Purchased in February 1998 by Jesse Sayegh, president of CJM Entertainment of Cedar Grove. The businessman purchased the movie theater from Cineplex Odeon, the company that owns cinemas at Menlo Park Mall in Edison and Newport Centre Mall in Jersey City.
Sayegh, who purchased the Rialto movie theater in Westfield in 1997, expanded the twin-screen Cranford Theatre to five screens, poured $600,000 to $700,000 worth of improvements into the cinema. The theater, built in the 1920s, was closed during the renovations.
teecee
commented about
Cinema 9on
Mar 21, 2005 at 8:15 pm
Attached article puts the closing date as March 2003 and the opening date around 1980: View link
When Bob Jaspan bought the Elmora Theater in Elizabeth in 1986, he initially planned to relocate his hardware store there.
But a cry from residents convinced Jaspan, now a city councilman representing the Elmora section, to keep the silver screen and try to make a go of the former vaudeville stage.
Over the years, he ran two-for-one specials, held giveaways, reduced ticket prices to $3 and held monthly free screenings for senior citizens.
Jaspan stopped showing movies in 1995 and then rented to another church (Evangelistic Hispanic Church) before selling the theater.
After a $1 million restoration two decades ago, the theater hosted legendary performers such as Ray Charles and Johnny Cash.
Woody Allen used its distinctive black marquee as a backdrop in his film, “Sweet and Lowdown.”
Built in 1913 as Gordon’s Hippodrome, a vaudeville theater, it soon became one of the top movie houses in the city. The theater was one of the last big screens standing when the multiplexes arrived, but it was eventually subdivided and turned into a four-screen X-rated movie house. The final blow to its reputation was the death of four young people during a party in the unlicensed nightclub, El Balcon, on the second floor in 1994. Now, the Elizabeth Avenue building is undergoing an extensive renovation. The Christ Fellowship, an independent church with services in Portuguese, Spanish and English, expects to open the Liberty Center there by the middle of next year. The church will turn the theater into a community center, where religious services as well as live performances and movie screenings at discount prices will take place. Star Ledger 12/28/03
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2004 Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News
By George Lyle IV, The Indianapolis Star Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
Jun. 17—In 1976, the Rivoli Theater at 10th Street and Dearborn Avenue was suffering through an identity crisis.
On the one hand, the theater played host to stars such as Linda Ronstadt and John Mellencamp, back when he was known as Johnny Cougar. On the other hand, when the music stopped playing, the skin flicks came on, and the 1,500-seat Rivoli became a porn palace that drew viewers from out of state.
Before the porn, the Rivoli showed feature films from the time it was built in 1927 as a project of Universal Studios.
Forced by the city to close in 1992 because of indecency violations, its doors have stayed shut for 12 years.
Now a consortium of community organizations wants to make the Rivoli an Eastside attraction once again. At a news conference Wednesday, community leaders and project coordinators gathered during a downpour under the theater’s leaky marquee to announce the beginning of a study on how best to restore and use the 77-year-old theater.
Kathy Harlow, vice president of the Rivoli’s new board of directors, wouldn’t let the rain drown out the good news.
“The heavens are happy, too, because they’re providing copious tears of joy,” she said.
The theater is now the centerpiece of a new not-for-profit organization, the Rivoli Theater and Concert Hall Inc. Pending the outcome of a feasibility study, the theater will become a multiuse community arts center and is slated to become the centerpiece of a revitalized East 10th Street district. Also participating in the revitalization efforts are the Near East Side Community Organization, the East 10th Street Civic Association and the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana.
The Rivoli’s owner, Charles Chulchian, said the theater is an important piece in the rebuilding of the Eastside.
“This neighborhood needs something important, and this building is important,” he said. “This venue is vital to the growth and rebirth of the Eastside.”
Despite the optimism at the press conference, the arts center plan is still not a done deal.
The Efroymson Fund, a local philanthropic organization, donated $15,000 to fund a study to determine what the Rivoli will need to become useable again. Citizens Gas & Coke Utility donated $6,000 to fund a business plan to determine the most efficient use of the theater’s space.
However, the two studies will only help determine how much money it will take to turn the theater into a community destination — they are not a part of any reconstruction funding. The Rivoli board has not begun to raise money for remodeling.
Rivoli board member Mark Dollase said he is optimistic, but costs are a definite concern.
“I think that’s something to look at, balancing the costs of stabilization versus what you’re going to get out of it,” he said.
Whatever the final bill is, Christina Blair said she would be happy to see the Rivoli revitalized. A bartender at the Ten-De Club across the street, Blair said a community center would work wonders for the neighborhood.
“I think it’s good, because you’ve got a lot of kids out here, and you need to keep them out of trouble.”
Chulchian said he hopes that the community will respond to the new and improved theater.
“It was a packed house, and I’m sure it will be packed again,” he said.
To see more of The Indianapolis Star, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.IndyStar.com
The act of listing 10 sites annually since 1995 acknowledges their importance to New Jersey and draws attention to their plight. Many sites have been saved as a direct result of being listed. To date, only two theaters have been listed – Symphony Hall & the Fabian in Paterson.
Purchased in February 1998 by Jesse Sayegh, president of CJM Entertainment of Cedar Grove. The businessman purchased the movie theater from Cineplex Odeon, the company that owns cinemas at Menlo Park Mall in Edison and Newport Centre Mall in Jersey City.
Sayegh, who purchased the Rialto movie theater in Westfield in 1997, expanded the twin-screen Cranford Theatre to five screens, poured $600,000 to $700,000 worth of improvements into the cinema. The theater, built in the 1920s, was closed during the renovations.
Attached article puts the closing date as March 2003 and the opening date around 1980:
View link
When Bob Jaspan bought the Elmora Theater in Elizabeth in 1986, he initially planned to relocate his hardware store there.
But a cry from residents convinced Jaspan, now a city councilman representing the Elmora section, to keep the silver screen and try to make a go of the former vaudeville stage.
Over the years, he ran two-for-one specials, held giveaways, reduced ticket prices to $3 and held monthly free screenings for senior citizens.
Jaspan stopped showing movies in 1995 and then rented to another church (Evangelistic Hispanic Church) before selling the theater.
After a $1 million restoration two decades ago, the theater hosted legendary performers such as Ray Charles and Johnny Cash.
Woody Allen used its distinctive black marquee as a backdrop in his film, “Sweet and Lowdown.”
Built in 1913 as Gordon’s Hippodrome, a vaudeville theater, it soon became one of the top movie houses in the city. The theater was one of the last big screens standing when the multiplexes arrived, but it was eventually subdivided and turned into a four-screen X-rated movie house. The final blow to its reputation was the death of four young people during a party in the unlicensed nightclub, El Balcon, on the second floor in 1994. Now, the Elizabeth Avenue building is undergoing an extensive renovation. The Christ Fellowship, an independent church with services in Portuguese, Spanish and English, expects to open the Liberty Center there by the middle of next year. The church will turn the theater into a community center, where religious services as well as live performances and movie screenings at discount prices will take place. Star Ledger 12/28/03
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2004 Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News
By George Lyle IV, The Indianapolis Star Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
Jun. 17—In 1976, the Rivoli Theater at 10th Street and Dearborn Avenue was suffering through an identity crisis.
On the one hand, the theater played host to stars such as Linda Ronstadt and John Mellencamp, back when he was known as Johnny Cougar. On the other hand, when the music stopped playing, the skin flicks came on, and the 1,500-seat Rivoli became a porn palace that drew viewers from out of state.
Before the porn, the Rivoli showed feature films from the time it was built in 1927 as a project of Universal Studios.
Forced by the city to close in 1992 because of indecency violations, its doors have stayed shut for 12 years.
Now a consortium of community organizations wants to make the Rivoli an Eastside attraction once again. At a news conference Wednesday, community leaders and project coordinators gathered during a downpour under the theater’s leaky marquee to announce the beginning of a study on how best to restore and use the 77-year-old theater.
Kathy Harlow, vice president of the Rivoli’s new board of directors, wouldn’t let the rain drown out the good news.
“The heavens are happy, too, because they’re providing copious tears of joy,” she said.
The theater is now the centerpiece of a new not-for-profit organization, the Rivoli Theater and Concert Hall Inc. Pending the outcome of a feasibility study, the theater will become a multiuse community arts center and is slated to become the centerpiece of a revitalized East 10th Street district. Also participating in the revitalization efforts are the Near East Side Community Organization, the East 10th Street Civic Association and the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana.
The Rivoli’s owner, Charles Chulchian, said the theater is an important piece in the rebuilding of the Eastside.
“This neighborhood needs something important, and this building is important,” he said. “This venue is vital to the growth and rebirth of the Eastside.”
Despite the optimism at the press conference, the arts center plan is still not a done deal.
The Efroymson Fund, a local philanthropic organization, donated $15,000 to fund a study to determine what the Rivoli will need to become useable again. Citizens Gas & Coke Utility donated $6,000 to fund a business plan to determine the most efficient use of the theater’s space.
However, the two studies will only help determine how much money it will take to turn the theater into a community destination — they are not a part of any reconstruction funding. The Rivoli board has not begun to raise money for remodeling.
Rivoli board member Mark Dollase said he is optimistic, but costs are a definite concern.
“I think that’s something to look at, balancing the costs of stabilization versus what you’re going to get out of it,” he said.
Whatever the final bill is, Christina Blair said she would be happy to see the Rivoli revitalized. A bartender at the Ten-De Club across the street, Blair said a community center would work wonders for the neighborhood.
“I think it’s good, because you’ve got a lot of kids out here, and you need to keep them out of trouble.”
Chulchian said he hopes that the community will respond to the new and improved theater.
“It was a packed house, and I’m sure it will be packed again,” he said.
To see more of The Indianapolis Star, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.IndyStar.com
There is a small color photo in the book “Backroads, New Jersey” by Mark DiIonno (2002) ISBN 0-8135-3133-0
Appears to house two businesses: Paramount Market and Paramount Jewelry.
1951 FDY lists an Embassy Theater at 347 Main Street. Is this the same theater?
Listed in the 1951 FDY as The Lido at 311 Washington Street.
1951 FDY lists address as 47 Dodd Street, which appears to be a continuation of Watsessing Avenue.
Listed in the 1951 FDY.
Help save this theater building! It is very solid and in good shape. I took many photographs yesterday because I fear that it may quietly disappear.
Here is the link to the realtor: View link
The theater is the free standing “Building I” in the ad.
Further to the post of 3/25/04, here is the link to the interior photos:
View link
Recent photos at this link:
View link
recent photos here:
View link
Listed as an endangered historic site on Preservation New Jersey:
View link
The act of listing 10 sites annually since 1995 acknowledges their importance to New Jersey and draws attention to their plight. Many sites have been saved as a direct result of being listed. To date, only two theaters have been listed – Symphony Hall & the Fabian in Paterson.
Nice old photo here:
http://www.moviepalaces.net/texan.jpg
photo & memories at this link:
View link
Small photo here. Website “under construction” since 1997:
http://home.kiski.net/~casino/index.html
Excellent exterior/interior photos & history here:
View link
IBEW website doesn’t list any locations for Bloomfield.
Recent photo:
View link
Recent photo:
View link
Recent photo:
http://www.moviepalaces.net/state-pecos.jpg
Color print (or low resolution photo)
http://www.moviepalaces.net/wpmajestic.jpg