It certainly was better the old way. But even that 70’s look it sports now is kind of cool. Reminds me of a lot of buildings that were around when I was a little kid.
The biggest enjoyment I get from your site is relating experiences gathered during an active period of cinema research when I was a lot younger and things I notice as I travel around the country today. Really, I have been around the theatre business since I was born.
But I know that people come to your site looking for suckers. There are a lot of good-hearted people with love for an old theatre that wouldn’t know a con man if they saw one coming. If you are going to let people with unconfirmed credentials (Example: I have a chain of theatres and want to buy more from Cinema Treasures members, but I won’t tell you where my theatres are) post messages relating to investment opportunities I intend to ask the author some questions. My intention is always to keep conversation level. But things of this nature have a way of temporarily straying off course.
Enter the word theatre in the search function, follow the prompts, then scroll through the results until you find the color footage of the State-Lake’s marquee running.
You are correct. It finished it’s last incarnation as a theatre showing art films, just like the Parkway.
Regarding SR’s observation of the ceiling, I may have misled you with comments about stars. They weren’t star shapes mounted on the ceiling really. The ceiling of the Varsity was a plain plaster dome. The “stars” were small light sockets in the ceiling that were set to blink on and off. I am guessing it is the same ceiling that is there now judging by other retail conversions I have seen.
In a way I have never understood conversions like this because I have to think that all that open space above the stores would increase utility costs significantly. And what revenue-generating purpose does it serve? I suppose you can store merchandise up there. There are plenty of examples of this across the country. But as a business man I don’t quite see to the other side of it.
Wishing you good luck while walking down the street is one thing. Getting off the couch, driving to the theatre, parking the car and paying admission is another.
Not to mention the fact that the Rialto is devastated.
I understand Jeffrey, to be sure. But I have been around the theatre business my entire life and experience says that these places generally decay in uniform fashion. If one area is devastated then so are all the others. I have never seen an abandoned movie palace where half the building was devastated and the other half was in decent shape. It just does not ring true unless there is a factor I am missing. If someone told me that Huang drove a Bobcat in there and started hacking away at the walls that would be different. Otherwise my money says the auditorium isn’t that bad off. It wouldn’t surprise me if the people who support this glass wall thing want everyone to think that the auditorium (the un-landmarked part) is devastated in order to quiet calls for preservation.
All that being said, if the auditorium is ruined to the point where there is nothing left they certainly ought to do something else with the land.
Regarding Patsy’s comments above: the Grand Riviera was in a near total state of ruin by the time it was demolished. I have seen photographs showing the collapsed ceiling structure hanging over the remainder of the organ lofts. I think the building sat unattended for twenty years or so.
The reason I had trouble is that putting Fallfurious or Brownsfield into the Cinematour search function yields no results. There is a Rialto in Brownfield (no s). There are some theatres listed in Falfurrias (similar to your spelling, but not the same), although I don’t see Texan, Taos or Twin. Are any of these your theatres?
Complete restoration is a nice idea. But we don’t seem to have reliable information on exactly how bad the condition of the auditorium is. If the auditorium is in equal shape to the lobby (which I have seen pictures of) I think that the auditorium could certainly be restored and reused. If it is completely devastated (like the Grand Riviera in Detroit was in the years it stood empty before demolition) I think other options should be considered.
My bottom line opinion is that this glass wall is ugly and completely disrespectful to the building’s past. I don’t support any pipe dreams that don’t have grounding in reality. I simply want to see a sensible, tasteful, historically minded plan put into place.
Let’s forget for a moment that I am having trouble finding these entries on Cinematour. If you found the theatres on Cinema Treasures why can’t we view any of them on Cinema Treasures?
I cannot testify to the Ambassador name being in play. But I have copies of the Chicago Theatre blue prints that were used to construct the building hanging in my home. If I look up now from this laptop I am staring directly at the name CAPITOL in the lower right-hand corner of drawing number 10 (exterior elevations). For anyone who cares to know it was job number 19-15.
Also, I think the building remained a single auditorium until the 90’s. I went there a few times late 80’s / early 90’s. It looked like they started to twin it, then ran out of money and continued to operate while everything was in shambles. There were holes punched for the second projection booth for instance. It made the Plaza Theatre on Devon look like the Uptown!
What happened to the listing for the Lincoln Village 7-9? It has disappeared. I happened to eat lunch today at the Panera which sits about where the 7-9 was. It was sort of a bummer considering the great movies I saw at the 7-9, like Back to the Future and Jurassic Park. I remember my Dad taking me there. Nice memories.
It certainly was better the old way. But even that 70’s look it sports now is kind of cool. Reminds me of a lot of buildings that were around when I was a little kid.
I have seen a few mentions of support for restoration of the Palace on the Internet. My question is, what is left to restore?
View link
You might be able to fashion a modern auditorium within the building’s structure. But my next question is, what does Gary need with an auditorium?
Pretty cool. Wonder what they were using it for at the time?
I suppose I am party to this conversation.
The biggest enjoyment I get from your site is relating experiences gathered during an active period of cinema research when I was a lot younger and things I notice as I travel around the country today. Really, I have been around the theatre business since I was born.
But I know that people come to your site looking for suckers. There are a lot of good-hearted people with love for an old theatre that wouldn’t know a con man if they saw one coming. If you are going to let people with unconfirmed credentials (Example: I have a chain of theatres and want to buy more from Cinema Treasures members, but I won’t tell you where my theatres are) post messages relating to investment opportunities I intend to ask the author some questions. My intention is always to keep conversation level. But things of this nature have a way of temporarily straying off course.
If I am banned, so be it.
That is sweet.
View link
Enter the word theatre in the search function, follow the prompts, then scroll through the results until you find the color footage of the State-Lake’s marquee running.
You are correct. It finished it’s last incarnation as a theatre showing art films, just like the Parkway.
Regarding SR’s observation of the ceiling, I may have misled you with comments about stars. They weren’t star shapes mounted on the ceiling really. The ceiling of the Varsity was a plain plaster dome. The “stars” were small light sockets in the ceiling that were set to blink on and off. I am guessing it is the same ceiling that is there now judging by other retail conversions I have seen.
In a way I have never understood conversions like this because I have to think that all that open space above the stores would increase utility costs significantly. And what revenue-generating purpose does it serve? I suppose you can store merchandise up there. There are plenty of examples of this across the country. But as a business man I don’t quite see to the other side of it.
Seriously man.
Wishing you good luck while walking down the street is one thing. Getting off the couch, driving to the theatre, parking the car and paying admission is another.
Not to mention the fact that the Rialto is devastated.
Good luck.
What have you done to the marquee?
I understand Jeffrey, to be sure. But I have been around the theatre business my entire life and experience says that these places generally decay in uniform fashion. If one area is devastated then so are all the others. I have never seen an abandoned movie palace where half the building was devastated and the other half was in decent shape. It just does not ring true unless there is a factor I am missing. If someone told me that Huang drove a Bobcat in there and started hacking away at the walls that would be different. Otherwise my money says the auditorium isn’t that bad off. It wouldn’t surprise me if the people who support this glass wall thing want everyone to think that the auditorium (the un-landmarked part) is devastated in order to quiet calls for preservation.
All that being said, if the auditorium is ruined to the point where there is nothing left they certainly ought to do something else with the land.
You know, judging by that large photo of the lobby, the place doesn’t seem to be in too terrible of shape. Bad, yes. But not completely ruined.
In it’s own way this place was a classic:
http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=6433
Going to the movies 1974 style!
Regarding Patsy’s comments above: the Grand Riviera was in a near total state of ruin by the time it was demolished. I have seen photographs showing the collapsed ceiling structure hanging over the remainder of the organ lofts. I think the building sat unattended for twenty years or so.
The reason I had trouble is that putting Fallfurious or Brownsfield into the Cinematour search function yields no results. There is a Rialto in Brownfield (no s). There are some theatres listed in Falfurrias (similar to your spelling, but not the same), although I don’t see Texan, Taos or Twin. Are any of these your theatres?
Complete restoration is a nice idea. But we don’t seem to have reliable information on exactly how bad the condition of the auditorium is. If the auditorium is in equal shape to the lobby (which I have seen pictures of) I think that the auditorium could certainly be restored and reused. If it is completely devastated (like the Grand Riviera in Detroit was in the years it stood empty before demolition) I think other options should be considered.
My bottom line opinion is that this glass wall is ugly and completely disrespectful to the building’s past. I don’t support any pipe dreams that don’t have grounding in reality. I simply want to see a sensible, tasteful, historically minded plan put into place.
You gave Paul Warshauer as much trouble on the Lawford site as I did, and for good reason.
It is a simple question. Where are your theatres? Name, address, phone number.
Perhaps I am having trouble. Perhaps I do need the help of someone older. Why don’t you help me by posting links to the theatre pages on Cinematour?
Let’s forget for a moment that I am having trouble finding these entries on Cinematour. If you found the theatres on Cinema Treasures why can’t we view any of them on Cinema Treasures?
WHY YOU SON OF A…
Not really. That is a pretty cool story about the Chrysler Building.
The Crown is a much better cinema in my opinion.
I cannot testify to the Ambassador name being in play. But I have copies of the Chicago Theatre blue prints that were used to construct the building hanging in my home. If I look up now from this laptop I am staring directly at the name CAPITOL in the lower right-hand corner of drawing number 10 (exterior elevations). For anyone who cares to know it was job number 19-15.
100% true. Original blueprints were created under name of Capitol.
See comments on the Norshore Theatre Paul.
Also, I think the building remained a single auditorium until the 90’s. I went there a few times late 80’s / early 90’s. It looked like they started to twin it, then ran out of money and continued to operate while everything was in shambles. There were holes punched for the second projection booth for instance. It made the Plaza Theatre on Devon look like the Uptown!
LOL! No I sure don’t.
What happened to the listing for the Lincoln Village 7-9? It has disappeared. I happened to eat lunch today at the Panera which sits about where the 7-9 was. It was sort of a bummer considering the great movies I saw at the 7-9, like Back to the Future and Jurassic Park. I remember my Dad taking me there. Nice memories.
It looks to me like it burned sometime after that 2004 photo was taken.