Friends of the Boyd fight for the Boyd’s survival
posted by
Michael Zoldessy
on
November 25, 2013 at 3:55 pm
PHILADELPHIA, PA — With the luxury multiplex plan still a possibility, the Friends of the Boyd are fighting harder than ever to save the Boyd Theatre.
Press coverage has picked up in a big way. Here’s the latest:
Comments (3)
People on this site should ask “If after destroying all but the Boyd Theatre’s facade in Philadelphia to build a new multiplex, will iPic then go around the United States & destroy all but the facades of beloved historic movie theaters to build new multiplexes?”
Howard: Will you create a link to Sharon Pinkenson thoughtful and impassioned plea for approval of the iPic transformation of the Boyd? Or will you—and this site—continue a single-minded, closed-minded path toward denying a future for the venue and for the economic vitality of Chestnut Street and Center City Philadelphia?
atb, you will find few friends on this site. We are a community of cinema theatre enthusiasts around the world, principally North America and (as in my case) Britain. Your plans would, it seems, involve the complete demolition of the beautiful, well-preserved Art Deco auditorium, leaving only the facade. Let me make myself quite clear: this would be INTOLERABLE. I look forward to reading that your plans have been rejected. In the meantime, go and have a look at Macy’s in downtown Philadelphia and see how Macy’s sympathy for that beautiful old building and its magnificent organ have shaped their renovation of said premises. In restoring it as they have, they have reinvigorated a global icon. You have the opportunity to do something similar, if perhaps not quite so globally iconic (as beautiful as the Boyd is). I urge you to change your plans. The auditorium of the Boyd would make a wonderful multi-purpose performing arts venue with film showings filling the gaps between live events: a multiplex would lack any such flexibility (as well as destroying the heritage inherent in the building). I send my best wishes to my like-minded fellow campaigners across the Atlantic.