I doubt there was room for projectors when it was done. The place is just too small and narrow – only 10 seats wide. As much as I love old theaters, this should have been turned into a store, they could have built a better theater in almost any building and fit more than 148 people in it. How difficult can it be to have “perfect acoustics” in such a tiny space? 1.5 million could have gone a lot farther elsewhere.
Most photographers don’t care as long as they have credit, but if they complain their photos should be removed.
It wasn’t long ago that I was the junior member of THSA and itching to do something. I’m sure he’ll soon learn how to use that energy more productively. I did a lot of structured research and photography with that energy.
I know you can’t go into specifics, but can you speak generally about the ideas that IIT has publicly presented? It seems to me that the Ramova would be difficult as a 1200+ seat live venue (no stage, no parking, neighborhood not very dense with no nearby el, limited lobby space, large volume and low flat ceiling make for difficult acoustics, etc), but something more like the Biograph (hopefully with more of the original decoration replicated, unlike their generic interior) would be feasible. Sort of like the unrealized Dupage concept or the shrunken Paramount in Boston.
What about adaptive use as plan B? The Ramova could make a fine tribute to the Daley family if it were restored as a library branch, replacing the smaller one up the street, and that would be a good reason for the city to restore and renovate it.
Let me know if you’d rather I contact you privately.
It is very confusing. People shouldn’t have to visit 7 different facebook pages to find the one that actually has information and a relationship to the theater. The other 6 have some nice pictures, but no indication who took them. I don’t see any reason those photos couldn’t have been posted to the main page (or, for that matter, to this Cinematreasures page). Confusing people and diluting supporters doesn’t help the Ramova, and I hope the various creators of these pages can get over whatever inspired them to splinter off and work together for the good of this theater.
Oh, I see that they did that. http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/hammond/calumet-theater-being-readied-for-demolition/article_54f25eff-cabf-5831-a593-d03134b9e56d.html
Disregard what I said earlier. If anything, the Orpheum was in the building that now houses the Men’s Wearhouse. The Orpheum closed in the spring of 1937 and was replaced by Kitty Kelly Shoes. So it is standing, just not in the building we thought. While Bryan’s article from Sept 8, 2009 says that it’s a new building, a previous article made clear that Kitty Kelly would heavily remodel the existing building.
If you scroll up slightly, I said in 2008 (edited), “The Knickerbocker/Devon, on Broadway, opened in 1916 and changed names in 1929 under Essaness. This is the one demolished in 1996.
The New Devon’s architect was Henry J. Ross. The “New” in the name probably distinguished it from the former Devon Theater at 6417 N Clark which had been in operation from at least 1910, and possibly as early as 1905, according to the Edgewater Historical Society. This was located approximately in the parking lot adjacent to the Ellantee/Ridge (hardware store), though its actual site was probably destroyed by street widening and re-routing Ashland.
The Ellantee/Ridge, which is now the hardware store, did not open until 1919, at which point the New Devon closed. The Ellantee/Ridge and was never called Devon and is not relevant to this discussion."
I have uploaded a news listing demonstrating that it was indeed the New Devon, as late as 1916, four years after it opened. There is no evidence at all to show that it was ever called the Devon Theater. Your “true history” is entirely speculative and only adds to the confusion.
I doubt there was room for projectors when it was done. The place is just too small and narrow – only 10 seats wide. As much as I love old theaters, this should have been turned into a store, they could have built a better theater in almost any building and fit more than 148 people in it. How difficult can it be to have “perfect acoustics” in such a tiny space? 1.5 million could have gone a lot farther elsewhere.
http://chsmedia.org/media/hb/04/HB20393a.jpg http://chsmedia.org/media/hb/04/HB20393b.jpg http://chsmedia.org/media/hb/04/HB20393c.jpg http://chsmedia.org/media/hb/04/HB20393d.jpg
Most photographers don’t care as long as they have credit, but if they complain their photos should be removed.
It wasn’t long ago that I was the junior member of THSA and itching to do something. I’m sure he’ll soon learn how to use that energy more productively. I did a lot of structured research and photography with that energy.
I know you can’t go into specifics, but can you speak generally about the ideas that IIT has publicly presented? It seems to me that the Ramova would be difficult as a 1200+ seat live venue (no stage, no parking, neighborhood not very dense with no nearby el, limited lobby space, large volume and low flat ceiling make for difficult acoustics, etc), but something more like the Biograph (hopefully with more of the original decoration replicated, unlike their generic interior) would be feasible. Sort of like the unrealized Dupage concept or the shrunken Paramount in Boston.
What about adaptive use as plan B? The Ramova could make a fine tribute to the Daley family if it were restored as a library branch, replacing the smaller one up the street, and that would be a good reason for the city to restore and renovate it.
Let me know if you’d rather I contact you privately.
It is very confusing. People shouldn’t have to visit 7 different facebook pages to find the one that actually has information and a relationship to the theater. The other 6 have some nice pictures, but no indication who took them. I don’t see any reason those photos couldn’t have been posted to the main page (or, for that matter, to this Cinematreasures page). Confusing people and diluting supporters doesn’t help the Ramova, and I hope the various creators of these pages can get over whatever inspired them to splinter off and work together for the good of this theater.
Oh, I see that they did that. http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/hammond/calumet-theater-being-readied-for-demolition/article_54f25eff-cabf-5831-a593-d03134b9e56d.html
How sad. I see a lot of things in your album that would be very worthwhile to salvage, given the chance.
http://arcchicago.blogspot.com/2011/12/door-to-heart-bertrand-goldberg.html Here are a couple photos showing Bertrand Goldberg’s remodeling.
Before they found the space at the York, THSA almost set up their operations there. It’s not the most practical space.
The screen configuration is staying the same
The Bijou Dream was adjacent to the Orpheum, and was on the second floor, above an arcade. The modernized address was 114 S. State.
Disregard what I said earlier. If anything, the Orpheum was in the building that now houses the Men’s Wearhouse. The Orpheum closed in the spring of 1937 and was replaced by Kitty Kelly Shoes. So it is standing, just not in the building we thought. While Bryan’s article from Sept 8, 2009 says that it’s a new building, a previous article made clear that Kitty Kelly would heavily remodel the existing building.
I think the mapping problem is due to it being listed as 2008-10 instead of 2008-2010.
I remember noticing that theatre on Archer before. I’m surprised I never put the two together.
You can follow the renovation on the Logan’s facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/thelogantheatre
1-6 featured an autumn decor and early on experimented with delivering food on carts in the auditoriums. It opened in December 1994.
That article was from 2010 so I’m guessing demolition is on hold
The marquee can be seen in this clip, at :55 and a wide view of the building can be glimpsed later, as well as views of the neighborhood in 1966.
There are some on the Revitalize Des Plaines facebook page. We’re working right down to the wire, but I’ll be sure to post some next week.
If you scroll up slightly, I said in 2008 (edited), “The Knickerbocker/Devon, on Broadway, opened in 1916 and changed names in 1929 under Essaness. This is the one demolished in 1996.
The New Devon’s architect was Henry J. Ross. The “New” in the name probably distinguished it from the former Devon Theater at 6417 N Clark which had been in operation from at least 1910, and possibly as early as 1905, according to the Edgewater Historical Society. This was located approximately in the parking lot adjacent to the Ellantee/Ridge (hardware store), though its actual site was probably destroyed by street widening and re-routing Ashland.
The Ellantee/Ridge, which is now the hardware store, did not open until 1919, at which point the New Devon closed. The Ellantee/Ridge and was never called Devon and is not relevant to this discussion."
I have uploaded a news listing demonstrating that it was indeed the New Devon, as late as 1916, four years after it opened. There is no evidence at all to show that it was ever called the Devon Theater. Your “true history” is entirely speculative and only adds to the confusion.
http://timeoutchicago.com/arts-culture/comedy/15003009/a-first-look-at-chicagos-new-laugh-factory-comedy-club
http://chicagoist.com/2011/10/26/our_memories_of_the_chicago_theatre.php Here’s a rare photo from when the vertical sign read ABC Great States
http://tribune-files.imagefortress.com/attachment1s/887187/medium_wm/ANR-230-CT_F.JPG?1290820562
http://tribune-files.imagefortress.com/attachment1s/1140614/medium_wm/AIE-757-CT_F.JPG?1295179220
http://www.onlyclassics.com/p1714.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58700769@N08