You asked about the Glass Slipper building at 15 La Grange Street. According to a 1978 newsletter from the City Conservation League (an organization that I believe no longer exists), this was built in 1830.
Demolition of the Gaiety has begun. I don’t know if it started Tuesday or yesterday, but when I walked down LaGrange Street last night at 9:15, I saw that big chunks had been taken out of the roof and the south wall.
Demolition of the Gaiety has begun. I don’t know if it started Tuesday or yesterday, but when I walked down LaGrange Street last night at 9:15, I saw that big chunks had been taken out of the roof and the south wall.
Demolition of the Gaiety has begun. I don’t know if it started yesterday or today, but when I walked down LaGrange Street tonight at 9:15, I saw that big chunks had been taken out of the roof and the south wall.
This article about last week’s Emerson-Paramount-BRA press conference comes not from the student newspaper, but from a class at the college’s journalism school:
175 Huntington Avenue, formerly the address of this theatre, is now the address of the Christian Science Church Administration Building, a 28-story tower.
Here’s a photo of it; here’s another one. At the far end of the reflecting pool in both photos is a low building with a semi-circular façade. This is the church’s Sunday School building, which replaced the Uptown Theatre.
Thanks for all the replies. Ian, I’d love to see your photos if we can find a way to get them online. I bet you had more lighting than we did!
Given Emerson’s plans for the space — subdividing it into two much smaller live stage theatres — I’m uncertain how much restoration can truly occur. It’s a very different project from the Majestic, which was an actively used movie theatre up to the day that Emerson bought it. Whatever happens here, I’ll be very glad to see this building reused for theatrical use.
The RKO Boston Theatre has its own listing here. I’ve never been inside, but people who have say that a concrete floor seals off the former balcony from the main floor, which was subdivided into two cinema screens. At night, you can peer inside one of them from the side door at 38 Essex Street, and see a few rows of seats.
Someone who did manage to get inside took these photos in 1997:
In its subdivided state, it closed around the same time as the Publix. Its building is in fine shape and in no danger of being demolished, but most people don’t even know that it contains this large, unused theatre.
A friend and I found a small hole in the back of the Paramount, just big enough to poke one’s head — or a small camera — through. He took these amazing interior photos yesterday.
The theatre is a total ruin inside. I expect this will be a gut rehab project and not any kind of restoration.
My friend also took these photos of the Paramount’s rear exterior.
A friend and I found a small hole in the back of the Paramount, just big enough to poke one’s head — or a small camera — through. He took these amazing interior photos yesterday.
The theatre is a total ruin inside. I expect this will be a gut rehab project and not any kind of restoration.
My friend also took these photos of the Paramount’s rear exterior.
Some demolition photos of Club New Orleans, along with a photo of two new gaping holes in the Gaiety’s south wall. You can also clearly see where the (still-standing) Glass Slipper is located relative to the Gaiety.
Yesterday, I watched them demolish most of the Club New Orleans building on LaGrange Street. They may have even finished the job yesterday; I left around 2 pm. There are two large holes in the south façade of the Gaiety. I’ll try to return there over the next few days and report on what’s happening.
Thanks, j. If you could put symlinks at the two old URLs, pointing to the new one, that will be helpful to people who try to use them.
My friend returned to the Paramount with a better camera, and took some more interior shots:
Paramount Interior Views
He also took a couple more exterior shots of the vertical sign and marquee.
(on both pages, scroll down to “Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2005”)
Demolition is now far enough along that it’s sadly time to change the Status to “Closed/Demolished”.
Some demolition photos taken today, from the La Grange Street side.
If you promise not to change it again, I’ll post that URL to other places that may be interested.
J, the URL stopped working. Did you take the photos down?
After reading that report, you will also want to read the Gaiety Theatre Friends' responses to the Landmarks Commission
View link
View link
I don’t know how long the gaietyboston.com web site is going to stay around, now that the theatre is lost. So get these reports while you can.
The next-to-last link is broken. It should be:
View link
I’m sure I can arrange something. Let’s talk about it offline.
You asked about the Glass Slipper building at 15 La Grange Street. According to a 1978 newsletter from the City Conservation League (an organization that I believe no longer exists), this was built in 1830.
Demolition of the Gaiety has begun. I don’t know if it started Tuesday or yesterday, but when I walked down LaGrange Street last night at 9:15, I saw that big chunks had been taken out of the roof and the south wall.
Demolition of the Gaiety has begun. I don’t know if it started Tuesday or yesterday, but when I walked down LaGrange Street last night at 9:15, I saw that big chunks had been taken out of the roof and the south wall.
Demolition of the Gaiety has begun. I don’t know if it started yesterday or today, but when I walked down LaGrange Street tonight at 9:15, I saw that big chunks had been taken out of the roof and the south wall.
This article about last week’s Emerson-Paramount-BRA press conference comes not from the student newspaper, but from a class at the college’s journalism school:
Paramount announcement timing questioned
Do you remember why it closed? I’m curious why a cinema in the heart of a student district did not succeed and remained dark for over three years.
175 Huntington Avenue, formerly the address of this theatre, is now the address of the Christian Science Church Administration Building, a 28-story tower.
Here’s a photo of it; here’s another one. At the far end of the reflecting pool in both photos is a low building with a semi-circular façade. This is the church’s Sunday School building, which replaced the Uptown Theatre.
And finally, here is the building that replaced the Uptown:
Christian Science Church – Sunday School Building
Behind it, you can see little bits of Horticultural Hall and Symphony Hall (the latter building has the red POPS sign on it).
Cool. I assume you mean closed as the Abbey, rather than as the first Nick. When did it close?
Thanks for all the replies. Ian, I’d love to see your photos if we can find a way to get them online. I bet you had more lighting than we did!
Given Emerson’s plans for the space — subdividing it into two much smaller live stage theatres — I’m uncertain how much restoration can truly occur. It’s a very different project from the Majestic, which was an actively used movie theatre up to the day that Emerson bought it. Whatever happens here, I’ll be very glad to see this building reused for theatrical use.
The RKO Boston Theatre has its own listing here. I’ve never been inside, but people who have say that a concrete floor seals off the former balcony from the main floor, which was subdivided into two cinema screens. At night, you can peer inside one of them from the side door at 38 Essex Street, and see a few rows of seats.
Someone who did manage to get inside took these photos in 1997:
http://cinerama.topcities.com/boston.htm
In its subdivided state, it closed around the same time as the Publix. Its building is in fine shape and in no danger of being demolished, but most people don’t even know that it contains this large, unused theatre.
A friend and I found a small hole in the back of the Paramount, just big enough to poke one’s head — or a small camera — through. He took these amazing interior photos yesterday.
The theatre is a total ruin inside. I expect this will be a gut rehab project and not any kind of restoration.
My friend also took these photos of the Paramount’s rear exterior.
A friend and I found a small hole in the back of the Paramount, just big enough to poke one’s head — or a small camera — through. He took these amazing interior photos yesterday.
The theatre is a total ruin inside. I expect this will be a gut rehab project and not any kind of restoration.
My friend also took these photos of the Paramount’s rear exterior.
Some demolition photos of Club New Orleans, along with a photo of two new gaping holes in the Gaiety’s south wall. You can also clearly see where the (still-standing) Glass Slipper is located relative to the Gaiety.
It’s odd that the sign reads “Cinema Pub Theatres”, plural. This is a single screen.
This was owned by the Entertainment Cinemas chain for several years. I don’t know if it still is.
Yesterday, I watched them demolish most of the Club New Orleans building on LaGrange Street. They may have even finished the job yesterday; I left around 2 pm. There are two large holes in the south façade of the Gaiety. I’ll try to return there over the next few days and report on what’s happening.