Garden Theatre
12 W. North Avenue,
Pittsburgh,
PA
15212
12 W. North Avenue,
Pittsburgh,
PA
15212
6 people
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This site shows a postcard photo of this building. I can’t believe it was demolished since it had a theatre and the new one doesn’t have one.
I wish I could tell you more about the Syria Mosque’s history (can’t find anything, so I’ll have to go by memory)
Formerly located in Oakland, the University of Pittsburgh bought the Syria Mosque and demolished it to make way for a parking lot (sad, I know). The shriners built a new Mosque in Cheswick, but does not handle concerts.
The Mosque had a main theater for concerts (I seen Great White there) and a ballroom downstairs (saw Don Dokken and Trixter there.)
The building was demolihed in 1991.
Wish I had more info.
The Pittsburgh Symphony currently performs at Heinz Hall.
Rick: Tell us more about the Syria Mosque and where does one go in Pittsburgh to hear the Pittsburgh Symphony?
I’d love to see it as a mid size concert venue. Since the Syria Mosque closed in the early 90s Pittsburgh concerts have not been the same.
And yes, is the organ still there?
Interesting story and glad to hear that this theatre is no longer showing porn movies….“X no longer marks the spot”! I hope the City of Pittsburgh and others restore this theatre’s original beauty AND reputation!
Here is an article in today’s Post Gazette regarding the future of the Garden.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07101/776829-53.stm
Here is the latest the Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopement Authority is accepting RFPs on the redevelopement fo the theater. Here is a pdf link that includes a picture.
http://www.ura.org/pdfs/rfpFS-NA-Addendum.pdf
A friend informed me that the Garden has shut its doors.
Has anyone heard if the theater is going to stay and be renovated? Hopefully so. Pittsburgh needs a decent concert hall.
Hopefully the New Granada and King’s Court are next (maybe the Parkway in Stowe Twp. as well)
My only fear is that PURA may demolish this beautiful building. Does anyone know if the pipe organ is still there?
That night view that Lost posted on Aug 20th is quite spectacular as well. What a remarkably well preserved neon-lit marquee and display!
Great picture!
Here is a 1927 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/qu8ut
Rick… check my post from Mar 10th about the owner. He also has a porn theater in Newark, NJ and Jackson Heights, NY.
A girl I work with, who lives in the neighborhood tells me someone from New York owns the theater and will not sell it. He apparently is insistent on keeping it a porn theater. I’m just not sure how he can make a profit from it, but apparently he is. The whole block is kinda run down. I think they need to fix up that entire block and try to clean the theater up.
The theater is still open. very, dark and seedy inside. That is all I’ll say. ;)
Ross posted an article in today’s Newsreel on the CT home page that involves this theater. Apparently, the owner (George Androtsakis) is the same person who owns the Montauk Theater in Newark, NJ, which is facing a similar situation due to the City’s desire to build a grade school on the adjacent block. Androtsakis also owns the Fair Theater in Jackson Heights, NY, a former nabe that has been running porn for decades with little or no controversy.
Here is a link to the article on the Montauk.
At least porn kept this theatre open, otherwise it would have been a Walgreens twenty years ago.
Is the organ is still there? Sounds like quite a large instrument for what appears to be a relatively small theater in the picture.
is this place still open? what is the experience like inside?