Monroe Theatre
585 Monroe Avenue,
Rochester,
NY
14607
585 Monroe Avenue,
Rochester,
NY
14607
3 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 66 comments found
If anyone has any stories about going to/ working at this threatre in its adult days, I would love to hear them. I am chronicling the histories of adult theatres in the US. Please contact me at Thanks!
While I am sad to read that this place has been demolished, I am also not surprised. I lived around the corner from the Monroe Theatre in the mid-to-late 90’s (when it was Show World) and it was a sketchy place for sure. Got mugged once right out under the marquee! Lots of drug dealers and pimps around too. It was funny to watch respectable Pittsford-looking types ducking in to purchase porn on their lunch breaks. I never went inside even though I was curious about the interior. Would’ve loved to have seen this place in all it’s 70mm glory!
2010 photo of the Monroe theatre marquee.
View link
The Monroe lives on in the map photo. Thank you Googlemobile.
I was there on Saturday nite. The top white frieze? is beautiful and although it was misting out, I managed to snap a few pics of the rear and front. It was pretty cool. Parking is now behind the building.
Looks good, new windows and all throughout. Shame about the loss of the auditorium though.
To answer Don’s 11/08 question, demolition crews often start their demo in the middle of buildings that are being torn down. Even if surrounding structures are not to be saved.
It is a way in which to contain collateral damage, and it creates a bowl like staging area, in which to bulldoze fallen brick & materials into scoopable piles. It also eliminates “cave-ins”.
When saving partial buildings or surrounding structures is involved, it allows the crews to sort of shave off from the inside, what might otherwise undermine the structural integrity of everything else. By peeling away layers more delicately. It also prevents damage to the neighboring foundations.
A recent photo can be seen here.
Am I the only one who noticed the SNAFU store next door? How fitting for the X rated fare at the Monroe.
Extra credit for the “Dead Head” logo in the store’s window. (cue the rim shot) Doh!
Here is another 1985 photo.
This is a photo before it turned green.
Demolition would have been a more dignified end for the Monroe than becoming a drug store………
Don
They are definitely keeping the facade of the building. They cut off the auditorium, and they have now built a new cement block wall at the back end of what is left of the theater. The paint has all been stripped from the front now. Workers are currently working on the foundation for the Rite Aid drugstore.
The building was supposed to be demolished and replaced with a Rite Aid. They might not demolish 100% of the building to build the drugstore, but enough of the building will probably be destroyed to change the status above to demolished. We need to hear from someone in the Rochester area about the current status.
I will continue to beleive that at the very least some sort of restoration effort is takng place on the Monroe until someone submits a photo of the vacant lot. tbear’s #2 and my #2 and #3 photos clearly show a clean cut in the brick on the front half of the auditorium rather than having been knocked down. And I cannot see why they would start a complete demolition in the middle of the building.
Also in my #7 photo it is obvious that the green paint job has been almost 50% removed (no small job in itself) and also windows have been removed in the front rather than having been knocked out.
Waiting on a photo….
Don
Look at the photos posted on Sept 29, 2008 and Sept 30, 2008.
Has the Monroe now been demolished?
Don…
It makes no sense? Why could they have just let the building alone like it was? Unbelievable.
Here is another photo of the Monroe when it was still standing.
New life for the Monroe Theater in Rochester? According to some of the previous comments and a friend the Monroe had been completely painted green as recently a July 2008. My images were taken September 24th 2008 and clearly the green is coming off. Notice the the windows have been removed rather than destroyed on the left side and in photo #1/7 the outside brick walls on the front half of the building have an intentional clean vertical cut rather than having been ripped apart. Maybe there is hope for restoration of the building.
New life for the Monroe Theater building in Rochester? Seven images taken 9/24/08. #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6 and #7.
One more reason to never return to Rochester
They are sad to look at but the photos are nice.
Its so sad to look at these pics. Again Rochester tears down things like they did with the RKO and old train terminal. I can’t believe it is allowed to happen. People don’t appreciate anything.
more pictures of the Monroe Theatre demolition (taken 9-20-08)
View link
View link
View link
View link
View link
View link