Northgate Theatre
10 Northgate Plaza,
Seattle,
WA
98125
10 Northgate Plaza,
Seattle,
WA
98125
4 people
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Was walking by Barnes & Noble the other day and was sort of struck by some intense nostalgia thinking about what used to be there. Very fond childhood memories. I just loved the place…
September 28th, 1951 grand opening ad has been posted here.
Note that it was John Graham Jr. who designed the Northgate Theatre. His father, John Graham Sr., was also a noted Seattle architect.
Boxoffice of September 22, 1951, also names John Graham as the architect of the Northgate Theatre. The original operator was Sterling Theatres.
An ad for RCA carpet (who knew that RCA made carpeting for theaters?) in Boxoffice of October 4, 1952, features a photo of the Northgate’s lobby. The Native American motifs used in the otherwise moderne theater are seen.
The Danz Family Photograph Collection at the University of Washington lists a photo (the photo itself is not available online) from the preview for the grand opening of the Northgate Theatre. Among the people in the photo, according to its description at the UW web site, are the architect of the theater, John Graham, Jr., and the decorator, A.B. “Heinzberger” (clearly meant to read Heinsbergen.)
This is a 2/21/2002 article about the closing of the Northgate Theater.
“Loews Cineplex Drops Curtains on Single-Screen Theater in Seattle.
Source: The Seattle Times
Byline: Moira Macdonald
Feb. 21—Loews Cineplex Entertainment, which owns eight multiplex theaters in the Seattle area, confirmed yesterday that the Northgate Theater, one of the few remaining single-screen movie houses in Seattle, would close its doors, effective today.
Built in 1951, the cavernous Northgate boasted a huge screen and seating for 1,500 people and a crying room for parents with babies. But it has long been deteriorating. In recent years, the theater has been known more for sticky floors, broken seats and weirdly decorative mildew patterns on its walls and ceilings than for the quality of its presentation.
The cinema’s closing is the latest in a series of local theater closures by Loews, which has been struggling under Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.
“The Northgate is a single-screen theater, and it’s really not economical for us to operate it any longer,” Loews Corporate Vice President Mindy Tucker said. “We’ve closed over 100 theaters around the country as part of the bankruptcy process.”
The chain, which runs more than 240 theaters in North America, is “still reviewing some of the theaters in our portfolio” for possible additional closures.
In the Seattle area, Loews runs Meridian 16 in downtown Seattle, Uptown in Lower Queen Anne, Oak Tree on Aurora Avenue North, Lewis and Clark in SeaTac, and Grand Cinemas in Lynnwood, Factoria, Woodinville and Redmond Town Center".
The Northgate Shopping Center originally had an Indian theme (the carved totem survives at the north entrance) and so did the Northgate Theater when it was new. The restrooms were labeled “Braves” and “Squaws.” Yes, definitely the 50s. The names were changed to “Ladies” and “Gentlemen” in more enlightened times.
This link has some photos of the Northgate Theater during demolition. Click each photo to expand it.
This theater has been officially demolished. It turned to rubble last week.
Goodbye, old friend …
View link
Here is an interesting blog with some history about, comments and current photos of the Northgate Theatre.
www.michaelhanscom.com/eclecticism/2005/09/northgate_theat.html
Demolition starts tomorrow (Oct. 31) on the Northgate Theatre and the nearby medical center. Another piece of Seattle history turns to dust …
Just flew over it 2 days ago and it is still standing.
Just flew over it 2 days ago and it is still standing.
The Northgate is scheduled to be demolished sometime in October.
Still waiting to hear about a demolition date for this theater. It is definitely coming…
I was at dinner tonight with a friend who lives near the Northgate, and I asked her about the status of the theater. She said it was just decided (within the past week or two) that the building will be torn down.
I never saw any 70MM engagements here, but I do recall that Cineplex Odeon moved the restored “Lawrence of Arabia” here in 1989 after its initial run at the now-refurbished Cinerama. New surround speakers were installed for “Independence Day” (the Northgate used DTS as its digital sound format). This was probably the last upgrade at the theatre befoe its demise. The old multiple small speaker surrounds could still be seen high up lining the side and back walls. Great pictures at:
http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=2585
When this was a center for Rave Concerts is was named the Northgate Music Center, the address for the Northgatte is 10 Northgate Plaza, Seattle, Wa.
the rave house didnt make it and the northgate theatre is now dark
The Northgate has reopened as a rave house! I’m not sure how well they’ll “restore” it, but here is what’s left to see: Original terazzo flooring and stylized Northwest murals in the lobby, and the neon. Oodles of modern neon. Under the marquee are countless rings, each made from four concentric circles of white neon. They range from small to huge. Some stand alone, others overlap, some are one inside another. Some go around circular columns. Others make their way through cut-outs in the glass lobby windows, and meet others on the ceiling inside! The auditorium has a few more of these, though the ones closest to the stage area have been removed, and a few of those inside have traces of red or green paint, probably added to tone down the light. Also, the side walls have vertical coves containing cobalt-blue tubes. I’ve never seen these used during a rave, but the under-marquee tubes and some of the in-theatre ones are still put to use. The upper section seats are still there, but the sloped lower floor has been cleared to make dancing room. But not very well – watch out for bolts sticking up here and there! I’m not kidding… But for what it is/was, it’s a fair place for what use they found: raves. Dancing and live music.
The first time I went to The Northgate, it was in 1994 and the movie was The Flintstones, and I was amazed with the grandeur of the theater, I immediately fell in love, it became my favorite theater instantaneously, I was shocked and saddened when I heard it had closed, I felt like I had lost my childhood and innocence, because some of the best times of my moviegoing life were in that theater, I don’t think it will ever be replaced in my heart, the lights have gone down in life, but not in my heart.