State Theatre
277 State Street,
Schenectady,
NY
12305
277 State Street,
Schenectady,
NY
12305
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16 images added.
1931 exterior photo added courtesy miSci – Museum of Innovation and Science.
Grand opening ad uploaded in the photo section for this theatre.
re: Check 1231’s photo link from 12/22/2009. Isn’t that Olender’s building facade (across the street) the ugliest thing you’ve ever seen? Looks like a 40 foot by 70 foot sheet of faded gray-green sheet metal with a few silver squares attached to it. Who would ever want to cover the front of their department store with that – unless they wanted to drive themselves out of business?? Compare that with the classy building just to the left. Who would you do business with?? I just don’t understand 60’s architecture.
The auditorium portion of the State was demolished in the late 80’s for a parking lot. The entrance arcade and marquee are still standing. The marquee is rented out to local businesses to advertise their wares.
This opened on December 10th, 1922. You can load the microfilm in this new remote-control microfilm reader at View link remember to rewind it after you are done.
Absolutely.
First name Cuff.
Here are a few photos from the LOC, as discussed above by Warren:
http://tinyurl.com/3yxsd8
http://tinyurl.com/3cvp95
http://tinyurl.com/2q9z6o
Check out some vintage ad mats from the State:
http://plantweed.blogspot.com/search?q=state
The State Theatre opened on December 10, 1922. The arhitectural firm Reilly & Hall designed the theatre. The Schenectady Gazette of December 9, 1922 reported that the Mark Strand Theatre Circuit is the owner and builder of the theatre. Mark Strand operated the Strand Theatre in New York City and theatres in Brooklyn, Albany, Troy, Rochester and Buffalo. In the 1931 Film Daily Year Book Green County Amusement Company is listed as the operator. Fabian Theatres acquired the theatres of the Green County Amusement Company (W. W. Farley)in 1935.
The State closed in the 70’s and remained vacant until it was demolished around 1989. The lobby building still exists at the corner of State & Erie, just across and down from Proctor’s. The flat marquee (minus the STATE letters) and poster cases are still used to advertise businesses in the lobby arcade. All of the State’s seats were one one floor—the theatre did not have a balcony. I was inside just before it went down. The space remains an empty lot.