Wynne Theatre
2001 N. 54th Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19131
2001 N. 54th Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19131
2 people
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You’d be better off going to Google Streetview to see the outside of this building. ^That website above^ is nearly impossible to navigate.
Updating the bio, the Wynne is currently open as a senior residence facility. From PennRose.com - “Wynne Senior Residences was designed to replicate much of the architectural heritage of the previously iconic Wynne Theater. The building was historically used as a ballroom, cinema, and later a catering facility. ” The rooftop sign has been recreated. The photos of what the outside looks like can be seen https://www.pennrose.com/apartments/pennsylvania/wynne-senior-residences/
I have an inaugural program from the Wynne theater among others in my collection.
The Wynne Theatre opened November 18, 1927 with Morton Sills in “The Sea Tiger.” The Wynne closed permanently March 1, 1953 with Olivia DeHavilland in “My Cousin Rachel.”
Ad didn’t appear in photo section
November 18th, 1927 grand opening ad in photo section.
Article here http://cdesignc.org/blog/2015/12/17/golden-sledgehammers-for-wynne-senior-residences
Currently being renovated to open as Wynne Senior Housing.
Demolition reported to be imminent as the building is said to be too far gone to save. Hidden City Philadelphia story here. The piece says that the city took over ownership of the property this summer after the previous owners ran up $500,000 in unpaid taxes.
Here’s Friday’s Hidden City Philadelphia blog article about how current plans are on hold: http://hiddencityphila.org/2011/09/wynne-theater-plans-on-hold/
Here is a photo circa 1920s from the Irvin Glazer theater collection:
http://tinyurl.com/yfaw3l4
More on Katie Jackson, see above post-
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Much of the development of Wynnefield after the 1960s is due to the influence of the late Katie B. Jackson, born 1929. Known by the African-American community as “Queen of Wynnefield,” Jackson founded the Wynnefield Academy, a private, co-educational PK-4 elementary school in 1975. The Katie B. Jackson Development Corporation and Katie B. Jackson Senior Citizens Complex bear her name.
from April 2007 Wynnefield Residents Association newsletter
“Local Wynnefield Institutions”
The Wynne Plaza Ballroom: The Wynne or Wynne Plaza Ballroom at 54th and Arlington streets was an integral part of the 54th street business sector. It was a movie theater, then became an up-scale catering and banquet hall, and later a bingo parlor. In 1981 the Wynne was sold again to successful Wynnefield entrepreneur Mrs. Katie B. Jackson, who reopened it as a successful banquet and catering facility. It continued as a successful enterprise until after Mrs. Jackson’s death in 1993.
More recent photos at this website:
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Photo & text in book, Jewish Community of West Philadelphia:
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This photo, too, from same time:
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Photo August 2008, apparently abandoned:
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31 Jan 1953 Box Office reported that the Wynne was shuttered.
That’s where I got Arlington from. I couldn’t find the theater on Google using Wynnefield Avenue.
This won’t map out correctly unless you substitute Arlington Street for Wynnefield Avenue. If you do that the building shows up pretty much as described above.