would really help things in that neighborhood. They have a lot of work ahead of them.
signs posted out front read “future site of the linden cleve theater”. also includes a picture of what it will look like.
the cleve is now in contract by the pastor of the church next door. they want to make it a theater again. just a shell inside.
Contemporary newspaper listings show this theatre at 1750 Cleveland Avenue.
the back of the theater has a big industrial garage door. i think it was a auto body shop.
What would you do with it if you bought it?
the cleve is for sale.
Here is another photo:
http://tinyurl.com/ycwdomb
posted by retroguy on Feb 14, 2010 at 8:35am
1938 photo from the John Williamson collection
http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/19350.html
posted by retroguy on Feb 14, 2010 at 8:31am
“The auditorium interior included "Hollywood” themed murals on the side walls. These murals were removed to the Indianola Theatre (aka Studio 35) and installed in reverse (left mural on right wall, etc.) where they remain today.“ — Cinematour
posted by Chuck1231 on Jan 31, 2010 at 8:53pm
The Cleve opened in 1940 and at that time it was operated by MacDonald Theatres, Academy Theatres took over operations in 1945 and reamined the operators until it closed in 1964.
posted by ken mc on Jan 31, 2010 at 7:45pm
The Academy Theaters chain ran this theater in 1948. Owners were leo, Betty & Milton Yassenoff.
posted by Lost Memory on Jun 12, 2009 at 8:56pm
Does that mean that this theater was still open at that time?
posted by ken mc on Jun 12, 2009 at 8:28pm
The Cleve was listed in the Columbus city directory in 1961:
http://tinyurl.com/mwg4rd
posted by MarkL on Feb 22, 2009 at 6:57pm
Sadly, knowing that part of town, it is likely to stay boarded up. That isn’t a very safe place to be after dark.
posted by ZookieFreddie on Feb 22, 2009 at 5:49pm
As of February 2009 the building is still there, vacant and boarded up just like in the picture.
posted by Ron Newman on Feb 10, 2008 at 2:54pm
It’s sad to see a building like this abandoned rather than converted to some other use.
When was this last a theatre? I do not remember ever seeing advertisements for it when I lived in Columbus (1968-75).
I grabbed the comments from Google, and I’ll attempt to rebuild them. Still don’t know why things just went away.
posted by Lost Memory on Feb 8, 2008 at 7:50pm
A recent picture of the Cleve theater building. View link
There were 10 comments about this location as of 2/15/10. All were valid comments. They are still available in the Google cache. What happened?