That is interesting. I did not think anyone was booked here unless they were related to black culture (not that there is anything wrong with such a policy).
I went here once. I think it was to see the second new Star Wars movie (Episode…2? I think?). At that time it was a really nice facility. Clean, nice cinemas with stadium seating, good concessions, well-attended, decent decoration and color scheme, good sound and projection. It was called the Quarry at that point. The name is derived from the large…you guessed it! Quarry nearby. It struck me as being kind of an odd industrial place for a cinema. But the fact that it has continued on would seem to prove me wrong.
I don’t believe the collapse was due to roof deterioration. If that were the case, I think that we would have seen a lot more such collapses. A large number of old cinema buildings exist in marginal states of repair throughout the neighborhoods of our large U.S. cities. But it is not too often that something like this happens.
Yeah, I’d have to say that Jim Rankin is one of the more astute contributors on Cinema Treasures. I don’t think he had anything but the best of intentions.
I am also a Patio fan. It is one thing when a theatre is in ruins and finally put out of it’s misery (Like the 4 Star on Madison). It is quite another when a well-maintained structure like this is destroyed. Here’s hoping that a solution can be found for the challenges now facing the Patio.
I can understand all of that. Basically I am just happy to see the place making money. But in an ideal world they would have an exciting electical sign in keeping with the building’s history. The Michigan in Ann Arbor is good example of what I am imagining.
I know I am going to come off like a kill joy. But I have to issue a warning with relation to visits like this. There are about ten different ways you could be killed or injured in an abandoned building. I made a good number of visits like this when I was younger. Looking back now I consider it only luck that I didn’t meet with a switchblade or falling ceiling chunk. I think anyone considering entry like this should think twice. It is fascinating and thrilling. But, in my opinion, the potential risk doesn’t balance out.
Not much happening at Wilson Yards these days. Everyone got evicted from their stores, they started digging up the property, then the cinema deal fell through. I would bet this Big Box legislation is making Target think twice about the project as well. There are still a few pieces of equiptment out there, but they don’t move.
I am glad the Riverside is still around. But what an awful entrance. Stick a doorman and a luggage cart in that picture and we could be looking at the Hyatt.
You are talking about fine cinematic standards. I am talking about having a good time there when I was a little kid. I thought the 7-9 was cool too. So we certainly live in different worlds. Never went to the 3 Penny. But it did look like a pit. I will give you that.
I am happy that they renovated the Skokie for new use, and I understand that actions of this nature require change. But I still don’t see why they couldn’t have saved a little more of the decor for old time’s sake.
There were movie listings for the Tiffin (second-run, not part of any big chain) in major papers into the 80’s. I’d put the Tiffin’s closing between 1982 and 1985 somewhere.
I did in fact drive by again today. The attraction sign has definitely been stripped of all neon. Seems like an odd step to take. I don’t know why they wouldn’t just rip the thing off the front of the building.
I think it lasted at least into the 60’s. Maybe even the 70’s. I base that on foggy recollection of some vintage movie listings I saw twenty years ago. So don’t bank on my word.
I’ve seen one bad home movie clip of this theatre taken from a ways down North Avenue. It had a pretty big vertical sign, which was painted red at the time.
It had an attractive marquee and facade. Well-proportioned with the surrounding buildings. Even by the time I saw it, when it had been closed many years, it still added something to the commercial strip along 71st. I am sorry they did not elect to at least save the facade.
I took pictures of both the Jeffrey and Hamilton in the early 90’s. At that time the Hamilton was sitting derelict and unused. The Jeffrey, while still completely standing, had been converted for use by Shore Bank. They were using the lobby, although I am not sure what for. It wasn’t until several years into this arrangement that they decided to destroy the auditorium for new construction. You can find these photos, as well as vintage photos taken by others, at the Theatre Historical Society archives in Elmhurst, IL.
This is unfortunate news. At the risk of being snippy, it seems a bit bush league that they didn’t have a clear understanding of the project from the beginning.
Those signs could be up for a long time. There are plenty of theatres across the U.S. that still have signs for a chain that has not been in charge for many years.
Anyone????
I try to be careful about using phrases like, “it was a crime to demolish this theatre” because the world has certainly changed. But…
It was a crime to demolish this theatre.
That is interesting. I did not think anyone was booked here unless they were related to black culture (not that there is anything wrong with such a policy).
I went here once. I think it was to see the second new Star Wars movie (Episode…2? I think?). At that time it was a really nice facility. Clean, nice cinemas with stadium seating, good concessions, well-attended, decent decoration and color scheme, good sound and projection. It was called the Quarry at that point. The name is derived from the large…you guessed it! Quarry nearby. It struck me as being kind of an odd industrial place for a cinema. But the fact that it has continued on would seem to prove me wrong.
I have been hearing about this place for years.
It looks pretty messed up. I wonder what is left inside the building?
Great idea!
I don’t believe the collapse was due to roof deterioration. If that were the case, I think that we would have seen a lot more such collapses. A large number of old cinema buildings exist in marginal states of repair throughout the neighborhoods of our large U.S. cities. But it is not too often that something like this happens.
Yeah, I’d have to say that Jim Rankin is one of the more astute contributors on Cinema Treasures. I don’t think he had anything but the best of intentions.
I am also a Patio fan. It is one thing when a theatre is in ruins and finally put out of it’s misery (Like the 4 Star on Madison). It is quite another when a well-maintained structure like this is destroyed. Here’s hoping that a solution can be found for the challenges now facing the Patio.
I can understand all of that. Basically I am just happy to see the place making money. But in an ideal world they would have an exciting electical sign in keeping with the building’s history. The Michigan in Ann Arbor is good example of what I am imagining.
I know I am going to come off like a kill joy. But I have to issue a warning with relation to visits like this. There are about ten different ways you could be killed or injured in an abandoned building. I made a good number of visits like this when I was younger. Looking back now I consider it only luck that I didn’t meet with a switchblade or falling ceiling chunk. I think anyone considering entry like this should think twice. It is fascinating and thrilling. But, in my opinion, the potential risk doesn’t balance out.
Not much happening at Wilson Yards these days. Everyone got evicted from their stores, they started digging up the property, then the cinema deal fell through. I would bet this Big Box legislation is making Target think twice about the project as well. There are still a few pieces of equiptment out there, but they don’t move.
I am glad the Riverside is still around. But what an awful entrance. Stick a doorman and a luggage cart in that picture and we could be looking at the Hyatt.
You are talking about fine cinematic standards. I am talking about having a good time there when I was a little kid. I thought the 7-9 was cool too. So we certainly live in different worlds. Never went to the 3 Penny. But it did look like a pit. I will give you that.
I am happy that they renovated the Skokie for new use, and I understand that actions of this nature require change. But I still don’t see why they couldn’t have saved a little more of the decor for old time’s sake.
I don’t know about that. It could be true. But I have also heard that this building needs a lot of work.
There were movie listings for the Tiffin (second-run, not part of any big chain) in major papers into the 80’s. I’d put the Tiffin’s closing between 1982 and 1985 somewhere.
I did in fact drive by again today. The attraction sign has definitely been stripped of all neon. Seems like an odd step to take. I don’t know why they wouldn’t just rip the thing off the front of the building.
I think it lasted at least into the 60’s. Maybe even the 70’s. I base that on foggy recollection of some vintage movie listings I saw twenty years ago. So don’t bank on my word.
I’ve seen one bad home movie clip of this theatre taken from a ways down North Avenue. It had a pretty big vertical sign, which was painted red at the time.
View link
What a great idea to involve the community.
You are falling down on the job Lost Memory. :)
What about all these great interior exposues?
View link
It is hard to believe that this neighborhood, which is now so devastated, once had things like the Tivoli Theatre and Trianon Ballroom.
Regarding the discussion of what now stands there:
I was under the impression that there is a Social Security office on the theatre site today.
It had an attractive marquee and facade. Well-proportioned with the surrounding buildings. Even by the time I saw it, when it had been closed many years, it still added something to the commercial strip along 71st. I am sorry they did not elect to at least save the facade.
I took pictures of both the Jeffrey and Hamilton in the early 90’s. At that time the Hamilton was sitting derelict and unused. The Jeffrey, while still completely standing, had been converted for use by Shore Bank. They were using the lobby, although I am not sure what for. It wasn’t until several years into this arrangement that they decided to destroy the auditorium for new construction. You can find these photos, as well as vintage photos taken by others, at the Theatre Historical Society archives in Elmhurst, IL.
http://www2.hawaii.edu/~angell/thsa/welcome2.html
This is unfortunate news. At the risk of being snippy, it seems a bit bush league that they didn’t have a clear understanding of the project from the beginning.
Those signs could be up for a long time. There are plenty of theatres across the U.S. that still have signs for a chain that has not been in charge for many years.