Lyceum Theatre

Joe Vogel on March 27, 2014 at 6:26 pm

Google’s street view on this page is six blocks too far west. The Lyceum was actually at the northeast corner of E. 3rd Avenue and F Street, and Google street view won’t be able to show it as the intersection was obliterated by the construction of the Horton Plaza shopping center.

Work on the mixed-use building that included the Lyceum Theatre began in the spring of 1912, as noted in this announcement from the May 25 issue of Southwest Contractor & Manufacturer:

“San Diego—The Charley Concrete Construction Co. has started excavation work at the northeast corner of Third and F Sts. for a 5 story and basement Class A hotel, theater and store building for Chaffey & Cobb. The building will cover a ground area 100x100 ft. and will be of reinforced concrete construction, the Chaffey patent system to be used. The first floor will contain six stores, a theater and the hotel lobby, and the upper floors will be divided into 168 hotel rooms with private baths. The theater will be 60x100 ft. and will accommodate 1000 persons. The building will be modernly equipped throughout and will cost about $125,000. Plans by Archts. Hamilton & Smith Bros. American National Bank Bldg.”

As built, the building only had four floors, not the five originally planned. Hamilton & Smith Bros. designed at least three other theaters in San Diego, but I haven’t been able to identify them yet. Early San Diego Theaters indicates that there was a theater called the Gaiety on this site in 1909. It was apparently demolished to make way for the Chaffey & Cobb project.

kencmcintyre on December 19, 2008 at 12:59 am

Here is a view of the Hollywood marquee in 1940:
http://tinyurl.com/4dxutj