New Mission Theater
2550 Mission Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94110
2550 Mission Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94110
12 people
favorited this theater
Built in 1916 and originally designed by the Reid Brothers, the over 2,000-seat movie palace was renovated for the Nasser Brothers circuit in 1932 by Timothy Pflueger, who transformed it into an Art Deco style wonderland. The theater also has a 70 foot marquee that is a local landmark.
Recently, the City College of San Francisco decided it wished to raze much of the former movie palace and build new campus facilities inside the theater’s shell. A local group called ‘Save The New Mission Theater’, who believes much of the theater can be retained while still achieving the school’s goals, stepped in to stop CCSF from executing its plans.
Thankfully, CCSF has begun to listen to local architects and preservationists, who are busy trying to propose a compromise that would suit both parties. While nothing is final, the theater may yet be saved.
Contributed by
Ross Melnick
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Recent comments (view all 52 comments)
2009 photo of the New Mission Theatre.
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An earlier Mission Theatre was operating in San Francisco in 1907. Did the New Mission replace it? The earlier Mission was listed in an ad for the architectural firm O'Brien & Werner in the 1907-1908 edition of Henry’s Official Western Theatrical Guide. The Mission was one of five O'Brien & Werner designed houses listed in the ad. The others were the Orpheum, Princess, Valencia Street, and 16th Street theaters.
More Debate swirls around the New Mission theatre and a subsquent housing development to build next door.
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I’ve posted some recent photos here.
I drove down Mission Street last month when I went to the 49ers-Eagles game. I didn’t realize that all the theaters on this street were so close together. Must have been spectacular in its time.
An Alamo Roadhouse taking over this space?
http://sanfrancisco.grubstreet.com/2012/02/new_mission_theater_to_become.html
Looks like the Alamo Drafthouse chain is taking over the New Mission — here is Alamo owner Tim League
http://drafthouse.com/blog/entry/an_alamo_in_san_francisco
An article about the Fotoplayer pipe organ installed in the New Mission Theatre can be seen in this PDF file of a page from the August 12, 1916, issue of The Music Trade Review. There are two small photos of the theater, showing the front and the auditorium. The auditorium photo shows the house before the balcony was added in 1918. American Photo Player Co., makers of the Fotoplayer organ, were based in Berkeley, California.
The awesome that is Bonnie Raitt filmed the video for her song “Right Down the Line” at the New Mission Theatre.
Here is the link for the video and more on this story ( However, please keep in mind those of you whom might be bothered by such things, this link takes you to an “alternative lifestyle” website as Ms Raitt included same sex couples in her video) http://www.towleroad.com/2012/04/raitt.html
Direct link to Towleroad website and the Bonnie Raitt video.