Alexandria Theatre
5400 Geary Boulevard,
San Francisco,
CA
94121
5400 Geary Boulevard,
San Francisco,
CA
94121
18 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 105 comments
Another plan for the theater has emerged from the same group that wanted to turn the theater into offices and an aquatic center. This time housing:
SFExaminer
Here is a direct link to the SFGate article with photos in case the Chronicle’s link stops at their paywall. The recent onslaught of storms with heavy rain and high winds caused a lot of damage in the city and beyond.
Alexandria
Here’s the link , which includes photos
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/S-F-s-deteriorated-Alexandria-Theater-loses-17733518.php
Today, on the SF Gate website, has an article with pictures of the vertical being removed for safety reasons, as it was unsecured and swaying in the wind.
From Frank Dunnigan’s Feb 2018 article on SF Theaters that appeared on outsidelands.org:
Alexandria
From the above linked 2016 RichmondSFBlog article it sounds like the box office, marquee and blade will all be retained. The “1976 marquee” referred I believe is the “1-2-3” on each side of the blade tower that was added in 1976 when the theatre was triplexed. Nice that they will retain the upper portions of the side walls for the 3rd floor offices.
From the SF Planning Dept. website: Received Date: Oct 03, 2017 Description: 5400 Geary Ave – REPAIR MARQUEE AND SIGN ELEMENTS: REPLACE SOFFIT AND LIGHTING, REPAIR & REPAINT MARQUEE, REPLACE NEON, REPAIR BLADE SIGN, REPLACE NEON, REPAIR “PARKING” SIGN, REPLACE NEON
OMG. Certain architectural features inside would remain. Not sure what is meant by 1976 marquee that will be removed.
http://richmondsfblog.com/2016/12/13/latest-proposal-for-alexandria-theater-development-includes-swim-center-classrooms-and-office-space/
Sorry I was incorrect on one point, its for the public, not just the condos. Kind of a strange pairing – swimming pool in the middle of an old theatre – but at least they didn’t tear it down and it will have new life!
Apparently it’s a new aquatic center for the Alexandria Condominiums that were either just opened or are about to. http://thealexandriasf.com/
SO – judging from recent street photos the building still stands. Hmmm…
Boxoffice of June 9, 1958, reported that renovations at the Alexandria Theatre, including the installation of the Todd-AO screen and projection equipment for the upcoming road show run of South Pacific, had reduced the seating capacity of the house to 1,250.
What an absolute disgrace and such disrespect for a beautiful old theatre…..
Direct link:
RichmondSF
Thanks for the new info, I’ll take a closer look!
Any new information? What have they decided? Curious!
A July 2012 photo can be seen here.
Thanks for linking to this article, Eric.
View link
Due to work obligations, I am not able to attend this meeting, which is today. I’m hoping that MAYBE someone who has read my previous posts will attend, or at the very least, people from San Francisco’s neighborhood theatre and historic preservation community are going to be there.
According to a notice from the San Francisco Planning Department, dated Nov. 24, 2010, the Preliminary Mitigated Declaration for the 5400 Geary Boulevard project (Alexandria Theatre) has been extended until January 24, 2011. This is for the purpose of extending the comment period so that an informational hearing about the project before the Historic Preservation Commission can be held.
The meeting is January 19, 2011, at 12:30pm.
Contact Chelsea Fordham at (415) 575-9071 or
for more information.
Assuming I am able to attend the meeting, I am hoping to be able to bring up the issue of the trees that are planned for the sidwalks on both street facades of the Alexandria building. At last report, bushy, leafy trees are planned. In ten years or so, they will all but obscure the lower half of the theatre building. Others have voiced opposition to this type of tree, suggesting that palm trees be substituted. These would not obscure the building, and would be more appropriate for the Egyptian Revival character of the building exterior. By no means would this mean planting colossal date palms, as one city staffer mistakenly thought was the intention. Rather, a thinner, more graceful species (and there are many) could be selected. Leafier trees could still be planted along the sidewalk in front of the residential units making up the rest of the site. The result:
1. The ongoing “Greening” of San Francisco’s streets continues.
2. The Alexandria Theatre building’s exterior remains clearly visible as the last remaining Egyptian Revival theatre exterior in Northern California, and the only such theatre designed by the most prolific Northern California theatre architects of the period, the Reid Bros.
The Alexandria project is at last appearing to be moving forward. Input from the community is being encouraged. Plans have been made which will respect/restore the exterior of the building, and preserve most of the interior elements from the 1940s remodeling, and discussion is underway on the idea of preserving the Egyptian decorative elements of the interior in ways that the public may enjoy them as well. The Alexandria will house a theatre equipped for small stage events as well as film, and there will be retail space, and a sort of restaurant/lounge area also. Imperative in the project are innovative structural features which will maintain much of the feeling of the original height of the auditorium wherever possible, while providing retail spaces on the ground level beneath the theatre and restaurant area. The murals of sea nymphs will remain. On the location of the theatre’s parking lot, a new building will house two levels of underground parking, and have much-needed residences above. The familiar neon “PARKING” sign on the side of the theatre will still point the way. The new building will be modern in design, but will feature bay window-like extensions to go with the characcter of the neighborhood, plus cornice work and overall massing which—while not at all copying the adjacent Egyptian Revival look of the theatre, will compliment its proportions.
Another article published today:
View link
Having just reread the description at the top of this page, I have to debunk the contention that there is an atmospheric ceiling hidden above the current one. There is not. The original dome was cove lit around the edges, the bulbs and access hatches are still there. There is no evidence of any lightbulb stars ever having been part of the decor. All that exists above the plaster ceiling are plank catwalks, steel joists, struts and rafters, and the underside of the roof. A catwalk climbs to the center of the dome, where the crank for lowering the big central chandelier is still in place.
With all the talk of the proposed renovation of the Alexandria preserving interior elements from its 1940s remodel (what is seen today), I want to call attention to the fact that some elements of the original Egyptian decor also survive, hidden from view. Chief among these is a partial row of papyrus columns behind the lobby wall which houses the drinking fountain. Two different sources in UA told me at different times of relamping the light over the drinking fountain, sticking their heads through the resulting opening, and seeing a wall scribed and painted to look like blocks of stone, with a row of columns. Such a feature should be somehow preserved. If it can’t be part of the actual decor—then elements of it could be put on display. Also, the auditorium ceiling, with its (formerly covelit) dome, is original, though repainted. In 1995, I was in the attic over the auditorium, walking on the redwood plank catwalks, and it was obvious where the organ chambers had been hacked out, both the plaster and the concrete walls, and the resulting gaps filled-in with the present walls curving in arcs toward the proscenium. Also, in a little room next to projection booth, a section of original Egyptian cavetto cornice molding remains intact, though repainted in a neutral color.
Unfortunately, some not-so-good news: View link