I’m happy to say, as the Alameda Theatre and Cineplex nears its 6th anniversary (in May of this year), the theatre couldn’t be in better shape. I visited this site today for the first time in years. Looking back at all the comments, I had to laugh out loud when I read the remarks of the nay sayers who posted on this site. They all seem so trivial and petty in light of the great success of the project.
All eight screens now feature digital projection and state of the art sound. Seeing a movie, especially in the original main theatre, is a treat. By the way, the popcorn with butter is fantasitc.
The theatre is ramping up for their classic film series. To see the schedule go to shopparkstreet.com which will lead you to the theatre’s web site. They have a numbe of great movies lined up.
Enjoy the movies.
Best Regards, Robb Ratto Executive Director Park Street Business Association
I’d like “Lost Memory” to contact me at “” We are planning the grand re-opening celebration for the Alameda Theatre and would like to see the program from 1933 you posted on this site. We want our graphic people to see it to use as a template for our program.
The work is really coming along. Steel for the second story of the new cineplex has been installed. Much more importantly, the scaffolding inside the historic theatre has come down. The ceilings and up high work has been completed and I’m told looks great. I’m touring the theatre tomorrow and will have new pictures on the Park Street website “shopparkstreet.com” by Thursday.
I don’t know if the downstairs auditorium in the historic theatre will have a curved scope screen, but I do know the screen will be either the biggest or second biggest in Northern California. The original curtain is being restored and will be installed later this year. The developer, Kyle Conner, had the THX people out to test if that sound system would work. However it pans out, the historic theatre will have the best sound system possible. The last time I saw plans for the cineplex, the number of seats ranged from 300 in the largest auditorium to about 125 in the smallest. The main auditorium in the historic theatre will have about 500 seats. The opeing of the new cineplex and the historic theater should take place in early March of next year. For the latest and greatest on the project go to the city of Alameda web site or to ours, shopparkstreet.com. Between the two of us you can really see how the project is shaping up.
According to the website: View link this theatre was the first multiple screen theater built. It was built by Robert Lippert, long time Hollywood producer who retired from Hollywood in the 60’s and returned to his hometown Alameda, CA. I haven’t been able to verify, but that’s what this particular web site says
According to the info about the Strand Theater (also in Alameda) on this site, the Nasser family did own the Alameda Theatre for a time. I believe the Lippert family owned it in the 60’s until it closed.
If you, or anyone else, would like to see pictures of the rehab of the theatre go to the city of Alameda web site, http://www.ci.alameda.ca.us/theater/theater.html or to shopparkstreet.com. Both sites have up to date pictures of the rehab progress. If you, or anyone else, has any questions please email me using the email link at shopparkstreet.com. I’m the Executive Director of the Park Street Business Association. If I can’t answer your questions I can probably point you in the right direction.
Thanks for your comments and thanks to “life’s too short” also.
The historic Alameda Theatre is being rehabilitated while a seven screen Cineplex and a parking garage are being built next door. The only work on the historic theatre to accommodate the new Cineplex building is two existing exit doors on the west side of the building, one upstairs and one downstairs are being enlarged for entrance from the historic theatre lobby (where everyone will enter from) to the other seven screens.
The historic theatre is being brought back to its former glory as much as the budget will allow. The ground floor and upper lobbies will be restore to almost the way they looked on opening day back in 1932. The main auditorium is being rehabilitated also but because of the nature of the movie business today some new elements are being added. Along with a state of the art projection and audio system, stadium seating will be added to the main floor of the auditorium. However, the stage (not removed), the orchestra pit, the ceiling, walls, and floors are all being rehabilitated. In addition, restoration experts were able to save the curtains in a previous post and they will be restored to their original splendor. A new screen will be installed also. The screen will either be the largest or second largest screen in Northern California. The existing balcony of the theatre is not part of the current project and hopefully will be rehabilitated in the future.
Along with Seismic retrofitting, the facade is being rehabilitated also. The marquee will be restored to the way it looked in the thirties. The rehabilitation of the historic theatre is part of a redevelopment project that has taken over five years to finally get it started.
I don’t know what fight Tonia De Paiva is leading, but the fight for the theatre is over and the people who understood the only way to preserve the historic theatre was to make it a part of this overall project have won. We’ve stood fast for over five years of public meetings, law suits, and misinformation, like the article written for the Mercury Register, and prevailed. It’s not collapse Ms. De Paiva hears as she walks by the project, it’s rehabilitation and in some cases restoration. Instead of her heart breaking, it should rejoice knowing that by this time next year she’ll be able to experience a modern movie going experience in a beautifully rehabilitated Alameda Theatre.
The ironic part of this entire story is some of the opponents of the current project floated a plan that would have cut up the inside of the historic theatre into five auditoriums, including three in the main downstairs auditorium. Now that would have been a disaster.
See you all at the movies in the historic Alameda Theatre.
Robb Ratto
Executive Director
Park Street Business Association
The historic Alameda Theatre is being rehabilitated while a seven screen Cineplex and a parking garage are being built next door. The only work on the historic theatre to accommodate the new Cineplex building is two existing exit doors on the west side of the building, one upstairs and one downstairs are being enlarged for entrance from the historic theatre lobby (where everyone will enter from) to the other seven screens.
The historic theatre is being brought back to its former glory as much as the budget will allow. The ground floor and upper lobbies will be restore to almost the way they looked on opening day back in 1932. The main auditorium is being rehabilitated also but because of the nature of the movie business today some new elements are being added. Along with a state of the art projection and audio system, stadium seating will be added to the main floor of the auditorium. However, the stage (not removed), the orchestra pit, the ceiling, walls, and floors are all being rehabilitated. In addition, restoration experts were able to save the curtains in a previous post and they will be restored to their original splendor. A new screen will be installed also. The screen will either be the largest or second largest screen in Northern California. The existing balcony of the theatre is not part of the current project and hopefully will be rehabilitated in the future.
Along with Seismic retrofitting, the facade is being rehabilitated also. The marquee will be restored to the way it looked in the thirties. The rehabilitation of the historic theatre is part of a redevelopment project that has taken over five years to finally get it started.
I don’t know what fight Tonia De Paiva is leading, but the fight for the theatre is over and the people who understood the only way to preserve the historic theatre was to make it a part of this overall project have won. We’ve stood fast for over five years of public meetings, law suits, and misinformation, like the article written for the Mercury Register, and prevailed. It’s not collapse Ms. De Paiva hears as she walks by the project, it’s rehabilitation and in some cases restoration. Instead of her heart breaking, it should rejoice knowing that by this time next year she’ll be able to experience a modern movie going experience in a beautifully rehabilitated Alameda Theatre.
The ironic part of this entire story is some of the opponents of the current project floated a plan that would have cut up the inside of the historic theatre into five auditoriums, including three in the main downstairs auditorium. Now that would have been a disaster.
See you all at the movies in the historic Alameda Theatre.
Robb Ratto
Executive Director
Park Street Business Association
The Alameda Theatre rehabilitation is moving along very well. Seismic upgrades are pretty much finished inside the building. New pillars in the front of the theatre will be poured soon. Much more importantly, work is progessing on the ceilings. Once done, scaffolding will come down and work on the walls and floors will begin. Ornate details on walls and ceilings will be fixed as the budget allows.
If Timothy Pfluger were designing theatres today, he’d be designing them with stadium seating. The new rehabilitated main auditorium of the historic theatre is going to be a everyday working auditorium. Without stadium seating and the best sound system available it wouldn’t be able to compete in the very competitive Bay Area market.
The exterior of the historic theatre is not being changed (except for the enlarging of two existing exit doors that will connect the old with the new) for the new 7 screen cineplex or the new parking garage. In fact, great care was taken when the foundations of the two new buildings were poured to not undermine the existing foundation of the historic theatre.
On another note, not only did the opponents of the project lose their initial court case, they’ve lost their appeal and the appeal court refused to rehear the appeal. They now claim they’re going to appeal to the state supreme court. Both the original judge and the three appeals judges ruled that not only were they wrong in their assertion of what constituted the approval of the project (why they loss because of not filing lawsuit within 30 days of approval) both decisions went on to say that even if they had filed on time, they would have lost because they failed to prove their case. I doubt if the Supreme Court will even hear the case.
The entire project should be complete by this time next year.
I’m happy to say, as the Alameda Theatre and Cineplex nears its 6th anniversary (in May of this year), the theatre couldn’t be in better shape. I visited this site today for the first time in years. Looking back at all the comments, I had to laugh out loud when I read the remarks of the nay sayers who posted on this site. They all seem so trivial and petty in light of the great success of the project.
All eight screens now feature digital projection and state of the art sound. Seeing a movie, especially in the original main theatre, is a treat. By the way, the popcorn with butter is fantasitc.
The theatre is ramping up for their classic film series. To see the schedule go to shopparkstreet.com which will lead you to the theatre’s web site. They have a numbe of great movies lined up.
Enjoy the movies.
Best Regards,
Robb Ratto
Executive Director
Park Street Business Association
I’d like “Lost Memory” to contact me at “” We are planning the grand re-opening celebration for the Alameda Theatre and would like to see the program from 1933 you posted on this site. We want our graphic people to see it to use as a template for our program.
Please email me.
Best Regards,
Robb Ratto
PSBA, Executive Director
Terry and all other interested theatre lovers:
The work is really coming along. Steel for the second story of the new cineplex has been installed. Much more importantly, the scaffolding inside the historic theatre has come down. The ceilings and up high work has been completed and I’m told looks great. I’m touring the theatre tomorrow and will have new pictures on the Park Street website “shopparkstreet.com” by Thursday.
I don’t know if the downstairs auditorium in the historic theatre will have a curved scope screen, but I do know the screen will be either the biggest or second biggest in Northern California. The original curtain is being restored and will be installed later this year. The developer, Kyle Conner, had the THX people out to test if that sound system would work. However it pans out, the historic theatre will have the best sound system possible. The last time I saw plans for the cineplex, the number of seats ranged from 300 in the largest auditorium to about 125 in the smallest. The main auditorium in the historic theatre will have about 500 seats. The opeing of the new cineplex and the historic theater should take place in early March of next year. For the latest and greatest on the project go to the city of Alameda web site or to ours, shopparkstreet.com. Between the two of us you can really see how the project is shaping up.
Best Regards,
Robb Ratto
PSBA, Executive Director
According to the website: View link this theatre was the first multiple screen theater built. It was built by Robert Lippert, long time Hollywood producer who retired from Hollywood in the 60’s and returned to his hometown Alameda, CA. I haven’t been able to verify, but that’s what this particular web site says
Simon,
According to the info about the Strand Theater (also in Alameda) on this site, the Nasser family did own the Alameda Theatre for a time. I believe the Lippert family owned it in the 60’s until it closed.
If you, or anyone else, would like to see pictures of the rehab of the theatre go to the city of Alameda web site, http://www.ci.alameda.ca.us/theater/theater.html or to shopparkstreet.com. Both sites have up to date pictures of the rehab progress. If you, or anyone else, has any questions please email me using the email link at shopparkstreet.com. I’m the Executive Director of the Park Street Business Association. If I can’t answer your questions I can probably point you in the right direction.
Thanks for your comments and thanks to “life’s too short” also.
Best Regards,
Robb Ratto
The historic Alameda Theatre is being rehabilitated while a seven screen Cineplex and a parking garage are being built next door. The only work on the historic theatre to accommodate the new Cineplex building is two existing exit doors on the west side of the building, one upstairs and one downstairs are being enlarged for entrance from the historic theatre lobby (where everyone will enter from) to the other seven screens.
The historic theatre is being brought back to its former glory as much as the budget will allow. The ground floor and upper lobbies will be restore to almost the way they looked on opening day back in 1932. The main auditorium is being rehabilitated also but because of the nature of the movie business today some new elements are being added. Along with a state of the art projection and audio system, stadium seating will be added to the main floor of the auditorium. However, the stage (not removed), the orchestra pit, the ceiling, walls, and floors are all being rehabilitated. In addition, restoration experts were able to save the curtains in a previous post and they will be restored to their original splendor. A new screen will be installed also. The screen will either be the largest or second largest screen in Northern California. The existing balcony of the theatre is not part of the current project and hopefully will be rehabilitated in the future.
Along with Seismic retrofitting, the facade is being rehabilitated also. The marquee will be restored to the way it looked in the thirties. The rehabilitation of the historic theatre is part of a redevelopment project that has taken over five years to finally get it started.
I don’t know what fight Tonia De Paiva is leading, but the fight for the theatre is over and the people who understood the only way to preserve the historic theatre was to make it a part of this overall project have won. We’ve stood fast for over five years of public meetings, law suits, and misinformation, like the article written for the Mercury Register, and prevailed. It’s not collapse Ms. De Paiva hears as she walks by the project, it’s rehabilitation and in some cases restoration. Instead of her heart breaking, it should rejoice knowing that by this time next year she’ll be able to experience a modern movie going experience in a beautifully rehabilitated Alameda Theatre.
The ironic part of this entire story is some of the opponents of the current project floated a plan that would have cut up the inside of the historic theatre into five auditoriums, including three in the main downstairs auditorium. Now that would have been a disaster.
See you all at the movies in the historic Alameda Theatre.
Robb Ratto
Executive Director
Park Street Business Association
The historic Alameda Theatre is being rehabilitated while a seven screen Cineplex and a parking garage are being built next door. The only work on the historic theatre to accommodate the new Cineplex building is two existing exit doors on the west side of the building, one upstairs and one downstairs are being enlarged for entrance from the historic theatre lobby (where everyone will enter from) to the other seven screens.
The historic theatre is being brought back to its former glory as much as the budget will allow. The ground floor and upper lobbies will be restore to almost the way they looked on opening day back in 1932. The main auditorium is being rehabilitated also but because of the nature of the movie business today some new elements are being added. Along with a state of the art projection and audio system, stadium seating will be added to the main floor of the auditorium. However, the stage (not removed), the orchestra pit, the ceiling, walls, and floors are all being rehabilitated. In addition, restoration experts were able to save the curtains in a previous post and they will be restored to their original splendor. A new screen will be installed also. The screen will either be the largest or second largest screen in Northern California. The existing balcony of the theatre is not part of the current project and hopefully will be rehabilitated in the future.
Along with Seismic retrofitting, the facade is being rehabilitated also. The marquee will be restored to the way it looked in the thirties. The rehabilitation of the historic theatre is part of a redevelopment project that has taken over five years to finally get it started.
I don’t know what fight Tonia De Paiva is leading, but the fight for the theatre is over and the people who understood the only way to preserve the historic theatre was to make it a part of this overall project have won. We’ve stood fast for over five years of public meetings, law suits, and misinformation, like the article written for the Mercury Register, and prevailed. It’s not collapse Ms. De Paiva hears as she walks by the project, it’s rehabilitation and in some cases restoration. Instead of her heart breaking, it should rejoice knowing that by this time next year she’ll be able to experience a modern movie going experience in a beautifully rehabilitated Alameda Theatre.
The ironic part of this entire story is some of the opponents of the current project floated a plan that would have cut up the inside of the historic theatre into five auditoriums, including three in the main downstairs auditorium. Now that would have been a disaster.
See you all at the movies in the historic Alameda Theatre.
Robb Ratto
Executive Director
Park Street Business Association
The Alameda Theatre rehabilitation is moving along very well. Seismic upgrades are pretty much finished inside the building. New pillars in the front of the theatre will be poured soon. Much more importantly, work is progessing on the ceilings. Once done, scaffolding will come down and work on the walls and floors will begin. Ornate details on walls and ceilings will be fixed as the budget allows.
If Timothy Pfluger were designing theatres today, he’d be designing them with stadium seating. The new rehabilitated main auditorium of the historic theatre is going to be a everyday working auditorium. Without stadium seating and the best sound system available it wouldn’t be able to compete in the very competitive Bay Area market.
The exterior of the historic theatre is not being changed (except for the enlarging of two existing exit doors that will connect the old with the new) for the new 7 screen cineplex or the new parking garage. In fact, great care was taken when the foundations of the two new buildings were poured to not undermine the existing foundation of the historic theatre.
On another note, not only did the opponents of the project lose their initial court case, they’ve lost their appeal and the appeal court refused to rehear the appeal. They now claim they’re going to appeal to the state supreme court. Both the original judge and the three appeals judges ruled that not only were they wrong in their assertion of what constituted the approval of the project (why they loss because of not filing lawsuit within 30 days of approval) both decisions went on to say that even if they had filed on time, they would have lost because they failed to prove their case. I doubt if the Supreme Court will even hear the case.
The entire project should be complete by this time next year.