I saw Star Wars III at the Braintree AMC a few days ago. I was in Cinema 4, I think, the second largest auditorium size there. (The five auditoriums on the left side of the building are mirrored by the five screens on the right) The manager said SW didn’t draw enough of a crowd to run in the biggest venue (5 or 6, I think). The big auditoriums used to be designated as having THX sound. Not any more. Cinema 3 looked as though it still had the HPS-4000 sound equipment, which for my money is as good as or better than THX. The lobby looked about the same. The rest rooms looked shop worn and in need of repair and cleaning. Some of the faucets didn’t work, and they’d stuck the new soap dispensers on top of the old. :–(
Ron: thanks for this cool link and also the search engine. Interesting the view of the balcony seats with the wire hat racks underneath—from an age when most men wore hats, even those in the second blacony. Also interesting: the scaffolding that might have been there for repairs and the details of the muses (I think that’s the term) which decorated the interior. Tom
The Art was an Art Deco style building on the site of what is now an office building at the northwest corner of Hancock and Granite next to the cemetery which is also next to the old city hall. The current Flagship Cinema site used to be a Sears and Roebuck. When I was a kid, I remember seeing a faded sign for a theater on the wall of building near Sears. It gave the prices of the evening and matinee performances and it may have made reference to vaudville. I think my father said that they’d built Sears in what had been a theater building. Tom
Evidently the city feels the only way to purge Washington Street of its “Combat Zone” image is to tear down older buildings and replace them with sterile high rises. Well, they’re getting their wish. Unfortunately a lot of urban history is getting tossed into the dumpster in the process. I read the .PDF files of the responses to the Landmarks Commission. They were well written. They make the Landmarks Commission look like a bunch of fools. Interesting how the city allowed the Gaiety building to fall into disrepair. Where was Code Enforcement?
On this site you can find the PDF file of the Boston Landmarks Commission report that recommended against landmark status for the Publix/Gaiety. There are lots of photos, some in color.View link
Ron: The glass slipper building dates to 1830! The American Federal period is generally considered to be from 1790 to 1830, so it’s definitely late Federal. In any other city, this building would be considered worth protecting. Sad the loss of the City Conservation League, though it might still be around in some form under another name.
Ron: Interesting images. Thanks They put things into perspective. The Glass Slipper building looks like it might actually date to the late Federal period, but I could be wrong. Do you know if the Boston Theater, where Cinerama used to be, is still more or less intact? T.
I’m relieved to know that Copley Place has moved from being merely upscale to “ultraupscale,” and that Boston has let its conservative, provincial past slip into the wake of history.
Ron: Thanks for these updates. I guess that’s it for the Gaiety. I’m still astonished that, as far as I know, Robert Campbell, the Globe art critic, didn’t weigh in on this one. He’s written columns on the urban character of Washington Street. T.
Ron: Thanks for the excellent picture. What is the current legal status of the Gaiety/Publix? Is any form of appeal pending, or have those avenues been exhausted? T.
Ron: <<I assume the new Barneys store will have a flat floor!>> LOL! It just may seem to tilt when you see their prices. On a personal note, thanks for all the postings on this and other theaters. It’s a real chronicle of the devastating changes in the Boston cinema scene in the last decade or so. Who’d’ve ever guessed so much would happen.
Ron: Interesting comments. Did you get a sense of the structure of the building there? I often wondered if there was a structural reason for the seating sloping up (rather than down)toward the screen in at least one of the auditoriums.
dwodeyla: Interesting comments. Do any studios/distributors still have offices in Boston? Do the theater chains now handle most of their own service operations?
Ron: Thanks for these amazing posts. Is it possible to get a picture of how the theater looks today with the adjacent building demolished or under demolition?
I saw Star Wars III at the Braintree AMC a few days ago. I was in Cinema 4, I think, the second largest auditorium size there. (The five auditoriums on the left side of the building are mirrored by the five screens on the right) The manager said SW didn’t draw enough of a crowd to run in the biggest venue (5 or 6, I think). The big auditoriums used to be designated as having THX sound. Not any more. Cinema 3 looked as though it still had the HPS-4000 sound equipment, which for my money is as good as or better than THX. The lobby looked about the same. The rest rooms looked shop worn and in need of repair and cleaning. Some of the faucets didn’t work, and they’d stuck the new soap dispensers on top of the old. :–(
Ron: thanks for this cool link and also the search engine. Interesting the view of the balcony seats with the wire hat racks underneath—from an age when most men wore hats, even those in the second blacony. Also interesting: the scaffolding that might have been there for repairs and the details of the muses (I think that’s the term) which decorated the interior. Tom
Ron: Wow, those postings on the ArchBoston forum are amazing. I hope they aren’t in architectural preservation. tn
The Art was an Art Deco style building on the site of what is now an office building at the northwest corner of Hancock and Granite next to the cemetery which is also next to the old city hall. The current Flagship Cinema site used to be a Sears and Roebuck. When I was a kid, I remember seeing a faded sign for a theater on the wall of building near Sears. It gave the prices of the evening and matinee performances and it may have made reference to vaudville. I think my father said that they’d built Sears in what had been a theater building. Tom
Boston Actor: Thanks for the web link and information. Maybe, some day, the theater can be restored. Hope your acting career goes well.
Mike: Well said.
Greg: I just reread above, and see that it was a tri-plex.
Greg: Into how many screens did they divide the theater? What a disaster.
Evidently the city feels the only way to purge Washington Street of its “Combat Zone” image is to tear down older buildings and replace them with sterile high rises. Well, they’re getting their wish. Unfortunately a lot of urban history is getting tossed into the dumpster in the process. I read the .PDF files of the responses to the Landmarks Commission. They were well written. They make the Landmarks Commission look like a bunch of fools. Interesting how the city allowed the Gaiety building to fall into disrepair. Where was Code Enforcement?
The Gaiety is history.
On this site you can find the PDF file of the Boston Landmarks Commission report that recommended against landmark status for the Publix/Gaiety. There are lots of photos, some in color.View link
Ron: The glass slipper building dates to 1830! The American Federal period is generally considered to be from 1790 to 1830, so it’s definitely late Federal. In any other city, this building would be considered worth protecting. Sad the loss of the City Conservation League, though it might still be around in some form under another name.
Ron: A very, very sad day for the City of Boston. Thanks for bearing the news, dreary as it is. T.N.
Ron: Glad to hear that the Boston theater still hangs in there. I forgot the “RKO” part of the name.
Ron: Interesting images. Thanks They put things into perspective. The Glass Slipper building looks like it might actually date to the late Federal period, but I could be wrong. Do you know if the Boston Theater, where Cinerama used to be, is still more or less intact? T.
Ron: Hmmm. Not sure. But it’s most likely “ultraupscale.”
I’m relieved to know that Copley Place has moved from being merely upscale to “ultraupscale,” and that Boston has let its conservative, provincial past slip into the wake of history.
G.A.DeL.: Terrific post card. It’s an amazing building.
Ron: Thanks for these updates. I guess that’s it for the Gaiety. I’m still astonished that, as far as I know, Robert Campbell, the Globe art critic, didn’t weigh in on this one. He’s written columns on the urban character of Washington Street. T.
Ron: Thanks for the excellent picture. What is the current legal status of the Gaiety/Publix? Is any form of appeal pending, or have those avenues been exhausted? T.
Ron: It looks like they’ve removed most of the windows. :–(
Ron: <<I assume the new Barneys store will have a flat floor!>> LOL! It just may seem to tilt when you see their prices. On a personal note, thanks for all the postings on this and other theaters. It’s a real chronicle of the devastating changes in the Boston cinema scene in the last decade or so. Who’d’ve ever guessed so much would happen.
Ron: Interesting comments. Did you get a sense of the structure of the building there? I often wondered if there was a structural reason for the seating sloping up (rather than down)toward the screen in at least one of the auditoriums.
dwodeyla: Interesting comments. Do any studios/distributors still have offices in Boston? Do the theater chains now handle most of their own service operations?
Ron: Thanks for these amazing posts. Is it possible to get a picture of how the theater looks today with the adjacent building demolished or under demolition?