Rialto Theatre
2418 Santa Clara Avenue,
Alameda,
CA
94501
2418 Santa Clara Avenue,
Alameda,
CA
94501
No one has favorited this theater yet
Additional Info
Previously operated by: T & D Jr. Enterprises
Architects: George F. King
Functions: Bank
Previous Names: Alameda Theater
Nearby Theaters
This theatre, known for its front arched window, opened in 1913 as the Alameda Theater (not to be confused with the current Alameda Theatre on Central Avenue, which was built nearly two decades later). It became the Rialto Theatre in 1921, then closed in 1923. But the story does not quite end there…
Heavily renovated and converted into a bowling alley, it operated in that capacity until the mid-1970’s, when Alameda Federal Bank transformed the building yet again, reopening the front arch (which had been covered over for years) and restoring it. The Rialto Theatre building continues on as a bank today.
Contributed by
Garrett Murphy
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
Albert W. Cornelius designed the Rialto (originally the [original] Alameda).
Correction—-this was actually the “second” Alameda.
Here is a small photo of the Alameda Theatre from the July 12, 1913, issue of The Moving Picture world. The caption says that the Alameda was a Turner & Dahnken house.
Here’s a more recent photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/67739976@N00/19220542334/in/dateposted-public/
An article in the Oakland Tribune of 21 July 1912, page 28, displayed a sketch of the theater’s façade and provided this info about the architect:
“The architect, George E. King of Berkeley, who recently came from New York, where he designed and built several theaters, is a specialist in theater building.”
I checked George King in Berkeley building permits and city directories. He was actually George F. King and designed quite a number of buildings—both residential and commercial—in Berkeley.
Thanks for the correction on the architect, chronicler. I was able to find that King also designed the Strand Theatre in Alameda.