Burbank Cinema
552 S. Bascom Avenue,
San Jose,
CA
95128
552 S. Bascom Avenue,
San Jose,
CA
95128
3 people
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Showing 26 - 37 of 37 comments
The current owner apparently is trying to operate a foreign language television channel here. He also has it on the market(at least back in August, not certain if it is still on the market) for $1.9 million.
As a Burbank resident concerned with preservation, I dread the idea that the fate of the Garden Theater (or worse) might befall the Burbank, but must post that SOMETHING seems to be going on… within the last couple of months, there has been activity on the roof and at least some of the seating was removed to the sidewalk. Let’s hope for the best.
Sidebar: When the theater was playing porn, it was ‘3 Features – Ladies Free.’ Fortunately for me, it meant my ticket was complimentary; unfortunately for you of the opposite sex, it DIDN’T mean a really special bonus with your paid admission.
I recently moved into the Burbank neighborhood several streets behind the theater. If I had a choice, I would love to see this theater restored as well as the street (Bascom) that it sits restructured to allow more parking, possibly diagonal parking like you have on Geary Street in San Francisco. While you are at it, add a nice deli and Starbucks and you will have a new patron for life. Seriously, Bascom Ave is a very wide street that I believe could be narrowed to accomadate a parking area. I’ve seen this done in Oakland and San Francisco. Also, parking should be allowed on the overpass to I-280.
During the 1977-1978 period, it was a revival house and called the Vitaphone Burbank(there was also a Vitaphone Saratoga). This wasn’t too successful, unfortunately.
The most recent owners/agency was Meacham/Oppenheimer, and the theater was for sale. (I think it was for $6.5 million)
The main problem is there is absolutely no parking around the building. And the residential neighborhood in back would object to patron parking on their streets.
The only possible solution would be for patrons to use the San Jose City College parking facilities across I-280 and be shuttled to the theater.
Does anyone remember a coffee shop next to this theatre during the 1960’s?
Does anyone know who the owner of the Burbank Theatre is?
The Burbank Theatre opened in 1949, it was designed by the firm Cantin and Cantin of San Francisco. That firm also designed other theatres in and around the Bay Area. They designed the Coronet (1949-San Francisco), Colma (1949-San Francisco), Airport Drive-In (1949-Oakland), Studio (1949-San Jose), Crest (1949-Los Banos), Crest (1949-Sacramento), Laurel (1940-Oakland), Carmel (1938-Carmel), Ritz (1937-Stockton), Senator (1926-Oakland). Their company was founded in 1901.
Is it for sale by any chance and if so does anyone knnow who to contact to buy?
The original name for this theatre was to have been Tower (for architectural reasons which should be obvious). Burbank is an unincoprporated community which is geographically part of San Jose.
The theater has always been called the Burbank as the neighborhood surrounding it is also called Burbank. Someone had tried to buy the building for a community arts center, but apparently that had fallen through.
I went by this place yesterday and after many years I had to stop and take a look. This theatre always stood out (to me any way) because it is a large building (the picture doesn’t do it justice)in an area where you wouldn’t expect a theatre. Maybe when the freeway came it changed the area. Anyway it looks like it might have been something at one time, but it looks quit dead now except for the 2 retail businesses to the right of the front of the building. Besides some graffiti, the only signs I could see said “Unfit for human occupancy” and another about video surveillance. Also, the address is 552 Bascom Ave. And why is it the Burbank? Did it have another name before? Why not the Bascom?