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Restorations
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August 31, 2011
Planning on Kings has begun
BROOKLYN, NY — After being chosen to restore the Loew’s Kings last year, ACE Theatrical Group has been inside the theatre investigating how to transform it back to its grandeur. They plan to add spaces to make it more viable for live theatre and have the work done by 2014.
Read the full story in the Wall Street Journal.
(Thanks to lumierefl for providing the pic).
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June 30, 2011
National Trust for Historic Preservation Recounts Fate of Boston Theaters
BOSTON, MA — The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s blog, Preservation Nation, looks back on Boston’s efforts to preserve and rejuvenate the city’s Paramount, Modern, and the former B. F. Keith Memorial (Boston Opera House) theaters.
“Distinguished in their day,” Wendy Nicholas writes, “the three Boston theaters we designated as endangered in 1995 sat shuttered and moldering in an area of downtown then known as ‘The Combat Zone,’ the city’s adult entertainment district.” Since then, all three theaters have reopened as arts and/or entertainment venues. Emerson College now operates the Paramount, while Suffolk University uses the Modern.
(Thanks to Jack Coursey for the image.)
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June 27, 2011
Palace Theatre Reopens for 100th Anniversary
LOS ANGELES, CA — After a $1 million restoration by the Delijani family, which also owns the Los Angeles, State, and Tower theaters, the Palace Theatre has reopened for live shows and occasional film screenings. The theater hosted three sold out screenings of “Sunset Boulevard” yesterday and delighted audiences with its refurbished and restored appearance. Programming will begin on July 28th with a “live circus-burlesque show.”
Developer Ezat Delijani, 34, shares his memories of “running around and playing” in the Los Angeles in the 1980s with the Los Angeles Times: “My dad was so thankful to this country for taking us in [after fleeing the Revolution in Iran]. These four theaters are [his] legacy.”
(Thanks to “Hollywood90038” for the terrific photo)
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June 23, 2011
Woodland looks to restore historic movie house
WOODLAND, CA — It’s been a long road to getting the State Theatre back on its feet. But the city finally seems to be putting their money where their mouth is and investing serious dollars into making this restoration into an anchor of downtown.
Read more in the Sacramento Bee.
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June 15, 2011
Pittsburg fast tracks theater restoration
PITTSBURG, CA — The Mercury News is talking about the detailed restoration of the California Theater. In order to draw people downtown, the city is investing over a million dollars in this project and have already installed a new replica marquee.
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February 9, 2011
Efforts to restore Franklin Theatre payoff; theater reopens in June
FRANKLIN, TN — The dedicated efforts to restore and reopen the 1937 Franklin Theatre are bearing fruit. The theater just got a new marquee, a faithful reproduction of the original, and the theater itself will reopen on June 3 as venue for both movies and live performances.
“This is the kind of universal crossroads for this county that we love so much,” said Aubrey Preston, interim director of the theater. “The Franklin Theatre is the common denominator for all races and religions, all political parties. It is the thing that really brings everybody together and that we need more of in this world.”
There is a story with a picture in the Tennessean.
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December 22, 2010
Local citizens renovate, restore, rename, and reopen theater in Wayne
WAYNE, NE — Nearly two years ago, the citizens of Wayne were saddened when the only theater in town, the March Twin closed its doors, requiring them to drive forty miles if they wanted to see a first run film. Deciding the situation to be unacceptable, a focused group there has succeeded to making renovations, restoring the theater to single screen status, rebuilding its stage, installing a new marquee, and installing up-to-date digital projection, including 3D capability. The revamped theater reopened on Dec. 19 as the Majestic showing “Tron: Legacy.”
“It really is more than a movie theater to them. It’s a symbol that they didn’t want their town to be stagnant,” said Melanie Loggins, the theater’s coordinator. “Somebody described this community as restless … they don’t want to settle for how it is.”
The story is in the Sioux City Journal.
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September 2, 2010
Fashion shows helping to restore the Grand in Ellsworth
ELLSWORTH, ME — Proceeds from fashion shows have made significant contributions to the ongoing restoration of the 1938 Grand Theatre. Funds raised to-date have enabled the repair of the theater’s tower originally clad in Vitrolite; work will soon begin on restoring the theater’s marquee.
There is more in the Bangor Daily News.
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August 25, 2010
Capitol Theater lands $1 million restoration grant
BURLINGTON, IA — The non-profit Capitol Theater Foundation was awarded a $1 million I-JOBS grant for the renovation of the historic building in downtown Burlington, Iowa. Under the terms of the grant, this striking Art Deco gem will be reopened in 2012!
Read about the other awards at the Governor’s Page.
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August 4, 2010
Filmmaker Michael Moore wants to restore Michigan theaters
TRAVERSE CITY, MI — Controversial filmmaker Michael Moore hopes to use the profits from his film “Capitalism: A Love Story” as part of an effort to reopen and restore classic movie theaters. The intent would be to provide seed money, tap into other sources, and provide technical support to cities that have a closed theater as well as providing similar support to towns without a theater.
Moore said theaters that receive project grants would have to become nonprofit theaters. Owners and operators would come here to learn about the State’s volunteer-based model.
He’s spoken to officials in Flint and his hometown of Davison about the project, and was in Manistee on Saturday to scout a long-shuttered downtown movie theater.
The idea excites those who live in towns with theater infrastructure but without the resources to make them vibrant.
The full story is in the Traverse City Record-Eagle.