Hey, folks!
We’re changing how theater maps on Cinema Treasures look.
In the past, we have been using Google Maps for all the maps you see on Cinema Treasures. We used Google Maps on each theater page to show where the theater is located. We also used Google Maps when we displayed a list of theaters so that we can show the location of each theater in a given area.
Unfortunately, though, Google has decided to dramatically increase prices for their mapping service. This price hike has impacted our website and thousands of other sites like it. In our case, if we continue to use Google Maps, our monthly bill will definitely increase. And, not just a little bit — we would need to pay 500 times what we used to pay!
We’re not kidding. Our bill would literally be 500 times greater. And, as you can imagine, that’s not really something we can afford, so we can no longer use Google Maps on Cinema Treasures.
Luckily, however, Apple has recently started allowing websites to use Apple Maps in the same way Google does. (Up until now, Apple Maps was only available for use on the iPhone.) While these new maps from Apple do look a little bit different, they mostly work the same as Google Maps.
In addition, due to this pricing change, we have been forced to disable embedding street views on our theater pages for now. In the future, we may be able to bring these back and there’s a real possibility they will return — but only if we can figure out a way to do so affordably.
For now, if you need to access the street view for a theater, just click on the ‘View larger map’ link on the theater page. This will display a larger theater map. And below the map there will be a direct link to the Google Maps page for that theater. And, once you’re looking at theater in Google Maps, you can load the street view for that location.
Lastly, while we have done a lot of extensive testing, if you do see a bug with these new maps, please let us know.
Thanks for your understanding and support!
Cheers,
Patrick
From the Malibu Surfside News: All good things must come to an end.
The Regal Malibu Twin Theater played its last show Sunday, Sept. 10, saddening many and causing some to reflect on how important the theater had been to their families over the years.
The theater opened in 1972 as a single screen cinema. Hollywood Theaters reopened it as a twin movie house following renovations in November 2006, according to cinematreasures.org/theaters. In 2013, it was taken over by the Regal Entertainment Group whose favorable lease expired at the end of 2016. Since then, the theater has been on a month-to-month lease and its vitality has been in peril.
“I feel very sad about it closing,” Stella Allan said. “I’ve been coming here for more than 20 years. It’s nice to have a local theater to come to. It will definitely be missed.”
Some locals made sure to see the theater out, taking in the very last movie, reminiscing about old times and noting how its loss diminished the sense of community.
“We came to pay homage to the theater,” David Olan said. “We have a lot of good memories of the theater. I used to bring my son here. We saw Star Wars two weekends in a row. It’s sad to lose it. It was one of the simple things in life.”
Others remembered special moments at the theater.
“I saw my first 3-D movie at this theater,” Mary Russyniak recalled.
Malibu City Councilmember Jefferson “Zuma Jay” Wagner bought the very last movie tickets and popcorn. He reflected on the significance of the theater closing.
“I am sorry to see such a tradition leave Malibu,” he said. “We’re losing so many traditions and the millennials are missing out on socializing instead of always being on 2-inch screens.”
The economic repercussions of the theater closing concerned some.
“I feel so sad about this,” Candace Brown said. “I hope all of the employees have jobs.”
In an internet age of Netflix, Hulu and similar platforms, many movie theaters are threatened.
“It’s sad to see the theater go,” said Barbara Bruderlin, president of the Malibu Chamber of Commerce. “I enjoyed going to the movies and eating popcorn. The Chamber wants to thank the theater for all the years it had here in Malibu and to wish everyone at the theater the best in whatever endeavors they pursue next.”
Like many a movie that played in the theater over the years, this story did not end as many would have liked.
It is unclear what the property manager Jamestown has in store for the space.
What is clear is that for all who came to see the theater’s last performance, as the credits rolled for the last time, the end of an era happened in Malibu.
Story link: http://www.malibusurfsidenews.com/customers-bid-farewell-malibu-movie-theater-final-show
ABOUT THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA: Founded by Ben Hall in 1969, the Theatre Historical Society of America (THS) celebrates, documents and promotes the architectural, cultural and social relevance of America’s historic theatres. Through its preservation of the collections in the American Theatre Architecture Archive, its signature publication Marquee™ and Conclave Theatre Tour, THS increases awareness, appreciation and scholarly study of America’s theatres.
Learn more about historic theatres in the THS American Theatre Architecture Archives and on our website at historictheatres.org
Closings ]]>From the Lake Geneva Regional News: The Showboat movie theater complex has abruptly closed its doors, after providing Lake Geneva movie goers with big-screen entertainment for 20 years.
The six-screen theater at 2565 State Road 120 in the town of Lyons ceased operations Sept. 5, with a sign posted in the theater’s front window that reads “temporarily closed.”
A similar message was posted on the business Facebook page: “We are temporarily closed, sorry for any inconvenience.”
Officials from the company that owns the theater complex, Showboat of Lyons LLC, could not be reached for comment.
Movie goer Tom Gentilli of Lake Geneva said he was surprised Sept. 8 when he tried to catch a movie at Showboat and he found the doors locked and the property abandoned.
“I just wanted to see a movie,” Gentilli said. “It was just like, ‘Well, what’s going on?’”
According to its website, Showboat opened its doors in June 1997.
The complex in the past has featured six separate movie screens, along with a game arcade, a private party room and an upstairs recreation area with a pool table.
Lyons town records indicate that the ownership company Showboat of Lyons LLC is based in West Bend, near Milwaukee.
Lyons town officials said the owners and managers of the popular movie theater attraction have provided no explanation why the business closed.
“I have no clue,” town Chairman William Mangold said.
The shutdown also surprised members of the Silver Screen Movie Club, an organization that holds private movie showings once a month at the Showboat for an estimated 400 club members, mostly senior citizens.
Larry Joseph, organizer of the private club, said the group’s monthly event was scheduled Sept. 7 to enjoy the bank-robbery comedy “Going In Style.” Two days earlier, however, a Showboat manager contacted Joseph and told him the theater was closing immediately.
The manager cited financial difficulties and gave no indication that the business would reopen, Joseph said.
Movie club organizers scrambled and were able to relocate the club’s monthly gathering to the Geneva Theater in downtown Lake Geneva — an arrangement that Joseph plans to continue in future months.
Joseph said members of the movie club were a little surprised by the sudden change, but the transition went well.
“They were very understanding,” he said. “They knew it wasn’t our fault.”
The Geneva Theater, 244 Broad St., which has four movie screens, reopened earlier this year after sitting idle for about 10 years.
The Showboat theater’s Facebook page shows that movie goers Sept. 5 were going to be treated to $5 discount tickets.
Shortly after that was announced, however, came the message that the theater was closing.
Gentelli said he likes Showboat because the complex offers a wide variety of movies and because the facilities are in reasonably good condition.
He said it was peculiar Sept. 8 to see the property darkened and no movies listed on the marquee.
“It was just odd,” he said. “I was very surprised. Showboat’s been around a long time.”
Story link: http://www.lakegenevanews.net/news/showboat-movie-theater-shuts-down/article_ce02747e-99c8-55db-8435-140df483fea2.html
ABOUT THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA: Founded by Ben Hall in 1969, the Theatre Historical Society of America (THS) celebrates, documents and promotes the architectural, cultural and social relevance of America’s historic theatres. Through its preservation of the collections in the American Theatre Architecture Archive, its signature publication Marquee™ and Conclave Theatre Tour, THS increases awareness, appreciation and scholarly study of America’s theatres.
Learn more about historic theatres in the THS American Theatre Architecture Archives and on our website at historictheatres.org
Closings ]]>From The Sentinel: Many residents were upset when news that the Metro 4 Cinema in downtown Hanford was going to close in July, but a large response from the community kept the theater’s doors open; and now it seems there is a possibility the theater will stay open for good.
What could save the theater is a model from the company Movie Heroes, which asks customers to pay a monthly membership fee in order to watch an unlimited number of movies.
Filmmaker Matt Sconce and his business partner, Keith Walker, used the exact same model to save their hometown movie theater in Oakhurst.
Sconce said he found out about the Metro 4 from a friend, and rushed to Hanford the day before it was set to close to provide the solution to the theater’s problems.
On Oct. 1, Sconce and Walker will officially take over ownership of the Metro 4 Cinema.
Along with unlimited movies, the monthly membership will include discounts on food and drinks. For those not wanting a membership, ticket prices will be lower, Sconce said.
Walker likens the system to a “brick-and-mortar Netflix.” He said many customers have told him that the system takes the guesswork out of watching movies.
If customers don’t like a movie, they can simply walk out without feeling like they wasted their money.
“They no longer have that fear of not liking the movie they went to see,” Walker said. “There’s no guilt.”
“They won’t feel ripped-off,” Sconce said.
There’s also no monthly commitment, Walker said. Customers can buy memberships for a month without having to renew every month.
Walker said it was a combination of things that made them want to save theaters: first and foremost was a love for their hometown theater, but also their desire to help others.
With their first project, Walker said they essentially let the people in the town of Oakhurst decide if they wanted to save the theater, and they did.
Not only did the system stabilize the Oakhurst theater, but sales have tripled, Walker said. Movie Heroes also helped a theater in Coalinga stay open.
“We love helping theaters with history that people care about and are willing to preserve,” Sconce said.
In Hanford, Sconce said the monthly membership will be $19.95 per month for one person or $34.95 for two people. He said child rates are still being finalized.
Walker considers the model “innovative” and “liberating,” and hopes it will turn into a movement with more and more theaters adopting this method.
“We’re hoping this not only saves the theater, but revitalizes peoples’ love for movies,” Sconce said.
Mai Xiong, general manager of the Metro 4 Cinema, said she was extremely excited about the changes at the theater and hopes everything turns out great for the theater and the community.
“I’d love to thank that community,” Xiong said. “Especially all those people who visited the theater and expressed their support and happiness when we stayed open.”
Story link: http://hanfordsentinel.com/news/local/movie-heroes-plan-to-save-metro-cinema/article_aabcea92-2751-5567-8581-ead85bc285e6.html
ABOUT THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA: Founded by Ben Hall in 1969, the Theatre Historical Society of America (THS) celebrates, documents and promotes the architectural, cultural and social relevance of America’s historic theatres. Through its preservation of the collections in the American Theatre Architecture Archive, its signature publication Marquee™ and Conclave Theatre Tour, THS increases awareness, appreciation and scholarly study of America’s theatres.
Learn more about historic theatres in the THS American Theatre Architecture Archives and on our website at historictheatres.org
Theaters ]]>From lohud.com: A New York City developer has purchased the iconic Larchmont Playhouse and plans to keep it as a movie theater, focusing on foreign, independent and arthouse films.
Charles Cohen closed on a deal Friday to buy the three-screen theater, according to a news release. The theater has remained vacant since last year.
No financial details on the acquisition were released, but Cohen said he hopes to begin an 18-month renovation and redesign of the playhouse by early 2018. He said he plans to keep the exterior as is, to preserve its historic character. The most recent asking price for the theater was $1.5 million.
“The audiences for independent and classic films are underserved here in New York and largely throughout the country due to the steady decline in the number of screens as well as the aging infrastructure of the theaters that serve serious cinema lovers,” Cohen, of Harrison, said in the news release. “I’m hopeful that my efforts to buy and upgrade movie houses of historical importance will have a positive impact in helping to begin to reverse that downward trend.”
The iconic facility, located at 1975 Palmer Ave., closed in September 2016 after a run of over 80 years. Cohen purchased theater from IP UTP Larchmont LLC after potential deals with a number of local suitors failed.
The theater was owned at one point by Regal Cinemas but was put up for sale in April 2016, with a $1.5 million asking price.
Cohen recently revitalized, restored and reopened the Quad Cinema in Greenwich Village. He also oversaw the renovation of New York’s Academy Theatre at Lighthouse International and directed the construction of the Silver Screen Theatre inside his Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, according to the release. He is also planning to develop a series of high-end boutique cinemas around the country.
Cohen is head of New York-based Cohen Media Group and owns Cohen Brothers Realty Corp.
Story link: http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/2017/09/08/larchmont-playhouse-bought/645909001/
ABOUT THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA: Founded by Ben Hall in 1969, the Theatre Historical Society of America (THS) celebrates, documents and promotes the architectural, cultural and social relevance of America’s historic theatres. Through its preservation of the collections in the American Theatre Architecture Archive, its signature publication Marquee™ and Conclave Theatre Tour, THS increases awareness, appreciation and scholarly study of America’s theatres.
Learn more about historic theatres in the THS American Theatre Architecture Archives and on our website at historictheatres.org
Theaters ]]>From The New York Times: Along the walls of The Theatre at Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles is a pair of murals, painted in 1927 when the space was known as the United Artists Theatre, depicting members of Hollywood’s creative class in heaven and studio heads as demons.
In the back of the theater is a projection booth, added in the 1950s, which made the Ace one of the first Los Angeles-area movie houses able to project the larger-format 70-mm film. And painted in open spaces of ornamental gold lattice in the building’s lobby is a line from Psalm 119: “Forever O Lord, thy Word is Settled in Heaven,” a holdover from the theater’s 20-year stint as the home of televangelist Gene Scott (it was then called the Los Angeles University Cathedral).
A century ago, downtown Los Angeles was the center of the city’s entertainment, with movie and vaudeville theaters seemingly on every block. Today, as the neighborhood’s renaissance enters its teenage years, the remaining cinemas are coming back to life, with live music bringing crowds and energy back to neglected venues.
At its peak in the 1920s and ’30s, the heart of Los Angeles was home to scores of venues. There were the movie palaces of Broadway, a stretch dotted with multitiered theaters with ornate, Art-Deco influenced lobbies and flourishes, some of which started their lives as vaudeville stages but eventually were dedicated to the silver screen. Just two blocks east, more than 20 smaller, more utilitarian theaters popped up along Main Street. Over the years, however, the center of film culture moved west, to neighborhoods like Hollywood and Westwood. Many theaters became second-run houses, showing movies after their wide release, then Spanish exhibitors, and later many were either transformed completely (what was the Rialto Theatre is now an Urban Outfitters), boarded up or torn down.
But as downtown Los Angeles began its rebirth in the early 2000s, the marquees that still hang above Broadway, its historic core, started to light up again. The Orpheum Theatre, which was in operation as a movie theater until 2000, underwent a reported $3.5 million renovation and began booking concerts in 2001. Palace Theatre received a million-dollar face-lift in 2011 and has hosted up-and-coming acts like the R&B singer Sampha and more established artists like Billy Bragg. The Globe, which has seen life as a stage and a movie house, is now a nightclub and multidisciplinary space where D.J.s like Questlove have spun.
The crown jewel of the latest incarnation of L.A.’s Broadway may be The Theatre at Ace Hotel, with its 1,600 seats and Spanish Gothic-influenced architecture. Its three-story lobby lights up with flashes from cameraphones before performances; nearly every concert-going Angeleno seems to have a picture on Instagram of the high-arching ceiling, the intricate details carved or forged into every banister and railing, and the chandeliers.
Inside the theater, bands like Wilco, Elvis Costello and Florence + The Machine have each performed, But the space has also hosted the L.A. Dance Project, David Lynch’s Festival of Disruption, and, harkening back to its United Artists days, movie premieres.
“As we started booking, obviously music came first,” said Kelly Sawdon, Ace Hotel partner and chief brand officer, “but we had started a lot of other conversations. We had started putting calls out and just saying, ‘come check out our theater, maybe there’s something that we can do together.’”
If The Theatre at Ace Hotel is the black-tie affair, then The Regent is the jeans-and-sneakers alternative. Built in 1914 as the National Theatre, the Main Street space was shut down in 2000, its latest incarnation being an adult theater. It took more than a decade for the downtown Los Angeles renaissance to reach the abandoned Regent, when local independent music booking powerhouse Spaceland Productions entered into a long-term lease.
“This one just seemed like the easiest to convert,” said Mitchell Frank, Spaceland’s co-owner, adding quickly that he may not have done the restoration had he known the government red tape involved.
A two-year reconstruction project, including adding a mezzanine and, because of decay, removing the Deco-style ceiling rosettes, finished in the fall of 2014. What now sits in the historic shell is a much more flexible space, with no affixed seats. Live music, dance nights and even a music flea market have found homes here.
While The Regent does not have all the ornate detail of its brethren on Broadway, its proscenium arch and wall moldings acts as reminders of more than a century of changing trends in live entertainment.
In Mr. Frank’s view, the place to be is Main Street in the historic part of town. “Because we’re a little bit off the beaten path,” he said, “we can be a little more creative in our bookings.”
Story link and video at: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/25/travel/downtown-los-angeles-la-movie-palaces-music.html
ABOUT THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA: Founded by Ben Hall in 1969, the Theatre Historical Society of America (THS) celebrates, documents and promotes the architectural, cultural and social relevance of America’s historic theatres. Through its preservation of the collections in the American Theatre Architecture Archive, its signature publication Marquee™ and Conclave Theatre Tour, THS increases awareness, appreciation and scholarly study of America’s theatres.
Learn more about historic theatres in the THS American Theatre Architecture Archives and on our website at historictheatres.org
Theaters ]]>From Curbed NY: As one Landmark movie theater—the beloved Sunshine Cinema on the Lower East Side—prepares to close in 2018, another one will open, albeit with a completely different vibe. The theater, called The Landmark at 57 West and situated on the ground floor on Bjarke Ingels’s West 57th Street courtscraper, is set to make its debut on September 15.
As we previously reported, the eight-screen theater will have a private bar, which will be called JD’s Place, along with design elements like a video wall and a special light display. As is de rigueur for movie theaters these days, the theaters themselves will be equipped with plush leather recliners, plenty of concessions (including ones from NYC purveyors like Two Boots and Fat Witch), and laser projection screens.
While a spate of high-end movie theaters have been opening or are in the works around the city—see the Alamo Drafthouse in Downtown Brooklyn, iPic Theaters at the Seaport, and the soon-to-open Nitehawk Cinema in Park Slope—there hasn’t been a new cinema in Midtown in some time. The new Landmark expects to fill that void, with a press release noting that it’s intended to “appeal to film aficionados and neighborhood movie-goers alike.”
But Landmark’s Lower East Side theater isn’t so lucky: the Sunshine Cinema has been in trouble for a few years now, and was dealt a blow in 2012 when the local community board voted against a plan that would have allowed the cinema to serve food and drinks. It’s likely going to turn into a mixed-use office-retail space after it closes next year.
Story link: https://ny.curbed.com/2017/8/25/16202032/midtown-west-landmark-theatres-bjarke-ingels-opening
ABOUT THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA: Founded by Ben Hall in 1969, the Theatre Historical Society of America (THS) celebrates, documents and promotes the architectural, cultural and social relevance of America’s historic theatres. Through its preservation of the collections in the American Theatre Architecture Archive, its signature publication Marquee™ and Conclave Theatre Tour, THS increases awareness, appreciation and scholarly study of America’s theatres.
Learn more about historic theatres in the THS American Theatre Architecture Archives and on our website at historictheatres.org
Openings ]]>From Boston.com: One of New Hampshire’s last drive-in movie theaters is going to be sold for $2.5 million to a businessman with plans for condominiums and commercial development in its place.
The Laconia Sun reports Patricia Baldi has owned the Weirs Drive-In since 1974. She said the land is more valuable than the business, which is open about 12 weeks a year.
Al Mitchell, the buyer, owns properties in the area. He hopes to build up to 80 condominium units, an event center, a hotel and other businesses. He said he hopes to create the kind of attractive and successful commercial and tourism community that took place in Meredith in the 1980s.
The Weirs Drive-In was built in 1948. Baldi said her son, Larry, plans to open another drive-in theater elsewhere.
Story link: https://www.boston.com/news/business/2017/08/24/drive-in-movie-theater-in-new-hampshire-to-be-sold-condos-proposed
ABOUT THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA: Founded by Ben Hall in 1969, the Theatre Historical Society of America (THS) celebrates, documents and promotes the architectural, cultural and social relevance of America’s historic theatres. Through its preservation of the collections in the American Theatre Architecture Archive, its signature publication Marquee™ and Conclave Theatre Tour, THS increases awareness, appreciation and scholarly study of America’s theatres.
Learn more about historic theatres in the THS American Theatre Architecture Archives and on our website at historictheatres.org
Preservation Alert ]]>From QNS.com: One man is trying to reboot the historic former Ridgewood Theater to its past glory by advocating creating a fine arts or performing arts space on the ground floor.
Anthony Arroyo has been a fan of the Ridgewood Theater since he was a child, and was saddened to see a sign on the historic façade advertising for rental units and commercial space at the once-thriving community theater.
Remembering all the fun he had at the Ridgewood Theater in years past, Arroyo concocted a plan to bring the arts back to the former theater for a new generation to enjoy.
“I am obsessed with the Ridgewood Theater, and cannot see anything else being there but the theater,” Arroyo said. “However, due to the growing artistic culture that is now Ridgewood, and surrounding areas, I truly believe a fine/performing arts theater would create such a frenzy.”
He quickly reached out to the current owners of the building and requested photos of the interior of the theater and a walkthrough. He learned that the apartments have been rented out, but the owners are still looking for commercial renters to take space on the ground floor.
After finding out about the availability of the approximately 15,000-square-foot commercial space — and a nearly 8,000-square-foot basement — Arroyo set up a GoFundMe page and an online petition to get the community involved in saving the Ridgewood Theater as a community arts space. According to Arroyo, funds collected during the GoFundMe campaign will go toward renting out the commercial space until investors take notice, or until they can get grants to try and keep the space as a theater. “I sent a wishful email to [the] COO of a well-known, but small theater company, and he loved the idea,” Arroyo said. “I spoke on how the area of Ridgewood, Bushwick, and surrounding areas are changing. It is not what it was years ago when they first closed The Ridgewood Theater. We can get the community involved also, such as talent shows, independent movie showings and plays, along with regular showing [of] movies. I envision possibly three or four smaller theaters, and a large theater on main floor.”
Arroyo has printed 1,000 flyers and will be handing them out to the people of the community and local businesses to raise awareness of his mission. To view the GoFundMe page go here, to view Arroyo’s petition go here.
“The Ridgewood Theater is a symbol of time-tested strength of the community,” Arroyo said. “While everything around it is changing constantly, it stands strong and magnificent, holding history and future in a single space.”
The Ridgewood Theatre officially opened on Dec. 23, 1916. In the 1980s the theater was converted into a five-screen multiplex. As ticket sales began declining, the Ridgewood Theatre closed in March 2008.
The façade of the former theater, however, received landmark status by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission in January 2010 and cannot be changed or altered. The building was gutted for renovations in November 2014.
QNS has reached out to the building’s leasing administrator and is awaiting response.
Story link: http://qns.com/story/2017/08/22/former-ridgewood-theater-making-historic-comeback-arts-space/
ABOUT THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA: Founded by Ben Hall in 1969, the Theatre Historical Society of America (THS) celebrates, documents and promotes the architectural, cultural and social relevance of America’s historic theatres. Through its preservation of the collections in the American Theatre Architecture Archive, its signature publication Marquee™ and Conclave Theatre Tour, THS increases awareness, appreciation and scholarly study of America’s theatres.
Learn more about historic theatres in the THS American Theatre Architecture Archives and on our website at historictheatres.org
Theaters ]]>From CurbedLA.com: Once poised for a revival and a mixed-use makeover, the landmark Westlake Theatre is now for sale.
The seller? CRA/LA, the successor agency to the defunct Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles, which was dissolved under a 2011 state law. CRA/LA is tasked with winding down the business of the former redevelopment agency, and it’s looking to unload the historic venue—recognizable for its steel-framed rooftop neon sign—after failing to find a developer willing to partner on the redevelopment.
In 2016, it issued a request for proposals to rehab the theater and possibly build affordable housing and retail on four neighboring parcels. The goal was to make the area “an attractive regional arts and culture and entertainment destination … while offering employment, housing, education / institutional use and other services.”
But the request for proposals went unanswered, says Jimmy Chai, a broker with the real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield, which is marketing the property for CRA/LA.
“No one wanted it. There were too many covenants,” he says. “Now the CRA is just outright selling [the theater] just the way it is.”
The listing highlights the theater’s location next to a subway station, and advertises its potential to become a retail hub, creative office, or night club. It also notes its proximity to Downtown LA: “With over $25 billion in redevelopment transforming Downtown Los Angeles, many of Downtown’s and the Wilshire Corridor’s former theaters are now home to popular venues and retailers such as the Theatre at Ace Hotel, Urban Outfitters, COS (H&M), and CVS.”
The venue fronts MacArthur Park, an area that prior to WWII, had been quite posh. Born to show live vaudeville acts and big-screen films, it opened in 1926 and operated as a theater for 65 years. More recently, it hosted a neighborhood swap meet.
Story link: https://la.curbed.com/2017/7/27/16047882/historic-westlake-theatre-next-to-macarthur-park-is-for-sale
ABOUT THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA: Founded by Ben Hall in 1969, the Theatre Historical Society of America (THS) celebrates, documents and promotes the architectural, cultural and social relevance of America’s historic theatres. Through its preservation of the collections in the American Theatre Architecture Archive, its signature publication Marquee™ and Conclave Theatre Tour, THS increases awareness, appreciation and scholarly study of America’s theatres.
Learn more about historic theatres in the THS American Theatre Architecture Archives and on our website at historictheatres.org
Preservation Alert ]]>