Wollaston Theatre
14 Beale Street,
Quincy,
MA
02170
14 Beale Street,
Quincy,
MA
02170
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Showing 51 - 75 of 165 comments
I’m crossing my fingers this will work out.
If anyone is looking for a couple exterior photos of the theater you can check my blog, “Quincy Daily Photo” and search the label “movie theaters”: View link
Also there is more information about the Wollaston Theater in a database called the “Quincy MA Historical and Architectural Survey” which you can get to at the Thomas Crane Public Library website: http://thomascranelibrary.org/htm/487.htm
According to a front-page article in the Quincy Patriot Ledger for Feb. 26, 2009, a real estate development firm called Street-Works Development Group of New York has made an offer to the Wolly’s owner, Mrs. Chandler, and this offer was acceptable. Street-Works has projects in Quincy center and they were approached by Mayor Koch with the suggestion that they get involved with the theater. Street-Works is evaluating the condition of the building. Mrs. Chandler’s attorney says that a deal is “very close”.
As of today, January 29, 2009, the sale is still pending. I wrote a short update on my blog.
View link
David- the Wollaston Th. auditorium does run sideways. From the street you enter the lobby and walk straight ahead to the foyer at the rear of the orchestra floor, then you turn right to face the stage and screen. There is no balcony, but there is a fairly high ceiling. There is also an elevated brick stage-house; it’s down to the right of the photo.
Thanks for the link. Great news, local community arts related folks are the potential buyers for a change. It should be noted that the posted Boston Globe link also includes a recent picture. A bit deceiving that an 1100 seat theatre exists behind that small facade. But the article claims the sale includes several storefronts, so the auditorium and such must run sideways behind them all. Instead of straight back and up. Since no large auditorium building is visible behind the facade. Only a chimney.
You can tell from the ornamentation within the brickwork over the storefronts, that it was likely all built as one. Thanks again.
Second act for Wollaston?
“According to a broker handling the property, a group of individuals and organizations involved in the arts has signed a purchase and sale agreement with the estate of Arthur Chandler. Chandler, who died in April, had owned the theater since 1979 and operated it until its closing in 2003.”
I last saw Arthur Chandler in our shop in South Boston, Major Theatre Equipment. He was in to buy carbons for his his arc projector, it must have been around 2002, prior to that he would come in on a regular basis. I was sorry to hear of his passing he was a nice guy. The equipment in the Wolly goes way back, I know we replaced the screen years ago. The projector is carbon arc and I have no idea what type of sound system is in there.
Arthur had told me that the boiler needed to be replaced and that he was working on the roof the last time I saw him.
I grew up in North Quincy and would really hate to see the Wolly go the way of the wrecking ball. We have been involved in dozens of renovations on old theatres, the ones that seem to be doing the best are the ones that are set up to show movies as well as do live performances. Most of the old Vaudeville type theatres had fully functional stages with overhead rigging. As time passed and many of them were converted to movie theatres, They would build a frame in the proscenium opening and install a projection screen and some side maskings, all of the old rigging and many times the scenery would be falling down behind the screens.
If the Wolly could be renovated as a multi-use space, I think it would do very well.
I found out that the theater is under agreement for sale and I will be following up. I wrote an update on my blog.
View link
Yes, I heard a few weeks ago that there was a potential buyer, but I have no details.
Took the advice above and sent an email to Mayor Koch. He actually replied and stated the Mayor’s office is currently working with a potential buyer to preserve/restore the theatre. Anyone hear the same or have any details?
Well….hate to get TOO political here, but maybe, just maybe, if we’d get our troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan, there’d be more money for such things as the renovation of some of the graceful old movie palaces that used to dot the United States landscape overall, including the Wollaston Theatre.
Justin, I just watched your excellent piece. Although i’ve never set foot inside the Wollaston theater, I always HATE to see community theaters fall from grace as this one did. Here’s hoping that the city of Quincy can figure out a way to restore this wonderful little theater to it’s former glory!
RE: the posting above of Nov. 2 – I have heard that Quincy Mayor Koch has been in favor of preserving the Wollaston Th. and doing something with it, but, as always, it is a question of $$$$$$$.
I saw the for sale signs. I hope someone resurrects it, because it was a wonderful part of the community.
The video was sad. Mr. Chandler looked older than I remembered.
The video that Justin posted is just outright sad! I grew up in Wollaston, and couldn’t even begin to count the number of times I went to “Buck night” at the “Wolly”. It didn’t even matter what was playing! I can remember when “Jurassic Park” finally made it to the Wolly (Nearly a year after it’s original release, IIRC), the lines was almost down to CVS.
November 2, 2008
The Wollaston Theater has come up for sale, following the passing of its owner, Arthur Chandler. Built in 1927, the theater has been in serious disrepair for years.
I have begun an email campaign asking the city of Quincy to purchase the property to keep it from becoming another condo complex in the city. The renovation would be a perfect project for the kids at the city’s Voc-Tech school. Once restored it could be used for all types of community based activities- high school theater, dance recitals, community theater, and family movie house.
Please join me in emailing Quincy’s mayor, Tom Koch, requesting the city’s intervention to SAVE WOLLASTON THEATER.
Thanks!
I like the way the video constantly cuts back and forth between the Coolidge Corner and the Wollaston, illustrating the contrast between one of the few old theaters which has managed to remain viable, and the great majority of old theaters which have ended up on history’s trash heap.
That is a depressing video in light of both the state of the theater and Arthur Chandler’s passing.
For a look inside the Wollaston, made about one month before Arthur died, check out our “A Tale of Two Cinemas”:
http://www.castparty.com/cinemas.html
I have heard on the gossip grapevine that at least one party has expressed interest in taking over the Wolly and restoring it as a perf. arts center. I don’t know how accurate or well-founded that news is.
Anyone hear any recent news on the theater?
I walk by it once per week or so and would love to see it restored.
It’s interesting how a small, simple building begins to look so much better through the perspective of time with it’s charming marquee and location in a downtown neighborhood, and the fact that most of it’s peers have been torn down throughout New England.
I wish the neighborhood movie theatres in my area were still in existance. I’m sure Wollaston appreciates the place much more now than in the past.
There is no realty sign that I have noticed. The four store fronts that are part of the theatre building continue to have tenants, including Quincy Lock, which just moved in recently from around the corner.
Regarding Mr. Chandler’s refusal to enforce ratings, I don’t think it was done out of some noble response to the absurdity of the ratings system. I remember that he adopted this policy in the mid 80s after becoming increasingly frustrated by insubordinate teens who would cuss him out and threaten violence when refused admission to a film. In fact, part of his policy was to charge higher admission to teenagers because he actually wanted to discourage them from coming to the theater. This policy was covered in one of the local newspapers around the time it was introduced. (Maybe, the Herald? I remember an accompanying picture of Mr. Chandler throwing his hands in the air. “What else could I do?”)
I am sorry to learn of Mr. Chandler’s passing. His theater provided me with some of my most cherished film experiences in the 70s and 80s and I hope that there is some way it can be restored to its former semi-glory. Sticky floors and $.10 coffee!
Has anybody seen a realty sign on the building?