Lake Theatre
601 Lake Avenue,
Lake Worth,
FL
33460
601 Lake Avenue,
Lake Worth,
FL
33460
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This very elegantly designed Streamline Moderne theater with its boxy but rounded facade and ribbed detailing opened as the Lake Theatre in 1939 (also known as the Lake Avenue Theatre). It was the work of prolific Florida architect Roy A. Benjamin. The building most recently housed the Palm Beach Institute of Contemporary Art until its closure in March of 2005.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 26 comments)
The Lake Theater building is currently closed. When Palm Beach CC could no longer operate the museum, philanthropist Robert Montgomery bought it and re-opened it as the Palm Beach Institute of Contemporary Art. When it became a financial burden to continue its operation, and when no other supporters could be found, he closed the museum. A few years ago, the slope of the auditorium floor was flattened to create the museum space.
Tom N: Such a shame that the PBICA is now closed especially after the decision was made years ago to discontinue the theatre so now the residents of Lake Worth have neither!
I love viewing the vintage post card of the art moderne Lake Theatre posted on Sept. 23, 2004. I wonder if the lobby was changed much after the renovations were made though I would certainly understand the auditorium floor being ‘flattened’ to create the museum space. Again, such a shame.
Perhaps the high profile Mr. Montgomery could return it to a theatre as that just might succeed!
First the Lake Theatre is changed and then the Paramount in Palm Beach. Such a shame.
What a shame the building is now sitting vacant. I went to $wap Shop Drive-in in Lake Worth two years ago, not knowing about this gorgeous (though closed) site.
The postcard mentioned above can be seen with a better color rendition and in a larger size on my flickr stream: View link
Know that I scan all my cards at 600dpi and clean them in that size, and that I can email a higher res image for a (personal, non-commercial) repro for on the wall or so.
A forgotten interlude in the Lake Theatre’s career: mid-70s incarnation as the Pasta Palace, where diners could watch classic movies as they ate:
View link
If you’ve tried the link directly above, click on “Pasta Palace/Palm Beach Post/Jan. 9 1976” for the ad itself.
Walking past the building last night, noticed signs announcing the Palm Beach County Cultural Council would soon be setting up headquarters. Turns out the family donated the building in Robert M. Montgomery’s memory. Click below for (presently) a partial exterior shot with the new signage:
View link
Then go here for the announcement:
View link
As for movies nowadays on Lake Avenue, I can report the nearby Lake Worth Playhouse’s Stonzek Theatre (a 48-seat black box space) is alive and thriving with art house fare. Even with limited space, they’ve proven worthwhile successors to the still much-missed Carefree.
http://www.lakeworthplayhouse.org/indie_films.html
This was formerly in the ABC Florida State chain.