Park Theatre
3519 Golden Gate Way,
Lafayette,
CA
94549
3519 Golden Gate Way,
Lafayette,
CA
94549
8 people
favorited this theater
Related Websites
CinemaSF (Official)
Additional Info
Operated by: CinemaSF
Previously operated by: Renaissance Rialto
Architects: William Bernard David
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Apr 21, 2011 — New Rheem owners to take over operations of Orinda Theater
- Jun 28, 2007 — Fight for Park Theatre
- Oct 10, 2005 — Developer Plans to Bring New Life to Park Theater
- Sep 14, 2005 — Lafayette's Park Theatre Closing
The Park Theatre was opened on August 21, 1941 Bud Abbott & Lou Costello in “Hold That Ghost”. It was taken over by Renaissance Rialto in 1987. The Park Theatre closed in September 2005, and was purchased not long after by a group of businessmen who plan on converting the theatre to another, as of yet unspecified, but non-theatrical, use.
It was taken over by CinemasSF in February 2022 with restorations begun in 2023.
Contributed by
Cinema Treasures
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Recent comments (view all 19 comments)
Lived in Walnut Creek in early ‘50s, remember, as a kid, going with older Sis 'n Bro to the Park to watch 'Quo Vadis'when it first came out. Thought it nicer than the little W.C. 'house’. Of course the “Orinda” had them both beat on ‘Facades’ & Interiors!
Is it possible to try to save this Theater with the help of the City of Lafayette? Could a non-profit foundation be set up to purchase the theater and continue its use as such?
Barry Hunau
38 year resident of Lafayette who loves this theater
Here is a 2005 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/34by7r
Barry,
I met with city officials last year to look into reopening the Park. The city is all for it and will even allocate funds for exterior improvements, however the greedy scheister land owner isn’t budging. He bought the Park and talked just the right talk to appease folks about conversion to nightclubs or dinner theatre. Then he bought the apartment building just behind the theatre. Then he submitted a plan to the city to knock them both down for commercial use, or housing use. He can’t meet the parking requirements so the city wont allow him to proceed, so he’s just letting it sit there and deteriorate until it hopefully falls down or ends up in such a state of disrepair that the city won’t object to him just knocking it down and building just what lafayette needs…::sigh:: more Starbucks or townhouse space. You should ask the city where the guy lives and take a leak on his front door.
Does anyone know what’s happening with this theatre or who the owners are? It’s been empty for a long time and it’s not listed on the market for lease or sale. I love the property and would really like to see something happen with it. If anyone has information I’d love to know.
Latest update: the alleged current owner of the theater is having a feasibility study done as
to if the Park can reopen and what it would take after being shuddered and not maintained in that time.
It can be done but it’s got to be done the right way and I pray this guy is not an egomaniac and has some knowledge of how the business works. I just can’t see and hope I never do see the marquee ablaze with “Twilight Eclipse” as the route they go because that just won’t work there.
Looks like The Park may soon become an ice cream parlor: View Link
Any new info on this theater? I’ll be moving a few blocks away from this location and would sure love to see it resurrected for cinematic use.
Hey all! There’s a new movement going on now to Save the Park! Please check out the blog and sign the petition: www.parktheaterlafayette.wordpress.com Glad to have found this site and all of the past comments by like minded folks!
This theater is currently being restored, initial funds have been raised and they’re currently undertaking an additional 5 million dollar restoration fund. The theater is owned by a trust at this point and you can visit the website by following the link below: https://parktheatertrust.org/