Demolitions

  • August 3, 2006
    Demolitions

    Mooney Drive-In to be demolished

    VISALIA, CA — The Mooney Theater Drive-In Theater is slated for demolition in September 2006. This is a dual screen theater in perfect working order. What a classic, what a shame!

    7 comments
  • July 26, 2006
    Demolitions

    Evanston Theater to become Condos

    EVANSTON, IL — According to this article in the Chicago Tribune, the once grand Evanston Theater will follow many others in greater Chicago area into oblivion:

    It debuted with a hit comedy back in the day when a Saturday matinee started with a Porky Pig cartoon and children lined the sidewalk to pay 75 cents for a movie and a bag of popcorn.

    Almost half a century later, Evanston Theaters is a dank and musty place filled with cobwebs and torn movie screens. High-rise condominiums threaten to replace the theater’s high ceilings and plush curtains.

    For the full story, visit the Chicago Tribune Article.

    2 comments
  • July 17, 2006
    Demolitions

    Miramar Theater in danger of demolition

    SAN CLEMENTE, CA — PLEASE HELP! To all friends of Historic Theaters… the San Clemente Historical Society needs your immediate help in whatever capacity you are willing to help save the iconic Miramar Theater at 1700 N. El Camino Real from the wrecking ball of irresponsible development and special interests disguised under that misused and maligned word “Progress” !

    To help with the Society’s stated position and on going efforts to stress the adaptive reuse of the Miramar Theater circa 1938 ( when it was opened ) please sign and have all your friends and family members sign the Petition to Save the Miramar Theater ASAP!

    0 comments
  • July 12, 2006
    Demolitions

    Former Odeon Middlesbrough collapses

    MIDDLESBROUGH, ENGLAND — Part of Middlesbrough Town Centre was closed today, when part of the former Odeon Cinema collapsed during demolition works.

    The collapse also took away scaffolding that had been erected on the Fry Street side of the auditorium. It is believed the wall gave way whilst work to remove the auditorium roof was being carried out.

    It appears that the demolition was being done from within using large bulldozers to remove the ceiling. luckily, no-one was injured, although some cars parked in Fry Street are believed to been damaged.

    The roads are expected to remain closed until Wednesday Evening to allow emergency demolition work on the remainder of the auditorium and removal of the scaffolding.

    The Evening Gazette has more information on the collapse.

    I’ve also added photos of the collapsed building to Flickr.

    6 comments
  • June 19, 2006
    Demolitions

    Old Empress Cinema Burns Down

    MANCHESTER, ENGLAND — According to a report from the Manchester Evening News, the Old Empress Cinema on Oldham Road has burned down:

    An investigation is underway into a huge fire that caused the front of an old cinema building in Miles Platting to collapse.

    Up to 30 firefighters tackled the blaze at the old Empress Building, Oldham Road.

    The first crews from Manchester Central and Philips Park discovered the two-storey building well alight with flames shooting through the roof.

    They immediately called for back up and were clear of the building when the front collapsed.

    Debris was scattered across two lanes of Oldham Road, which was closed in the direction of Manchester to Oldham.

    Note this Cinema was spotlisted as a grade 2 listed building a few years back and the authorities did nothing what-so-ever to secure this small piece of social history. Manchester City Council, Northwest film society, and English hertage all should hang their heads in shame.

    So what’s new? Giving a building a listed status in the UK means nothing anymore.

    9 comments
  • May 23, 2006
    Demolitions

    Brookhaven Multiplex Cinemas

    MEDFORD, NY — Sometime this past week, I don’t know exactly when, Brookhaven Multiplex Cinemas on Long Island was demolished.

    I used to work there and have some great memories of that place seeing movies there over the years since I was a kid until they closed in 2003. It’s a shame to it wasn’t very old and I always passed it while riving down the LIE.

    Never again.

    4 comments
  • March 3, 2006
    Demolitions

    Montauk Theater Temporarily Saved from Demolition?

    PASSAIC, NJ — NJ Schools Construction Corporation runs out of money for demolition of the Montauk Theater and the Hotel Passaic which are in the school zone of a new elementary school. City concerned that parents will refuse to send their children to the new school if buildings remain open and operating, the Montauk is now run as an adult theater.

    Link to NY Times article.

    3 comments
  • February 3, 2006
    Demolitions

    Leeds Cannon Demolition Begins

    The following was sent in by Ian Grundy:

    “Demolition of the former Leeds Cannon triple is now underway, as the picture taken yesterday (Wednesday 1st February) shows.

    The cinema opened as the Ritz in November 1934, designed by the ABC house architect W. R. Glen with 1,950 seats. It was renamed ABC in 1959 and closed in 1969 for an expensive twinning with the circle extended forward. ABC2, in the former stalls, closed in 1974 to be split in two giving a three screen cinema with Screen 1 670 seats, screen 2 474 seats and screen 3 236 seats.

    All three closed in 2000 and have been unused since. The cinema was aslso called MGM towards the end."

    3 comments
  • February 2, 2006
    Demolitions

    Former Odeon Cinema Middlesbrough (UK)

    MIDDLESBROUGH, UK — Plans to demolish the former Odeon Cinema Middlesbrough, most recently operated as Jumpin Jaks Nightclub, have been revealed in the Teesside Evening Gazette. If approved the cinema building will be replaced by a 30m, 375ft high tower block.

    23 comments
  • January 24, 2006
    Demolitions

    Demolition of the Historic Adelphi Theater

    CHICAGO, IL — A sad day here as another one of Chicago’s historic theaters faces the wrecking crane. At around 2:00pm Friday, January 20th, the fight to save the Adelphi Theater was crushed as the wrecking crane opened it’s huge steel jaws on it’s bucket…. then closed the bucket’s jaws equally as quick…. then taking hold of it’s first few chunks of bricks and then dropped them from the bucket to the ground.

    Within minutes most of the back wall of the theater that runs along Ravenswood Avenue was a pile of rubble ready to be carted off.

    It’s a sad, sad day.

    16 comments