I think you belong in a forum about failed theatre restoration.
Bravo!
Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t you tell me your version of what happened to the chandeliers at the Uptown in Chicago? Or maybe I should just launch an investigation.
One person told me you afforded a trip to Europe around that time.
You aren’t going to succeed in Youngstown. We both know it. If you do I will place a news item on Cinema Treasures singing your praises.
If, right now, you can show me one project you have experienced bona fide success on I will place that same news item.
How do you go from selling Bon Jovi gear at ten dollars a pop on E-Bay to selling a theatre? Very strange. This is also the second auction for the theatre. The first time around someone acused the seller of not owning the property. There is a steady stream of small item sales in the two months preceding, almost as if to establish reputation. Why would the seller abandon the project and “buy a bigger theatre” when the city wants to help restore the theatre so badly?
Last week, Ed had a friend visiting from New York. As they ambled along on the classic sightseeing tour of Santa Barbara; the frog shrine, the UCSB Student Health Center, Mel’s, Mountain Drive, oh, you know the drill, they found themselves walking along State Street. Ed’s friend commented on the lack of tall buildings in our fair city, so Ed decided to wow him with the tallest. Into the Granada Building they marched, and through the fire door to the stairwell. “You call this tall?†Ed’s friend asked. Ed looked up and snapped his cool picture. “Yep.†He replied.
While eight stories is nothing by most big city standards, you can see the Granada from almost anywhere in Santa Barbara.
It is, as they say, a landmark. Yesterday, the dedicated staff of edhat.com decided to find out more about the historic Granada Building. We checked the archives and with our friends at the Historical Society.
A contractor named CM Urton built the Granada Building in 1920. The story goes that CM had never built a high rise before, so he sent away for a bunch of how-to books to help him out. It was like the 1920’s version of High Rise Construction for Dummies. Apparently he did a good job. The building was completed and opened in 1924. A year later in the aftermath of the 1925 earthquake, much of downtown Santa Barbara was in shambles. The Granada only suffered cosmetic damage. Shortly thereafter, CM posted a sign on the building saying that he was the builder.
Through the years, the Granada Theatre, housed on the first floor of the building, has had a glamorous run.
During the early and middle parts of the last century, world-class musical venues as well as world premier movies (Gone With the Wind) brought celebrities and paparazzi, and helped to put Santa Barbara on the map as a cultural center. The offices on the other seven floors have been home-away-from-home to many Santa Barbara businesses. Santa Barbara dot-com superstars Silicon Beach, Value Click, and coolmaps.com (Edhat’s parent company) all have hung their shingle there. A little trivia – the fourth floor office which currently houses Lois Capps’ home-away-from-Washington, was previously occupied by two guys who bought and sold broccoli (not kidding).
But time has a way of taking the shine off the penny, and over the last twenty years, the carpet has faded and the walls have gotten dingy.
There is good news. The offices have already been remodeled. And, through gift and donation, the Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts was able to purchase the theater, and now the Granada is going through a renovation project, which promises to bring back the enchantment of the glory days.
The other news is that only one of our dedicated subscribers was able to correctly identify the location of the photo in yesterday’s contest. The most common guess we received was that it was a photo of a piece from the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. Ed thanks you. The funniest guess we got was that the picture was of the men’s room mirrors in the Holiday Inn. In any case, Peg S correctly identified the location of the photo as the stairwell of the Granada Building, and is the lucky winner of an Edhat Classic t-shirt, in the style of her choice. Peg can come by the Edhat office at 2027 De La Vina any Monday through Thursday from nine to noon to pick it up. Congratulations, Peg!
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New Regal Theatre Shutters Space
BY CHRISTINA BIGGS
The New Regal Theatre, a south-side icon of African-American art, closed up shop on June 30, laying off seven full-time employees and 150 event staff. After shelling out $16 million, owner Edward Gardner feels he can no longer operate the theatre without assistance. “We are discouraged because New Regal Theatre has not been fortunate enough to receive the considerations and major tax incentives and credits that are given to the downtown theatre owners by the municipality and the corporations,†says Gardner. The city did however award the New Regal a $550,000 grant, $45,000 from the Department of Cultural Affairs and a $1 million forgivable loan.
That last item has become the object of Gardner’s greatest discontent. The terms of the loan state that any new owner must continue to use the building as an arts venue, rather than say a church, or the loan comes due with interest. “It has to remain an arts venue,†says managing director Wilma Washington. “We’re holding the new buyer to that condition.†She also said they’re warning potential buyers about the problems they’ve faced with the city so no one goes in with blinders.
The closing has garnered a ton of press so far, and Washington hopes they’ve raised some awareness about the problems non-Loop venues face, such as snow removal and proper street lighting. Despite such problems, Gardner has already had many realistic inquiries on the property, which includes the theatre, a three-flat office building and four parking lots.
It seems to me that the Brickyard Mall has never been any good to anyone. I guess I am a little surprised that it did not totally close up like other failing malls with crime problems (EX: Dixie Square in Harvey).
This web site is the greatest! I was in Phoenix yesterday on business. While driving through an intersection my old theatre radar picked up the Orpheum’s marquee about a block to my right. I did not have time to stop. But now I can log on here in a spare five minutes and read all about it.
Incidentally, all of these comments are being generated by the fact that they are finally building something on Block 37. A friend of mine who should know says it is some sort of public transit center.
There was a great Mike Royko (Royco?) column years ago on the UA. Someone complained of seeing first a rat, and second a really large rat scoot across the aisle of the theatre while watching a movie. The author of the letter told Royko he was so disgusted that he left. On the way out he mentioned this to an usher, who did not seem to care. Royko’s response was:
“The usher did not care because what you saw scooting across the aisle was one of the theatre owners.”
Go to this link and enlarge the United Artists Theatre picture found there to full screen dimensions. Notice that the organ grill designs have a goddess head incorporated into them. I found one of them intact in the rubble while the building was coming down.
I should see if THS wants the thing now that I am talking about it. It certainly doesn’t do much good sitting in storage.
What an idiot I was to be crawling around in that place during demolition. One falling chunk of steel would have been the end of me.
How strange it was to look out the ports of the intact projection booth (complete with Playboy Magazines) to see Marshall Fields.
Well, I am guessing it still wasn’t cheap to run a five-story moving electrical sign every night.
Large-scale bummer that this place was torn down. The Woods…eh…I could take it or leave it. But this place had a fabulous interior which was not in bad shape at the end.
I’ll be damned. The Riverside is right next to the Warner/Centre/Grand? I never picked up on that before.
Good luck to the creators of “Preserve Me a Seat.”
I think you belong in a forum about failed theatre restoration.
Bravo!
Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t you tell me your version of what happened to the chandeliers at the Uptown in Chicago? Or maybe I should just launch an investigation.
One person told me you afforded a trip to Europe around that time.
You aren’t going to succeed in Youngstown. We both know it. If you do I will place a news item on Cinema Treasures singing your praises.
If, right now, you can show me one project you have experienced bona fide success on I will place that same news item.
As you have been fond of saying to me:
Take the challenge Paul.
Brian Wolf, where are you?
How do you go from selling Bon Jovi gear at ten dollars a pop on E-Bay to selling a theatre? Very strange. This is also the second auction for the theatre. The first time around someone acused the seller of not owning the property. There is a steady stream of small item sales in the two months preceding, almost as if to establish reputation. Why would the seller abandon the project and “buy a bigger theatre” when the city wants to help restore the theatre so badly?
All very strange.
Whatever they are doing is certainly selective. Raise the alarm if you see crane components arriving at the site.
I hope that they can do better than this glass wall. What a bastard child of a project.
I don’t know. A ruined theatre in a ghost town? I think $2,000 might be a rip-off.
Are you saying that you reopened the Rialto Theatre in New Braunfels, TX?
What is happening? Is the theatre still standing?
A forum on failed theatre renovation, eh Paul?
LOL
Not a big fan of this design. If you tore the marquee off it could easily be a bank or city hall.
http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?id=541
Edhat Santa Barbara : Granada Building
January 6, 2005 – Ed Takes the Stairs
Last week, Ed had a friend visiting from New York. As they ambled along on the classic sightseeing tour of Santa Barbara; the frog shrine, the UCSB Student Health Center, Mel’s, Mountain Drive, oh, you know the drill, they found themselves walking along State Street. Ed’s friend commented on the lack of tall buildings in our fair city, so Ed decided to wow him with the tallest. Into the Granada Building they marched, and through the fire door to the stairwell. “You call this tall?†Ed’s friend asked. Ed looked up and snapped his cool picture. “Yep.†He replied.
While eight stories is nothing by most big city standards, you can see the Granada from almost anywhere in Santa Barbara.
It is, as they say, a landmark. Yesterday, the dedicated staff of edhat.com decided to find out more about the historic Granada Building. We checked the archives and with our friends at the Historical Society.
A contractor named CM Urton built the Granada Building in 1920. The story goes that CM had never built a high rise before, so he sent away for a bunch of how-to books to help him out. It was like the 1920’s version of High Rise Construction for Dummies. Apparently he did a good job. The building was completed and opened in 1924. A year later in the aftermath of the 1925 earthquake, much of downtown Santa Barbara was in shambles. The Granada only suffered cosmetic damage. Shortly thereafter, CM posted a sign on the building saying that he was the builder.
Through the years, the Granada Theatre, housed on the first floor of the building, has had a glamorous run.
During the early and middle parts of the last century, world-class musical venues as well as world premier movies (Gone With the Wind) brought celebrities and paparazzi, and helped to put Santa Barbara on the map as a cultural center. The offices on the other seven floors have been home-away-from-home to many Santa Barbara businesses. Santa Barbara dot-com superstars Silicon Beach, Value Click, and coolmaps.com (Edhat’s parent company) all have hung their shingle there. A little trivia – the fourth floor office which currently houses Lois Capps’ home-away-from-Washington, was previously occupied by two guys who bought and sold broccoli (not kidding).
But time has a way of taking the shine off the penny, and over the last twenty years, the carpet has faded and the walls have gotten dingy.
There is good news. The offices have already been remodeled. And, through gift and donation, the Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts was able to purchase the theater, and now the Granada is going through a renovation project, which promises to bring back the enchantment of the glory days.
The other news is that only one of our dedicated subscribers was able to correctly identify the location of the photo in yesterday’s contest. The most common guess we received was that it was a photo of a piece from the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. Ed thanks you. The funniest guess we got was that the picture was of the men’s room mirrors in the Holiday Inn. In any case, Peg S correctly identified the location of the photo as the stairwell of the Granada Building, and is the lucky winner of an Edhat Classic t-shirt, in the style of her choice. Peg can come by the Edhat office at 2027 De La Vina any Monday through Thursday from nine to noon to pick it up. Congratulations, Peg!
Want to get instant fame and cool prizes? … enter today’s contest
We want to hear from you … tell us what you think of this tidbit
Send this article to a friend
Your Email
Friend’s Email
View link
7/18/2002
New Regal Theatre Shutters Space
BY CHRISTINA BIGGS
The New Regal Theatre, a south-side icon of African-American art, closed up shop on June 30, laying off seven full-time employees and 150 event staff. After shelling out $16 million, owner Edward Gardner feels he can no longer operate the theatre without assistance. “We are discouraged because New Regal Theatre has not been fortunate enough to receive the considerations and major tax incentives and credits that are given to the downtown theatre owners by the municipality and the corporations,†says Gardner. The city did however award the New Regal a $550,000 grant, $45,000 from the Department of Cultural Affairs and a $1 million forgivable loan.
That last item has become the object of Gardner’s greatest discontent. The terms of the loan state that any new owner must continue to use the building as an arts venue, rather than say a church, or the loan comes due with interest. “It has to remain an arts venue,†says managing director Wilma Washington. “We’re holding the new buyer to that condition.†She also said they’re warning potential buyers about the problems they’ve faced with the city so no one goes in with blinders.
The closing has garnered a ton of press so far, and Washington hopes they’ve raised some awareness about the problems non-Loop venues face, such as snow removal and proper street lighting. Despite such problems, Gardner has already had many realistic inquiries on the property, which includes the theatre, a three-flat office building and four parking lots.
Not familiar with the situation but it sure looks that way.
Not relating to the State, I wanted to mention that Brother Andrew was a good man.
I happened to pass the site last night. It is still sitting there for lease.
Thanks for that.
Block 37 is now being excavated. A friend of mine tells me that they are building some sort of public transit facility.
It seems to me that the Brickyard Mall has never been any good to anyone. I guess I am a little surprised that it did not totally close up like other failing malls with crime problems (EX: Dixie Square in Harvey).
This web site is the greatest! I was in Phoenix yesterday on business. While driving through an intersection my old theatre radar picked up the Orpheum’s marquee about a block to my right. I did not have time to stop. But now I can log on here in a spare five minutes and read all about it.
The Orpheum looks like a fine house.
Yes, it was a C-O theatre for a while (like the Mercury).
Incidentally, all of these comments are being generated by the fact that they are finally building something on Block 37. A friend of mine who should know says it is some sort of public transit center.
There was a great Mike Royko (Royco?) column years ago on the UA. Someone complained of seeing first a rat, and second a really large rat scoot across the aisle of the theatre while watching a movie. The author of the letter told Royko he was so disgusted that he left. On the way out he mentioned this to an usher, who did not seem to care. Royko’s response was:
“The usher did not care because what you saw scooting across the aisle was one of the theatre owners.”
View link
Go to this link and enlarge the United Artists Theatre picture found there to full screen dimensions. Notice that the organ grill designs have a goddess head incorporated into them. I found one of them intact in the rubble while the building was coming down.
I should see if THS wants the thing now that I am talking about it. It certainly doesn’t do much good sitting in storage.
What an idiot I was to be crawling around in that place during demolition. One falling chunk of steel would have been the end of me.
How strange it was to look out the ports of the intact projection booth (complete with Playboy Magazines) to see Marshall Fields.
Well, I am guessing it still wasn’t cheap to run a five-story moving electrical sign every night.
Large-scale bummer that this place was torn down. The Woods…eh…I could take it or leave it. But this place had a fabulous interior which was not in bad shape at the end.