I’ve been faithfully patronizing the bookstore in a small effort to promote business on Main Street. It reminds me of old town Pasadena in the very early stages, before the Gaps and Old Navys took over. Old Town was a rather decrepit area in the mid 80s, with mostly boarded up stores. I did read an article last month about chain retailers expressing interest in the revitalized downtown area, so when you see a Gap and a Starbucks at 5th and Main, you will know that the area has come full circle.
If you read the reminiscence by Fitzgerald Harder, he mentions the Isis along with some other local theaters. I believe that Augusta is in Cowley County. http://tinyurl.com/2znpqu
Redevelopment time. LA Times reports a megacondo complex to arise out of the ashes of the Philharmonic. As the downtown condo market is reaching saturation point, someone is missing the boat by proposing this 800 foot tall residential tower. My bet is that it won’t ever see the light of day.
417 would be between 4th and 5th on the east side of the street. After the San Fernando building, there are a few small businesses and then a parking lot where a hotel used to stand. Then you cross Winston and start with some older buildings. I think 417 would be after Winston, so I can look the next time I’m downtown.
The first Texan was destroyed on 1/8/62, according to the Austin Statesman:
Bellinger Fire Destroys Theater
Fire of undetermined origin destroyed the Texas Theater, a grill and a beauty shop early today in downtown Ballinger. The fire apparently started in the grill and spread rapidly. No estimate of the loss was made immediately but it was termed Ballinger’s largest fire since 1946 when another theater burned. Fire departments from Ballinger, Winters and Coleman battled the blaze.
Destroyed by fire on 1/15/50, according to the Kingsport Times. Status should be closed/demolished.
Fire Destroys Theater In Appalachia
An early morning blaze completely destroyed the Appalachian Theater here Sunday. According to Fire Chief H. W. Grubb, the stubborn fire was discovered at about 3:30 a.m. by a Negro cleaning the theater and it took the Appalachia and Big Stone Gap fire departments about four hours to bring it under control. Neither Grubb nor E. J. Skinner, manager of the theater which is operated by Darnell Theaters, Inc., of Buffalo, N. Y.,would attempt to estimate the amount of damage done by the blaze.
The 12/23/45 Kingsport Times News reported that the Strand was destroyed in a spectacular fire:
Thousands of Christmas shoppers jammed Broad Street Saturday night to watch firefighters battle a spectacular blaze that destroyed the Strand Theater and threatened to engulf the J. Fred Johnson department store. Alert theater employees prevented panic and possible disaster when they marshalled nearly 800 patronsâ€"a full houseâ€"from the theater within minutes after fire was discovered in the floor of the Negro balcony, only 10 feet from the highly inflammable projection room. For three hours after the alarm was given shortly before 6 p.m., fire crews from the city department and Holston Ordnance Works, aided by a number of volunteers, battled one of the worst fires in the city’s history.
No damage estimates were available late Saturday from the theater management, the building owners, or the three business
establishments adjoining the theater. Officials of the NuStrand Corporation, owners of the building, indicated, however, that the property was valued at about $100,000. The 30-year-old building was believed a total loss, but was covered fully by insurance, the NuStrand official said. It had been in use as a theater since 1926.
I spent lot of time in Westwood circa 1985- wall to wall people. Parking at the Federal building was the only feasible option. I stopped going before the tourist was shot and killed in 1988, but by then the Santa Monica promenade was already drawing weekend crowds away from the Village.
The only time suburbanites travel en masse to DTLA for movies is during the Last Remaining Seats program in June. Even with the gerntrification of Skid Row, I don’t think there’s enough of a market to support an everyday theater. Perhaps the Staples development will change things.
It’s odd that I’ve driven up and down Sepulveda for twenty years and have not taken notice of this building. Did the remodel strip some of the features? Also, is it on the east or west side of Sepulveda?
I’ve been faithfully patronizing the bookstore in a small effort to promote business on Main Street. It reminds me of old town Pasadena in the very early stages, before the Gaps and Old Navys took over. Old Town was a rather decrepit area in the mid 80s, with mostly boarded up stores. I did read an article last month about chain retailers expressing interest in the revitalized downtown area, so when you see a Gap and a Starbucks at 5th and Main, you will know that the area has come full circle.
A time machine would be handy.
If you read the reminiscence by Fitzgerald Harder, he mentions the Isis along with some other local theaters. I believe that Augusta is in Cowley County.
http://tinyurl.com/2znpqu
Caro, I didn’t see your 4/23 post. That’s the building I was referring to above.
Redevelopment time. LA Times reports a megacondo complex to arise out of the ashes of the Philharmonic. As the downtown condo market is reaching saturation point, someone is missing the boat by proposing this 800 foot tall residential tower. My bet is that it won’t ever see the light of day.
Hippodrome was demolished in 1984. The Westminster was probably demolished in the sixties. It was looking pretty shabby by 1955 or so.
417 would be between 4th and 5th on the east side of the street. After the San Fernando building, there are a few small businesses and then a parking lot where a hotel used to stand. Then you cross Winston and start with some older buildings. I think 417 would be after Winston, so I can look the next time I’m downtown.
458 is the Banner theater. Currently a parking lot. No more Turkish baths at 4th and LA.
Good to know, thanks.
The first Texan was destroyed on 1/8/62, according to the Austin Statesman:
Bellinger Fire Destroys Theater
Fire of undetermined origin destroyed the Texas Theater, a grill and a beauty shop early today in downtown Ballinger. The fire apparently started in the grill and spread rapidly. No estimate of the loss was made immediately but it was termed Ballinger’s largest fire since 1946 when another theater burned. Fire departments from Ballinger, Winters and Coleman battled the blaze.
Destroyed by fire on 1/15/50, according to the Kingsport Times. Status should be closed/demolished.
Fire Destroys Theater In Appalachia
An early morning blaze completely destroyed the Appalachian Theater here Sunday. According to Fire Chief H. W. Grubb, the stubborn fire was discovered at about 3:30 a.m. by a Negro cleaning the theater and it took the Appalachia and Big Stone Gap fire departments about four hours to bring it under control. Neither Grubb nor E. J. Skinner, manager of the theater which is operated by Darnell Theaters, Inc., of Buffalo, N. Y.,would attempt to estimate the amount of damage done by the blaze.
The 12/23/45 Kingsport Times News reported that the Strand was destroyed in a spectacular fire:
Thousands of Christmas shoppers jammed Broad Street Saturday night to watch firefighters battle a spectacular blaze that destroyed the Strand Theater and threatened to engulf the J. Fred Johnson department store. Alert theater employees prevented panic and possible disaster when they marshalled nearly 800 patronsâ€"a full houseâ€"from the theater within minutes after fire was discovered in the floor of the Negro balcony, only 10 feet from the highly inflammable projection room. For three hours after the alarm was given shortly before 6 p.m., fire crews from the city department and Holston Ordnance Works, aided by a number of volunteers, battled one of the worst fires in the city’s history.
No damage estimates were available late Saturday from the theater management, the building owners, or the three business
establishments adjoining the theater. Officials of the NuStrand Corporation, owners of the building, indicated, however, that the property was valued at about $100,000. The 30-year-old building was believed a total loss, but was covered fully by insurance, the NuStrand official said. It had been in use as a theater since 1926.
Socorro means help in Spanish, which would come in handy if the theater was on fire.
I don’t think Harbor City is in the city of LA, although I do get election propaganda from the city all the time. I think Harbor City is in LA county.
I didn’t know about this one. I’m back in the US now, so no pictures until next time.
I spent lot of time in Westwood circa 1985- wall to wall people. Parking at the Federal building was the only feasible option. I stopped going before the tourist was shot and killed in 1988, but by then the Santa Monica promenade was already drawing weekend crowds away from the Village.
Clifton’s is still open, I think. Their jello is top shelf.
A 12 plex is opening soon on this site.
Opened in 1947, according to this article:
http://tinyurl.com/ywhprm
Here is documentation on a 45 day moratorium re theater demolitions from the SF board of supervisors in 2004:
http://tinyurl.com/3dwcbl
This 2004 article mentions the Cameraphone:
http://tinyurl.com/ynlktu
This article also discusses the Cameraphone:
http://eastlibertypost.com/history/
The only time suburbanites travel en masse to DTLA for movies is during the Last Remaining Seats program in June. Even with the gerntrification of Skid Row, I don’t think there’s enough of a market to support an everyday theater. Perhaps the Staples development will change things.
I will be downtown next week. I am curious to see how the renovation is going. I assume it will be retail space.
So the original building was demolished some time before 1968.
It’s odd that I’ve driven up and down Sepulveda for twenty years and have not taken notice of this building. Did the remodel strip some of the features? Also, is it on the east or west side of Sepulveda?