Hmmm, I don’t think the Strand could have been Art Deco/Moderne when it opened in 1916, since what would later come to be called Art Deco didn’t develop until the 20’s.
It would be interesting to find a photo of the interior from that period. The exterior of the building has the feel of Federalist style, but interior may have been Art Nouveau, which is sometimes confused with Art Deco.
We are still working on the renovation of the theatre. Just this past week, we received the construction drawings and hope to finalize them so that they can go for permitting the last week of May.
We’re probably looking at the last week of August, 2009, or the first two weeks of September, 2009, for the opening.
No screen additions. There is ZERO way to add screens that would be any larger than what people could do at home. Even using the adjoining storefront(s) might give you screens with 50 seats. The size of the auditorium has been diminished once in the past, so I wouldn’t want to take any space there. We’ll just have to work hard to keep people coming to the single screen. ;)
We WILL be upgrading equipment. We will be running archive prints, so we’ll be installing a matched pair with vertical feed and take-up. In the short term, I may work something out with Jeff, but the stuff is in bad shape at this point and I would have to rebuild the Simplex at a minimum. I’ve got RFIs out now to Strong, Kinoton, Christie. The acoustics are the number one issue for me. As you know, they’re awful. I often have trouble with dialog, and that is a frequent complaint from friends.
Kind of going back to the “adding screans” bit, a better use of one of the storefronts would be new men’s and women’s rooms. We would use the existing women’s room as a unisex handicapped bathroom. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Grandview Theatre, the “men’s room” is actually a “man’s room” and neither bathroom has accommodation for wheelchairs.
Monika,
Thanks for the jpeg. My wife and I were looking for decorating ideas at our metro library and came across that book. It’s the first color picture of the exterior I’ve seen prior to the marquee being removed. I’m still hoping to track down someone in the neighborhood with a color picture of the marquee in good shape.
I’m with you re: the page for this theatre. I’ll ask if CT can swap names for 7763 — IE “Grandview Theatre” (also known as Drexel Grandview).
Ron,
No plans for live entertainment for now, as there isn’t much of a stage. Maybe the occasional tie-in with a movie. We would like to expand the stage out a bit toward the first row of seats. I need to check sight-lines as to whether that is workable.
Does anyone out there know what the original interior was like before the construction of the new retail space/main lobby? Any pictures of the (original) interior?
I believe the Grandview opened in ‘26. The Drexel opened in '38. The Grandview (having opened two months before the Palace) is the oldest surviving theatre in Columbus.
I would also take with a grain of salt some of the information being distributed about the “whys” of the decision.
Hmmm, I don’t think the Strand could have been Art Deco/Moderne when it opened in 1916, since what would later come to be called Art Deco didn’t develop until the 20’s.
It would be interesting to find a photo of the interior from that period. The exterior of the building has the feel of Federalist style, but interior may have been Art Nouveau, which is sometimes confused with Art Deco.
Update…
We are still working on the renovation of the theatre. Just this past week, we received the construction drawings and hope to finalize them so that they can go for permitting the last week of May.
We’re probably looking at the last week of August, 2009, or the first two weeks of September, 2009, for the opening.
I update the theatre blog pretty frequently…
https://grandviewtheatre.net/wordpress/
I hope to have daily updates posted to…
https://grandviewtheatre.net/wordpress/
Mark L,
No screen additions. There is ZERO way to add screens that would be any larger than what people could do at home. Even using the adjoining storefront(s) might give you screens with 50 seats. The size of the auditorium has been diminished once in the past, so I wouldn’t want to take any space there. We’ll just have to work hard to keep people coming to the single screen. ;)
We WILL be upgrading equipment. We will be running archive prints, so we’ll be installing a matched pair with vertical feed and take-up. In the short term, I may work something out with Jeff, but the stuff is in bad shape at this point and I would have to rebuild the Simplex at a minimum. I’ve got RFIs out now to Strong, Kinoton, Christie. The acoustics are the number one issue for me. As you know, they’re awful. I often have trouble with dialog, and that is a frequent complaint from friends.
Kind of going back to the “adding screans” bit, a better use of one of the storefronts would be new men’s and women’s rooms. We would use the existing women’s room as a unisex handicapped bathroom. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Grandview Theatre, the “men’s room” is actually a “man’s room” and neither bathroom has accommodation for wheelchairs.
Monika,
Thanks for the jpeg. My wife and I were looking for decorating ideas at our metro library and came across that book. It’s the first color picture of the exterior I’ve seen prior to the marquee being removed. I’m still hoping to track down someone in the neighborhood with a color picture of the marquee in good shape.
I’m with you re: the page for this theatre. I’ll ask if CT can swap names for 7763 — IE “Grandview Theatre” (also known as Drexel Grandview).
Ron,
No plans for live entertainment for now, as there isn’t much of a stage. Maybe the occasional tie-in with a movie. We would like to expand the stage out a bit toward the first row of seats. I need to check sight-lines as to whether that is workable.
David
The Grandview Theatre (né Drexel Grandview né Grandview Theatre) is expected to resume programming early 2009. My wife and I will be the new operators. We’d like to open sooner, but there is a lot of cleanup and renovation to be done.
David Nedrow
Does anyone out there know what the original interior was like before the construction of the new retail space/main lobby? Any pictures of the (original) interior?
-David
Ron,
I’m wondering the same re: the 1923 date. Maybe that’s when ground was broken for it?
Otherwise, as you ask, what did it do for three years? Another theatre before the Grandview in that house?
-David
SOrry, when I was writing “theatre” I was doing so in the context of functioning movie theatres. Which is why I didn’t count the Southern.
I believe the Grandview opened in ‘26. The Drexel opened in '38. The Grandview (having opened two months before the Palace) is the oldest surviving theatre in Columbus.
I would also take with a grain of salt some of the information being distributed about the “whys” of the decision.