Paramount Theatre
612 Main Street,
Buffalo,
NY
14202
612 Main Street,
Buffalo,
NY
14202
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Showing 51 - 75 of 145 comments
And where in Erie PA is the original Paramount Theatre organ? I would love to see and hear it IF it isn’t in a private home!
I would like to know how it came to be that the Paramount was allowed to be sold? After viewing the b/w interior photos on the freenet site I am truly amazed that this Lempert theatre with such rich history was drastically converted.
This link shows what is at the former Paramount Theatre location today and was the Nemmer Furniture location until the building was converted into condos by a local developer.
http://www.cityviewbuffalo.com/citycentre.html
Below are the words in a recent email sent to me from a local Buffalo resident:
I would have to do some digging to see what address the Paramount Theater used. It became Nemmer Furniture, and then was vacant for many years before Doug Swift bought it and turned it into City Centre Condos. Yes, we did discuss this a while ago, and I think I forwarded Doug’s reply to saythat there was basically nothing left of the theater, but he did manage tosalvage some columns and the ticket booth.
It never became a parking lot.
LOUB: Thanks so much for these photos as I have never seen them before!
View link
This site shows a picture of the Paramount.
D.Unks,you know about this, along with everyone else go to Peter Beames wonderful WurliTzer site in Australia (this is an interesting site)
http://www.theatreorgans.com/AU/opus/
go to Opus and to 1616. I think Patrick Murphy took the photos.
“Gee Dad, it "LOTS OF” WurliTzers!"
Bob, Great pictures. That’s the one. Where were the pictures taken? The wording in my first posting (Feb. 2005) probably added to your confusion. OSI had altered the console by adding more manual pistons, additional stops, stop action magnets, new name board, and the list goes on. So, it was no longer “original”. Hope this clears things up.
D. Unks, Thanks for the info, interesting. I don’t know how I got the idea that the original console was no longer around?? So this had the cash register stops for the toy counter? These photos are supposed to be of the Opus 1616 Console, can you recall if these photos are of that console?
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I agree, it would be sad to see it broken up for parts.
Patsy: I live near Chicago, but it seems to me it would be nice if Opus 1616 could get back home to Buffalo. Isn’t some theater, university, college, high school or house of worship just dying for a nice 3 Manual, 11 Rank, Mighty WurliTzer Theater Pipe Organ? I have nothing to do with OSI, but check with them, the contact info is at the bottom of the page. Don’t lose yet another Buffalo treasuer and I’ll come to the first concert, but hurry (I’m 65). Let us all know how it goes. What does a 3/11 cost anyway?
OSI is at
http://www.organsupply.com/
Opus 1616 and OSI are in Erie, PA
Bob Jensen: Where is this Opus 1616 in ERIE PA?
Bob, Just to clarify a couple of things, the organ was purchased by Organ Supply Industries, Inc. during the time I was president of the company. Having retired from OSI in 2006, the organ remains in OSI’s possession. When purchased, the organ was essentially complete including its original console. Work on the restoration was halted several years before I retired. As to its future, it is uncertain what plans OSI might have. Since the pedigree is intact, it would be sad to see it broken up for parts. Hope this helps.
D. Unks
DUnks-How are things going with that Fox/Shea’s, Great Lakes/Paramount, Mighty WurliTzer Theater Pipe Organ, Opus 1616, 3/11, you have in, Erie, Pennsylvania? If I remember right, you do not have the original console, do you know what happened to it?
“Gee Dad, it "IS” a WurliTzer!"
Is there any information or photos of the Lafayette theater located
at 6 Broadway?
I have spoken to Doug Swift who developed the City Center Condos and made him aware of CT and our vast interest in old theatres.
Just to add to the confusion on the address. I have an old Buffalo street guide. It lists the address for the Great Lakes as 618 Main St. Working downtown at the time the theater went dark my recollections are after a year or the rear portion of the building that extended to Pearl St. which housed the actual theater was demolished and turned into a parking lot; also I know the building was not on the corner. The front portion which held the foyer, main lobby and steps to the balcony was boarded over for years until the City Center Condos took it over. MVT
Someone must have a very slow computer. I thought this discussion had been put to bed many months ago with everyone in agreement on the original address for the long defunct Great Lakes/Paramount theatre. Likewise, Harvey & Carey drug stores and McDoel’s Restaurant are also a part of the ancient history of Buffalo and only a dim memory now.
RJT: Thanks so much and consider the address “put to bed”, imo.
There were at least 11 Harvey & Carey Drug Stores in Buffalo. The one on Elm St. seemed to be the main store with the offices. The one near the Paramount Theatre was located at 586 Main St.,at the corner of W.Chippewa St. Why can’t people accept the FACT that the Paramount Theatre was located at … 612-614 Main Street. I was born and raised in Buffalo AND I was an usher at this theatre in the late 50s! I hope this puts an end to the bickering.
I have a very old box from the Harvey & Carey Drug Store and it has an address on it. It says 327 Elm Street Buffalo, NY.
I’m not sure if this helps anyone in their quest for information or not …
Lost Memory: Your July 21, 2006 at 11:08 a.m. shows the best comparison photos of what is now at the former Paramount location today. Sam_e: Your comments…“I’ve visited friends who have a condo there and the lobby bears no hint, as far as I could tell, of it’s former life as a theatre. In fact it is so totally altered that I didn’t realize I was in the former Great Lakes-Paramount building” really puts it all into perspective.
This theatre was huge with over 3,000 seats!
I can’t believe that some of the theatre artifacts weren’t saved and are in storage somewhere such as these columns in the b/w photo posted by Ed thanks to “RJT”.
Sam_e: Thanks for your help and information concerning this former theatre in Buffalo.
Ed.. It’s unlikely that the theatre originally extended parallel to Main St as there was a building immediately next to it (south or left side viewed from the front). After viewing the photos again I’m now thinking that there could have been a stage house or more behind the existing building (note the change in brick color above the 6th level. It could have extended back as far as Pearl St which runs behind the theatre (where the parking lot is now). Some 40 years has passed since this was the Paramount theatre. The building was extensively altered for the furniture warehouse that occupied it afterwards. What we see in the photos may be a shortened version of the original structure encompassing only the foyer, lobby and auditorium. Shea’s, just down the block, extends all the way back to Pearl with entrances from both Main and Pearl, but the auditorium runs parallel to both streets. The lobby runs all the way through that theatre from Main to Pearl.