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Preservation Alert
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January 1, 2007
Bel-Air Drive-In to be demolished for a shopping center
CICERO, IL — Plans are in motion to build a couple big box stores on the site of the former Bel-Air Drive-In.
Cicero trustees have approved plans for a Wal-Mart store and a Lowe’s Home Improvement store to be built near 31st Street and Cicero Avenue, at the site of a former drive-in movie theater, the Bel-Air, said a spokesman for the developer, Monroe Investment Partners of Chicago.
Prior to the Bel-Air drive-in, the property was used as a landfill and a quarry. The 217,000-square-foot Wal-Mart and the 150,000-square-foot Lowe’s stores are expected to open at the end of 2007 or in early 2008.
To read more on this story, go to the Sun Times.
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December 22, 2006
Saving The Madison Theatre in East Atlanta Village
ATLANTA, GA — I am very close to starting a fundraising/renovation project to reopen The Madison Theatre. Currently, I am working on getting her on the National Registry and Landmark status locally. Both of these designations would allow us to raise funds and receive grants/tax incentives to get the project completed.
Anyone who has any historical knowledge, ideas, know-how to help get this done, .
Thanks and keep your fingers crossed.
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December 21, 2006
Boothbay peninsula theater in danger
BOOTHBAY HARBOR, ME — A committee met this past week to discuss the future of the Harbor Theatre. If a resolution is not reached, the theater could close at the end of the year.
About 90 movie lovers gathered at The Harbor Theatre last Wednesday night. Not to see a movie, but to show their support and to find out what could be done to keep the peninsula’s only movie theater open.
Bob Devine opened the meeting by introducing Jason Sheckley, owner of The Harbor Theatre, and the members of the new Friends of The Harbor Theatre group. The Friends group formed to explore options for keeping The Harbor Theatre open after Sheckley announced that the theater would have to close on December 31. Members include Bob Devine, Tad Bartlett, Peggy Powis, Howie Barter, Tom Tavenner, Larry Brown, Buzz Morley and Paula Arsenault.
For more, go to the Boothbay Register.
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December 19, 2006
Anchorage’s 4th Avenue Theatre saved
ANCHORAGE, AK — Thanks to a creative four-part funding agreement reached this week, Anchorage’s 1947 treasure, the 4th Avenue Theatre has been taken off the chopping block.
The deal, involving the Rasmuson Foundation, the Wells Fargo Community Development Corp., the building’s owner Robert Gottstein, and the City of Anchorage, will create a new corporation to purchase the theater, and bring $1.75 million in renovation funding. The theater will be used as an extension of the Egan Convention Center, overseen by the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau.
To read more on this story, go to theAnchorage Daily News.
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December 5, 2006
Beach Theatre in danger
CAPE MAY, NJ — The Jersey Shore has lost almost all of its historic theatres over the last 20 years. Specifically ALL of Atlantic City’s historic theatres as well as Wildwood’s historic theatres have been demolished.
Now, Cape May’s historic Beach Theatre owners, the Frank Family, are applying (again) for a demolition permit for the theatre before Cape May’s Historic Preservation Commission on 12/11/06 at 7pm in City Hall. The theatre was built by the visionary William C. Hunt who built many theatres in the Jersey Shore.
Letters objecting to this demolition can be directed to: Mayor Jerry Inderwies, 643 Washington St., Cape May NJ 08204 with copies sent to: Skip Loughlin, Chair, Historic Preservation Commission, at the same address, with copies as well to me: Barbara Skinner: 30 Congress St., Cape May, NJ 08204, Tel: 609-884-3951.
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November 14, 2006
Whiteside Theatre public hearing tonight
CORVALLIS, OR — There will be a public hearing of the Historic Resources Commission that will meet tonight, Tuesday, November 14, 2006 at 7:00 PM Madison Avenue Meeting Room, 500 SW Madison Avenue, Corvallis, Oregon. They will discuss the fate of the Whiteside Theatre
They will hear public testimony for and against the proposal by “Whiteside Partners LLC” (a group who would like to purchase the theater. Their proposal is to gut the interior of the theater and to create a strip mall with 3-4 stores and a restaurant.
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November 8, 2006
Photos of hidden features of endangered Metro of San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — There was news that the Metro Theatre of San Francisco was closing.
The Metro’s original neoclassical design of 1924 was quite different from the Art Deco renovation it received in 1941 from architect Timothy Pflueger.
Gary Parks posted that he was one of the historic advisors for the 1998 rehab, which restored the 1941 Art Deco murals in the auditorium, and returned the lobby to its original 1924 design. Gary offered to share photos he took of original 1924 columns which are hidden in the auditorium behind the 1941 murals, and of 1941 Art Deco design that’s no longer visible in the lobby.
Gary sent me a CD of his photos so that I can post them on my flickr gallery and link it, starting with this photo that he included with his own photos.
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October 13, 2006
Theater eyed for housing, market
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — With the neighborhood clamoring for a supermarket, the shuttered Galaxy Theatre might soon be the location.
Developer working with S.F. to tear down old Galaxy in Van Ness corridor for project.
The movie house, once a popular place to watch the latest offerings from Hollywood, turned its attention to foreign and independent films in a last-ditch effort to keep its doors open. Losing money, the theater closed its doors in December 2005 and is now being eyed by developers to undergo a transformation into a new mixed-use building with a grocery store as its centerpiece.
For more, visit The Examiner.
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September 13, 2006
Marquis Theatre could be razed
EASTON, PA — Plans are starting to take shape for the Marquis Theatre to be razed for condos.
Ashley Development received preliminary approval Wednesday for its second major Downtown condominium project.
Bethlehem-based Ashley proposes razing the former Marquis movie theater at 175 S. Third St. to make way for the nine-story Majestic building.
The project would include 100 two-bedroom condominiums and 43 one-bedroom condos atop roughly 7,000 square feet of retail space fronting South Third Street.
For more, visit the Express-Times.
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September 12, 2006
Blair Theater in danger
HOLLIDAYSBURG, PA — The Blair Theater is in danger of being sold and demolished for office space.
The old Blair Cinema on Allegheny Street may have a new owner soon.
Samuel Britz, a certified public accountant of Britz & Associates, said he has teamed up with a group of investors and already made a deposit on the building.
The group will purchase it with a contingency that a parking variance can be obtained from the borough’s zoning board.
To read more, visit the Altoona Mirror.