http://www.historicaerials.com/?poi=3379 – If you switch to the 1938 aerial, you can see the old auditorium was to the rear of the lot, running parallel to the street. It is gone.
http://tinyurl.com/4b65qb – you can see the auditorium part is still intact. Even the projection booth. The lobby was probably just extensively remodeled. If you look at the street view the lobby side walls look about the same age. Remember the theatre was reconstructed in 1940, so it probably did not need too much updating.
Kringle: A shot of the stage end of the theater is reprinted on page 12 of the February, 1983 issue of “The Console” magazine. I can scan it if necessary.
The Copernicus Center has recently updated their site with some nice new photos. It seems like they’re at least embracing the theater now, even if it is underutilized.
Because they had to pay taxes on all that vacant office space in the depression, and the full-height atrium meant that it was rather inefficient to operate. The lowrise replacement was an example of a building called a “taxpayer” because it would bring in enough income to pay the property taxes until such time further development would be possible.
Flo’s was the Preview Lounge from 1947-1960. That space was called variously the Upstairs Room, Encore Room (a couple weeks 1953-1954), the Modern Jazz Room (1956), the Upper Limbo (half a week in 1957), the Modern Jazz Room (1957), Mambo City (1958-1960), Curtain Call Theater(1960-61), the Kit Kat Club (1961-62, had waitresses costumed as kittens)…
So you see why they might go as flashy as a swinging girl to get some attention, with a record like that.
I wrote my undergraduate thesis on McDonald’s architecture. Their first restaurant was the Airdrome in Arcada in 1937; in 1940 this was cut in half, moved to the San Bernardino site, and enlarged as a BBQ stand and drive-in; in 1948 they converted it to the self-service concept, and in 1953 the first arches model was built in Phoenix. The San Bernardino restaurant was replaced with one of the standard model later in the year.
I should be clearer – by 1949 the McDonald’s had long since sold their theater in Glendora, but they always kept a keen eye on their drive-in competition; that’s how they became innovators. Given their movie theatre experience it seems likely they watched what the theaters were doing also.
It’s actually entirely possible that the McDonald brothers drew inspiration from this. They were operating a movie theatre in Glendora at the same time, so they were probably aware of the Baldwin.
Couldn’t say where that was, but there was never a Varsity in Chicago. It’s worth noting, however, that this is clearly NOT Chicago. So that Varsity is probably somewhere in the Midwest, perhaps WI or IL.
Here is the scan: http://flickr.com/photos/bwchicago/3131790568/
I suppose it was a flagship in the physical sense – right at the gateway to the city.
http://www.historicaerials.com/?poi=3379 – If you switch to the 1938 aerial, you can see the old auditorium was to the rear of the lot, running parallel to the street. It is gone.
http://tinyurl.com/4b65qb – you can see the auditorium part is still intact. Even the projection booth. The lobby was probably just extensively remodeled. If you look at the street view the lobby side walls look about the same age. Remember the theatre was reconstructed in 1940, so it probably did not need too much updating.
Kringle: A shot of the stage end of the theater is reprinted on page 12 of the February, 1983 issue of “The Console” magazine. I can scan it if necessary.
The Copernicus Center has recently updated their site with some nice new photos. It seems like they’re at least embracing the theater now, even if it is underutilized.
http://www.copernicusfdn.org/theater.html
I believe the UA Marina City was actually the first Near North multi.
There’s a museum of stained glass in chicago that you might also try.
Randolph at its lowest point: View link
Highland Park has moved a step closer to buying the Highland Park Theater after voting to have staff draft the necessary documents leading up to the purchase.
Any locals know the outcome?
Because they had to pay taxes on all that vacant office space in the depression, and the full-height atrium meant that it was rather inefficient to operate. The lowrise replacement was an example of a building called a “taxpayer” because it would bring in enough income to pay the property taxes until such time further development would be possible.
It was also Mambo City from 1954-1956. Quite a checkered history.
Flo’s was the Preview Lounge from 1947-1960. That space was called variously the Upstairs Room, Encore Room (a couple weeks 1953-1954), the Modern Jazz Room (1956), the Upper Limbo (half a week in 1957), the Modern Jazz Room (1957), Mambo City (1958-1960), Curtain Call Theater(1960-61), the Kit Kat Club (1961-62, had waitresses costumed as kittens)…
So you see why they might go as flashy as a swinging girl to get some attention, with a record like that.
It was Flo’s restaurant, a Gay ‘90s saloon themed restaurant with a cabaret style dance and performance space upstairs.
Yes, it’s been there since 1961.
Typo.
I wrote my undergraduate thesis on McDonald’s architecture. Their first restaurant was the Airdrome in Arcada in 1937; in 1940 this was cut in half, moved to the San Bernardino site, and enlarged as a BBQ stand and drive-in; in 1948 they converted it to the self-service concept, and in 1953 the first arches model was built in Phoenix. The San Bernardino restaurant was replaced with one of the standard model later in the year.
I should be clearer – by 1949 the McDonald’s had long since sold their theater in Glendora, but they always kept a keen eye on their drive-in competition; that’s how they became innovators. Given their movie theatre experience it seems likely they watched what the theaters were doing also.
It’s actually entirely possible that the McDonald brothers drew inspiration from this. They were operating a movie theatre in Glendora at the same time, so they were probably aware of the Baldwin.
They definitely have an auditorium photo from shortly after opening.
The Peoples Temple was also designed by prominent theater architect JEO Pridmore.
One of the stained glass windows is missing now.
It says “IRVING THEATER PROPERTY”. So obviously the building was named after the owner, and not the theater.
Here are a whole bunch more at the State-Lake: Life
Couldn’t say where that was, but there was never a Varsity in Chicago. It’s worth noting, however, that this is clearly NOT Chicago. So that Varsity is probably somewhere in the Midwest, perhaps WI or IL.
MLK Jr Drive was previously known as South Parkway and before that Grand Boulevard.