Terrace Theatre
3508 France Avenue N,
Robbinsdale,
MN
55422
3508 France Avenue N,
Robbinsdale,
MN
55422
12 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 50 of 60 comments
I lived in Robbinsdale and remember the opening of the theater. They had the big lights sweeping the sky. The first movie was “King Solomon’s Mines” starring Stewart Granger. There was a TV room with a 17" TV. The was a picture gallery with autographed photos of all the big movie stars. The drinking fountains were hammered copper. They had two “crying rooms” too.
Most of my high school dates were at the Terrace theater.
A co-worker & I were talking about how it would keep in tradition with the theater to turn it into a Educational/Production Studio where Jr. High & Sr. High school students could come and learn about film and audio production.
As where it would be an educational opportunity, there may be funding available in the form of Grants. If the City of Robbinsdale would have an interest in joining in, it would be a way to keep kids off the street and give them a positive thing to do while learning what it takes to make a film or video like the ones shown at the theater.
Time will tell?
S.P. Dworakoski
Future CEO
Westar Pictures LLC.
Thanks Chuck 1231 for the pictures.
Nice photos of the Terrace Theatre.
First, let me tell the usher that I saw Star Wars at the Terrace, in ‘81 or '82 as a rerun after “The Empire Strikes Back” was released.
Anyhow, I would love to see the Terrace fixed up and used as a theater or similar venue. I have seen a lot of other people come and go that would also like this. It seems like everyone who wants it has no way to pay for it. Some even think the city should pitch in. I am not a fan of government intervention in such things, and I also know that the City of Robbinsdale does not have the resources to finance it at this time.
Maybe a group could start raising funds for it and get something going. I would love to meet with interested parties, if they are willing to do the work.
Is there any recent hope for this gem? It truly is a beauty!
I was a employee of the terrace from 1976-1986 and i knew Sidney Volk. It was a pleasure to work there and I made many friends while working there. There are some movies that would have been perfect for the theater but they never got them. I would have loved to see star wars there. I remember seeing battlestar galactica there and they had put in new speakers to make the chairs shake from the sound.
I love to imagine watching a football game in the ultra modern lounge! Or on the big screen for that matter. It’s great to see continued support and positive memories of this landmark. Perhaps someday day soon, I’ll have the pleasure of watching a Sunday Vikings game in a restored and updated 2008 version of “Ultra-Mod”.
Anyway, I noticed a lack of photos of the Terrace online, so I recorded some video of the exterior this past summer. I just got around to creating an edit last night to share with you all reading this thread. I think it turned out well. Please enjoy and don’t hesitate to show it to excitable investors. :) ~Ray
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ePbIQvKecM
Since I never saw the Terrace in its heyday, all I can go on are the old photos. Clearly it was a very classy theatre. However I would have to say that the most opulent of the Twin Cities post 1945 cinemas, were the Cooper Cinerama and the Mann Southtown. Both of those are long gone.
I do find it odd that for much of the Terrace’s, it played second run films.
While I was waiting in the lobby at the Heights Theater recently, an old woman approached me and my girlfriend’s family, and started talking with us about old Twin Cities theaters. She said this one — the Terrace, in Robbinsdale — was the most opulent. My girlfriend’s dad was a young guy in the 50s and 60s, and he said he remembered it being a big event when he and his friends would go there. A few days later, I caught this archived MPR interview with a Twin Cities historian whose latest book is called “Twin Cities Picture Show: A Century of Moviegoing.” Apparently the Terrace was his favorite, too. Here’s part of the interview.
First, a caller said: “I grew up in North Minneapolis, and the movie theater we always went to was the Terrace. That was a very nice movie theater, and it even had a special TV room where you could go and watch and wait for the movie. I remember seeing some great movies there…”
The historian, Kenney, commented: “The Terrace, I have to say, is my favorite theater. It was this, what they called ‘ultra-modern’ — a wonderful place, sort of a cross between your living room and a country club and a movie theater. As he said, they had the TV screening room, these wonderful snack bars there, it was just a beautiful, beautiful place. People who were in the movie business came from all over the country to see this thing. It was one of the first post-War theaters that really showed how you could draw audiences in during what was actually a difficult time in the movie business…It’s sitting there, unused, right now. It has plywood over its old windows and doors — it’s just waiting for someone to come in and bring it back to life, and I hope it happens, because it was a wonderful place.”
Actually the interior condition of the theatre should not be a major hold block towards restoration and reuse. I recall seeing photo of the New Amsterdam theatre before it was restored. From the photos it was in pretty bad shape.
I also had opportunity to visit both the Pantages and Shubert theatres in Minneapolis. Both houses were just about interior ruins. Today the Pantages is up and running and looks super, whilst the Shubert is still raising funds but is on its way toward re-opening in 2008.
All the best with the Terrace.
OK. I have some interest from a fellow at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications. He would like to submit a proposal that more closely adheres to the master development plans call for Theater/Arts Center/Cafe use at the Terrace, rather then medical office.
I will be directing him to this thread and to City Council for more information.
When you say Centro Watt “coming back in a few months” this means there is time for other input right? Little time, but a window of opportunity none the less, right?
I thank you for renewing hope that the Terrace Theater might soon live again as a culture magnet and family destination for Robinsdale.
3dRay,
It sounds like you have something. Centro Watt will probably be coming back in a few months with their public subsidy proposal. I did vote to allow them to draw up a proposal, just to see how they justify getting public money for a project they already have the full funding for. It is not my intention to support the office plan.
If you can find the funding and the expertise to make your idea a reality I would be an ally on the City Council. I think you would find that the other members of the council would probably favor a theater over a medical office building on this site anyway. There just haven’t been any plans that got past the vision phase.
Carmike Cinemas Inc · 10-Q · For 9/30/95 · EX-4
Filed On 11/14/95 · SEC File 1-11604 · Accession Number 950144-95-3250
10.06. Seller’s Indemnification Regarding Underground Storage Tank
Located at Terrace Theatre, Robbinsdale, MN. Subject to the terms and
conditions hereinabove set forth in this Article X, Seller hereby agrees to
indemnify and hold Buyer harmless from any and all costs, damages and expenses
whatsoever, including reasonable attorneys fees arising out of or related to
the underground storage tank located on the premises of the Terrace Theatre,
Robbinsdale, MN.
City Council Minutes
2/6/2007
City of Robbinsdale
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
February 6, 2007
Meeting No. 3
• Get more teeth in addressing rental housing/nuisance problems
• Improvements in the downtown core
• Bolster alternative revenue sources (non-property tax)
• Terrace Theater redevelopment
• Improve Robin Center
• Increase use of park facilities
• Technology; web site update â€" address wi-fi opportunities.
REDA Minutes
2/13/2007
ROBBINSDALE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
MEETING MINUTES
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2007
7:00 p.m.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
NEW BUSINESS #7A: Terrace Theater:
43. Ms. Glick stated that this proposal includes the theater building only. Exhausted all avenues to return property to theater. Owners request to put property in TIF district. Presented pictures of interior and exterior of building. Clarified that the parcel is the building itself. Owners of the mall are all the same, Centro Watt. Owners looking for eligible uses for tax increment and to see if the Board likes the idea of redeveloping this property into office space. Owners looking at pay-as-you-go. Need to determine if the property meets blight test according to state statues. Property manager could explain more details.
44.George Hoene, Centro Watt Property Manager. He has been involved with this project since 2002. NMMC is the market. Medical use gets the highest rents but it is also expensive due to the special amenities needed. Medical offices usually require a 10 + year lease. Higher costs to due infrastructure redevelopment.
45.Member Holtz voiced support for the project. Would enhance the value of the property. Property has been vacant a long time, about 10 years.
46.Member Rogan stated that the proposal seems like a nice idea. But a lot of public funds are being requested. Would like to get more fiscal analysis of proposal.
47.Member Selman agreed with Member Rogan. Encourages going forward with proposal.
48.President Blonigan expressed desire to consider putting in housing/condos on the site instead of office space. Key piece of property in the city with great potential.
49.Mr. Hoene replied that they looked at all options for housing. Parcel does not lend itself to two towers (i.e. footing, pumping fire water up 9 stories, soil capacity).
50.Member Rogan asked what the plans were for the mall specifically, any plans to update mall. Mr. Hoene replied that the mall is doing very well; grocery business is up, first turnover in 11 years. A number of businesses want to be in the mall to cater to NMMC.
51. Member Mathias stated that it is a good idea to keep the building instead of tearing it down, preserves the building.
52.Ron Batty, REDA Attorney. Explained that this is just the beginning of a long process to determine if this plan is viable for TIF funding. Reviewed issues that need to be determined, assessed risks for City and explained qualifying costs.
53.MOTION by Member Holtz, seconded by Member Rogan to direct staff to update the TIF Application Agreement including updating the fee to cover anticipated costs. Once the executed application agreement and fee are received, staff would proceed hiring appropriate consultants to complete the necessary analysis of the property.
54.Discussion. Member Holtz asked Mr. Hoene to be more diligent in keeping the Rainbow Foods parking lot clean and trash free. President Blonigan asked to meet with Mr. Hoene to discuss the utilization of the theater property (parking lot, setback requirements, etc.).
55.ROLL CALL: YEA: Rogan, Mathias, Selman, Holtz, President Blonigan. NAY: None.
The vote was unanimous and the motion carried.
56.President Blonigan advised Mr. Hoene to keep in touch with the REDA board members. Thanked Mr. Hoene and his company for taking a pro-active approach to improving this property.
If that PDF plan looks weird, it’s because they want to turn Rainbow foods into a big insane condo.
OH. I SEE>
I just found the Robinsdale Redevelopment Master Plan. From 2004, it’s tied into transit development crap. They do say this about the theater:
TERRACE THEATER
This historic community landmark is proposed to be a combination of a
restaurant, café and community arts center. The main level could house a restaurant and still serve as a community center that could accommodate performing or other arts. The lower level of the theater opens out to the street at the back of the building and has the potential to be a café which could provide a “front door†and pedestrian activity on both sides of the building. Other uses suggested include a conference center for North Memorial Medical Center, or professional office space. The City has already received a $238,000 environmental grant to remove asbestos in the theater building.
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So there we have it. An ARTS CENTER. Get George Lucas on the line! Lets do this!
PDF file of Robinsdale plan here: View link
View link
He also believes theater chains may be able to charge more for tickets as more movies are made for 3D. DreamWorks Animation (nyse: DWA – news – people ), for example, said in March it plans to release all its pictures in 3D starting in 2009.
“Right now theaters charge $2 to $2.50 more for 3D movies like ‘Chicken Little,’ but looking out to the next couple years, as films are made specifically for a 3D environment, they’re going to have more pricing leverage,” Handler says.
3-D movies return to the silver screen
Malaysia Sun
Saturday 26th May, 2007
Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson have signed on to produce a trilogy of 3D movies about the Belgian comic-book hero Tintin, for Paramount’s DreamWorks.
The new version of 3D will use double-lens digital cameras, double-lens digital projectors and an actual silver screen. It will still require the use of 3D glasses.
Recently, an hour of footage from a 3D concert film of the Irish rock band U2 made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival.
It was described as a different and much more voyeuristic experience.
‘Avatar,’ an ambitious and expensive movie about humans and aliens by director James Cameron, is also being made.
Digital and 3D projection is still not universally available.
In the United States, for instance, digital projection is installed in only about 2,300 of 27,000 theaters, with 3D projection in just 700 of those.
Theater owners have balked at the cost of upgrading to digital projectors, which could prove to be an obstacle for distributors.
View link
“I couldn’t be more excited about it,” says DreamWorks Animation topper Jeffrey Katzenberg, who recently announced the studio’s intention to release every toon in 3-D, beginning with 2009’s “Monsters vs. Aliens.”
“I think it is the single most important transformational innovation that has occurred in the filmmaking business in 60 years, since color,” he tells Variety. “To have spent all these years here, to see something come along that could literally transform your business and give you new opportunities — creative, financial, just on every level — is pretty amazing. It answers a critical issue about piracy and video windows.”
Paramount, New Line, Disney, Sony, Warner and Fox all have major 3-D projects in the works. The live-action “U2 3D” wowed auds at Cannes, where the market was buzzing with pitches for stereoscopic projects. And with helmers like James Cameron, Robert Zemeckis, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Peter Jackson and Robert Rodriguez sold on the format, exhibitors can rest assured that content from the industry’s top innovators is on the way.
Content will drive conversion, first to digital projection, and then to 3-D with a simple upgrade offered by companies such as Real D or Dolby. For the digital 3-D releases of “Chicken Little,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Meet the Robinsons,” Disney helped push Real D installations in several hundred theaters. Those pics, in turn, delivered per-screen grosses two to three times those for “flat” 35mm presentations of the same film (aided by auds' willingness to pay premiums of up to 30% for tickets).
“Movies shown in 3-D are bringing in from 30 to 50 percent higher box-office revenues,” Stucker said. “In 2007 and 2008, something like 18 major movies will be released in 3-D.”
View link
Longtime Hollywood film production company Technicolor sees digital cinema as the inevitable future, despite the slow start and competing technologies. The company’s digital division provides a number of services, including testing of digital hardware and installing digital projection systems in theaters.
With the expectation of major cost-cutting and the potential to lure customers back into the seats with 3-D and alternative content, “it’s mostly a question of when,” said Curt Behlmer, chief operating officer of Technicolor Digital Cinema.
With industry standards nearly complete, Behlmer sees 2008 as the year digital cinema takes off.
“Right now, nobody’s making any money from digital cinema,” he said. “The studios still have to print a lot of film, along with the cost of producing digital versions. The exhibitors aren’t making anything extra from digital.
“But when you put digital side by side with film, everyone agrees it’s the future. Right now, everybody is investing in that future.”
Hello friends.
I am a local artist known to be an idea guy, and I wanted to share with you my idea for Terrace. I was just over there the other day admiring it. Wishing and dreaming of what I would do if I owned it. Seeing as I probably won’t get the opportunity to own it, I will share my vision here.
First, get it out of the hands of Centro Watt if they do not intend it to be a theater! Whatever the cost, it would be better off “secured” against the future.
Second, here is my vision.
Minneapolis does not yet have a dedicated 3D theater. Recently, all the major Hollywood directors have been talking about 3d being the way of the future. Although the technology is currently available and inexpensive, we in Minnesota have to drive all the way down to Apple Valley to view new releases on the 3D IMAX. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if MINNEAPOLIS was ready with a LOCAL, dedicated, digital 3d theater!? I think so. I think it would be a hit, and attract a good investor or group of investors.
Robert Zemeckis, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Peter Jackson are just some of the BIG DIRECTORS currently working on 3d films.
I believe this vision for the Terrace 3(D) Theater is practical and possible. It also restores the theater to it’s single screen glory. The Minneapolis art scene is well connected, and we SHOULD be able to make something like this happen. If anyone has a line in to one of these directors, PLEASE give them a call.
I will now quote and link to recent articles to further sell this vision. THANK YOU!
By the way. The owners of the Terrace have had it thoroughly inspected by engineers. It is very sturdy. They said that the building has not shifted at all since it was built. It may be the most sturdy building in town. Their representative said that the building could sit in its current condition for years and still would be fully capable of being renovated without reinforcement. Their plan would light the “TERRACE” sign with neon and would include repairing the dilapidated overhang at the entrance. It really will look nice, but it wouldn’t be easy to restore it to a theater after their remodelling. Also, if they succeed in getting medical tenants the standard initial lease on medical offices is 10 years, so it probably would be locked into that design for at least that long.
The owner of the Terrace, Centro Watt (aka Centro Bradley) presented their plan for renovation on February 13 to the Robbinsdale Economic Development Authority. The plan is to renovate the building into a medical office building. The basic look of the exterior of the building would be mostly restored to tip-top condition, except they are planning to cut windows into the side of the building. The building is probably the most solid building existing in Robbinsdale. Apparently the owners think they can get medical businesses to lease space, even though they haven’t found any ready to jump at it in several years of promoting the idea.
The building is not currently usable as a theater as everything has been removed and it is mostly a shell. Plitt Theater Company took the screens, projectors, seats, and anything else not cemented into the building when they left 9 years ago. There is also no carpeting or furniture or any sort of decor. The walls and floors are bare concrete. The city arranged for asbestos abatement, which was just finished a few months ago.
In response to an earlier comment, I am on the City Council and also the REDA. I would love to see the Terrace as a theater, or maybe as something with a similar layout like a conference center or auditorium or some sort. I don’t personally have the money to do it and I am also not likely to be able to use the City’s money, either. I am not really a big fan of government projects, either. I would prefer a private business taking it over and renovating it as a theater, but right now I can’t ask anyone to do that. It would take millions to restore it and after that it would probably take someone willing to lose a lot more, probably millions more, to get it going again before it might turn a profit years down the road.
I would also favor renovating it into 1 theater, not the tacky 3 theater plan of its later years.
mattndanni
The Terrace,I know is architecturally significant in the sense that it is hard to find such a fine example of the international style of the 1950’s era in the Twin Cities (as well as the Twin Cities Metro Area). I imagine it has historical significance too given how popular of a destination it had been. I’ve been trying to find out this information for you, and during my search I was directed to the Northwest Architectural Archives. I checked out their website and it appears that they have old photo’s and architect drawings of it under their Liebenberg and Kaplan collection. The pieces can be viewed at the archives by appointment.
Hold the phone! We want to save the Terrace. My wife I and along with several friends have been hoping to bring the Terrace back to life for several years. Until quite recently is was just a dream. We now have interested investors that want to save the Terrace. Our hope is to not only restore the Terrace to it’s former glory, but to create a modern day destination. We need your help. Any information concerning the historical value of the Terrace Theater would be greatly appreciated. Anyone reading this post who feels that they have anything to add to the fight to save the Terrace is strongly encouraged to share it with us on this site.
Thank You
Friends of The Terrace
TominWard4,
Am I getting this right, the current owner of the Terrace wants to tear it down? I’m also curious, based on what you said, if you are a part of the local government in Robbinsdale, or have any leverage that could help in preventing the building’s destruction? Finding a funding source for these kinds of projects will always be an issue, but it has been done. The Schubert Theater in downtown Minneapolis, and the Ritz Theater in Northeast Minneapolis are two examples. I think a problem that there is in the case of the Terrace is it’s age, being from the 1950’s instead of an earlier time alot of people come to the assumption that there is a whole lot of these buildings around. The reality is that there are far less classic theaters from the 1950’s through early 1970’s than there are earlier periods, especially here in the Twin Cities. I think in order to begin getting private funding the theater first needs to be protected from both demolition and decay so that energy is in lobbying for a renovated building instead of trying to convince people not to destroy it. I think classic theaters in the metro area should have a display with photos and the history of a endangered classic local theater such as the Terrace and ask on the display to please contribute either money,their time or both. Another thing that should have been done a long time ago is that the county and state should have a local landmark preservation tax that helps keep buildings of local significance from being destroyed or fall into extreme disrepair. It is really sad that alot of times buildings do not need that much repair until a roof failure causes extensive water damage, a property owner is alowed to alter, or in the case of the Terrace, gut a significant part of a building’s interior.