Comments from SethG

Showing 1,226 - 1,250 of 2,025 comments

SethG
SethG commented about Majestic Theatre on Aug 21, 2021 at 4:50 pm

This has not been demolished. It has a hideously ugly slipcover, but it’s still there.

SethG
SethG commented about Cambria Theatre on Aug 21, 2021 at 1:45 pm

Originally built sometime between 1886 and 1891 as Adair’s Opera House. Given there was a huge flood in 1889, it was likely built shortly afterward. 1895 map still calls it the Adair Opera house. Remodel changed the shape of the balcony, and seems to have eliminated a wide central staircase entry. The storefronts at either side of the entry were also deeper prior to 1913. The history should probably be rewritten for the benefit of those who don’t read all the comments.

SethG
SethG commented about State Theater on Aug 21, 2021 at 12:53 pm

It’s funny how late this part of Main got built up. In 1913, this block had the buildings on the corner with the park, then three large Victorian homes, and then the Majestic.

SethG
SethG commented about State Theater on Aug 21, 2021 at 12:50 pm

What an amazing streetscape. Contrast with today’s grimly ugly view.

SethG
SethG commented about Park Theatre on Aug 21, 2021 at 12:18 pm

It seems that this Park was also known as the Park Family Theater.

SethG
SethG commented about Park Theatre on Aug 21, 2021 at 12:17 pm

This belongs to the other Park, which I have created a listing for.

SethG
SethG commented about Globe Theatre on Aug 21, 2021 at 7:54 am

Not that it likely has anything to do with the theater, but in 1917 the Moose constructed a large building at 306-308 Bedford St.

SethG
SethG commented about Hollywood Theater on Aug 20, 2021 at 1:23 pm

Address was 404-406, and this is long gone. Lots of parking lots and dumpy little prefab buildings in this stretch. Little wooden shops and homes in this area on the 1913 map.

SethG
SethG commented about Park Theatre on Aug 20, 2021 at 9:34 am

Err… retail with offices above, rather.

SethG
SethG commented about Strand Theatre on Aug 20, 2021 at 8:59 am

For some stupid reason, I walked right past this without getting a picture.

SethG
SethG commented about Strand Theatre on Aug 20, 2021 at 8:51 am

This building still exists, at least on the 2019 streetview. It is abandoned, and likely to become part of Johnstown’s extensive collection of vacant lots. There is an ‘A N’ monogram on the top. The building may have existed in 1913, but the style looks problematic. If it was earlier, there was an extensive remodel to turn it into a theater.

SethG
SethG commented about Park Theatre on Aug 20, 2021 at 8:42 am

The 1913 map has a large house on this corner. The next map is a 1949 update, so not terribly helpful pinning down a date, but the building likely dates from the early ‘20s.

SethG
SethG commented about Park Theatre on Aug 20, 2021 at 8:38 am

Address is wrong. This building is at 423. Looks like offices with retail above.

SethG
SethG commented about Majestic Theater on Aug 20, 2021 at 8:34 am

Movie in Joe’s photo is ‘The Man With My Face’ so it was taken in 1951.

SethG
SethG commented about Cambria Theatre on Aug 20, 2021 at 8:31 am

Looks like the cruddy little shed was being constructed in 2009, so the theater building may have lasted until just before that.

SethG
SethG commented about Cambria Theatre on Aug 20, 2021 at 8:26 am

Address is wrong, and this has been demolished. Correct address was 339, and there’s a dismal little office building there now.

SethG
SethG commented about Ligonier Theatre on Aug 18, 2021 at 11:59 am

So they stripped off the brick facade, put up a fake old-fashioned front, and moved the entrance to one side?

SethG
SethG commented about Vox Theatre on Aug 18, 2021 at 11:46 am

Functions are wrong. The bowling alley used to be a car dealership. The theater was to the east. 203 is now part of 201, a dull little fake colonial bank. From the side you can see that the auditorium is now offices facing the parking lot.

SethG
SethG commented about Grand Theatre on Aug 18, 2021 at 11:02 am

Need status changed to demolished.

SethG
SethG commented about Penn Theatre on Aug 18, 2021 at 8:24 am

The ‘park’ is really sad. A tiny spot of space next to a parking lot, where you can hang out at an intersection and look at the traffic light box and a few scruffy buildings.

SethG
SethG commented about Penn Theatre on Aug 18, 2021 at 8:18 am

I was there over Memorial Day 2013, and had no idea there was a part of town all the way at the bottom of the hill!

SethG
SethG commented about Nickelodeon Theater on Aug 18, 2021 at 8:17 am

The 1908 map calls it the Theatorium. It was located in what the map calls the Goldsmith Building, which indeed replaced a wooden store which appears on the 1901 map. It also offered vaudeville on a small stage. The 1914 map shows a wallpaper store located there.

SethG
SethG commented about Grand Theatre on Aug 18, 2021 at 8:11 am

The auditorium was not constructed until sometime between 1886 and 1891. It was called the Grand Opera House at least until 1927. The auditorium was so large that part of the building behind the stage actually hung over the alley. The 1905 Cahn guide gives a capacity of 1,000.

SethG
SethG commented about Arcade Theatre on Aug 12, 2021 at 5:28 pm

I think that has to be it.

SethG
SethG commented about Geyer Performing Arts Center on Aug 12, 2021 at 1:35 pm

The Geyer was likely built to replace the Central Opera House, a large wooden structure built in about the same location as the Geyer’s auditorium sometime between 1884 and 1891. It was a simple one-story barn, and had no frontage on Pittsburgh.

The Geyer’s entrance has always been very narrow. It was originally a single story wooden structure that stopped well short of the street. By 1908, it was a two-story wood frame with brick veneer, set just back from the street, and by 1925 it had been remodeled yet again to its present appearance.

The name change to Strand happened sometime between 1914 and 1925. The 1905 Cahn guide gives a capacity of 806.