I saw Nightmare here. It is done with polarized 3D glasses. So you only need one projector. I assume it’s 4k, since that’s what all they use here. Perhaps it’s upsampled. It looked great when I saw it this weekend.
An interesting story: this theater’s property was originally owned by mayor “Big Bill” Thompson and some controversy was raised when a city alley had to be vacated to accommodate the theater. The owner was Andrew Karzas, who also operated the Trianon and later Aragon as well as the North Center Theater.
There are two theaters represented here. The one in ken mc’s comment was the Woodlawn at 1326-28 E 63rd, a former bank building. Also next to that was yet another Woodlawn, this a nickelodeon at 1324 E 63rd. I believe the seating count belongs to the one at 1326-28 and this was around 632 as shown on the Sanborn maps.
The Vista was built in 1914. It was a rather intriguing building, as it had alleys to either side of it, a garage behind the building, a dance hall of almost equal size to the theater on the same level, and a billiard hall upstairs.
A building permit shows Alexander Levy as the architect for a building here built in 1911. I think that the lobby may have been a 1911 nickelodeon that was then converted when the larger auditorium was added.
It appears that the architect information was conflated with the entry for the Marshfield across the street; this was the theater actually designed by Gernfeld.
Actually, it IS still standing. This is strange, because the property seemingly received a demolition permit in July 2006 and a permit to build a 4 ½ story building on the site. But I drove by today and there it was. So it is still standing, who knows for how long.
This theater was directly adjacent to the el tracks. In recent years its original white and green glazed brick facade was replaced with plain red brick.
This one is a little odd. A 1914 Sanborn map shows the theater occupying only the westernmost of the three lots this building occupies; the building was seemingly built in 1909 as a Post Office (it certainly looks like one too) and the eastern two lots are shown as such. It later became a bowling alley. It seems likely that the theater occupied a third of the post office- perhaps it was built too large for the area.
I saw Nightmare here. It is done with polarized 3D glasses. So you only need one projector. I assume it’s 4k, since that’s what all they use here. Perhaps it’s upsampled. It looked great when I saw it this weekend.
There’s a condo building on the site now but I can’t tell if it’s a heavily remodeled theater or new construction.
An interesting story: this theater’s property was originally owned by mayor “Big Bill” Thompson and some controversy was raised when a city alley had to be vacated to accommodate the theater. The owner was Andrew Karzas, who also operated the Trianon and later Aragon as well as the North Center Theater.
There are two theaters represented here. The one in ken mc’s comment was the Woodlawn at 1326-28 E 63rd, a former bank building. Also next to that was yet another Woodlawn, this a nickelodeon at 1324 E 63rd. I believe the seating count belongs to the one at 1326-28 and this was around 632 as shown on the Sanborn maps.
The Vista was built in 1914. It was a rather intriguing building, as it had alleys to either side of it, a garage behind the building, a dance hall of almost equal size to the theater on the same level, and a billiard hall upstairs.
A building permit shows Alexander Levy as the architect for a building here built in 1911. I think that the lobby may have been a 1911 nickelodeon that was then converted when the larger auditorium was added.
Architect was Jacob S. Aroner. Built 1911
Architect was Alexander Levy. Opened as the Lux in 1912 with 735 seats.
It appears that the architect information was conflated with the entry for the Marshfield across the street; this was the theater actually designed by Gernfeld.
In 1910
The Marshfield was designed by Alexander Levy according to the building permit index.
A small profile with a picture of the facade (covered in the 1970s) is available through HAARGIS
Chicago Filmmakers' building was itself a former theater. /theaters/3284/
Recent photos of this theater are HERE
Architect was S.N. Crowen; building permit issued May 18, 1912.
Recent photos are HERE
Recent photos are HERE
Recent photos are HERE
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Actually, it IS still standing. This is strange, because the property seemingly received a demolition permit in July 2006 and a permit to build a 4 ½ story building on the site. But I drove by today and there it was. So it is still standing, who knows for how long.
Now I can’t seem to find where I got that information. Maybe not.
Architect Alexander L. Levy
This theater was directly adjacent to the el tracks. In recent years its original white and green glazed brick facade was replaced with plain red brick.
It was also later a bowling alley.
This one is a little odd. A 1914 Sanborn map shows the theater occupying only the westernmost of the three lots this building occupies; the building was seemingly built in 1909 as a Post Office (it certainly looks like one too) and the eastern two lots are shown as such. It later became a bowling alley. It seems likely that the theater occupied a third of the post office- perhaps it was built too large for the area.