New Granada Theater

mlm on July 9, 2007 at 10:07 am

Greetings! The New Granada Theatre Committee is currently trying to raise $2M to stabilize the structure which would include a new roof, masonry work, cleanout of the interior, new windows and other work that would get the building in warehouse form. The second phase will include community planning, visioning etc and then of course full build out. We have no idea what that will cost! It is a huge space that was once a skating rink, ballroom (Savoy), 1,500 seat movie theater, car show palace, basketball court and full gymnasium etc. There are three huge floors with amazingly high ceilings and a basement. The most recent structural analysis says that it is stable and can be revitalize, but that we would probably loose the building if it is not done within a decade. If anyone is interested is supporting this cause, please post a message here. We need your help. $700K raised, $1.3M to go for stabilization!

raubre on July 16, 2007 at 3:39 pm

MLM- do you have a website so I can spread the word?

edblank on June 4, 2008 at 9:44 pm

I have indications the theater is at 1909 Center (as listed above by Rick Aubrey) and 2009-13 Centre. Can anyone corroborate either? News stories and columns routinely ignore the address.

The structure opened in 1927 as the Pythian Temple of the Knights of Pythias. In the 1930s the building was sold to the owner of a nearby Hill District moviehouse called the Granada. He renamed the temple the New Granada. It had 850 or 920 seats, depending on one’s source.

The film house was owned by Associated Theatres in the 1960s (perhaps earlier, too) and early 1970s, but instead of including it the daily newspaper directory with other Associated theaters, the New Granada’s daily ad was listed alphabetically in the directory of Pittsburgh’s independent neighborhood theaters.

The New Grenada outlasted the Hill’s other longest-standing moviehouse, the Roosevelt at 1822 Centre.

In the New Grenada’s final years, it was open three days a week – not Fridays through Sundays, as you might expect, but Saturdays through Mondays. The owners had found attendance was weak on Fridays but felt they needed a three-day “weekend” for booking movies.

Given that it has been closed, deteriorating inside and out and, sadly, an eyesore for more than three decades (even longer if you consider how it was run into the ground during its last several years of operation), the New Granada has almost surely set the local record as the theater to remain erect the longest without being razed or used for any other commercial purpose.

Better it should linger in limbo than be sacrificed like hundreds of other Pittsburgh moviehouses.

kencmcintyre on November 28, 2008 at 1:59 pm

Listed as the New Granada at 2009 Centre Avenue in the 1955 yellow pages. Phone was GRant 1-5883.

kencmcintyre on March 26, 2009 at 3:16 pm

Here is another photo:
http://tinyurl.com/ctlcln