Loew's Park Theatre
10209 Euclid Avenue,
Cleveland,
OH
44106
10209 Euclid Avenue,
Cleveland,
OH
44106
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I was wondering if anyone has any pictures of the Loews Park Theatre. I am writing a book of Ghost stories. Please contact me. Thanks
So that explains why I never saw ads for it. It was long gone. Thanks for that info.
I have finally found a picture of the Park in 1956 (it also shows the Alhambra) in the digital collection of the Cleveland Public Library: View link
There are tools and a slider that will enable the viewer to enlarge and then scan left to get a better view.
Considering how large and grand this theater was, that marquee almost makes it look like a neighborhood house.
Mike Rivest’s list says 1957, which I would think is probably correct. I too grew up in Cleveland in the 1950s-60s at that time, and my mother always referred to it in the past tense. If the Rivest information is correct, Loew’s gave it up in 1953, probably as a result of the Consent Decree. Then too, so many theaters in Cleveland, as elsewhere, were killed by television at that time.
Does anyone know when the Park ended as a theater? I dont remember seeing ads for it in the 60s papers, but I was a child back then, so could have missed it……
Thanks Chris.
As noted in the introduction, Loew’s Park had a sister theater in the Loew’s Granada on Cleveland’s west side (sister in the sense that they usually played the same features at the same time; architecturally, they were were very different). The Park indeed became a losing proposition, especially given its size. When the Park opened in 1921, vaudeville was still going strong, and the large size probably would have seemed viable and appropriate. But by 1927, when the Granada opened, vaudeville was in definite decline. The Granada lasted almost twenty years longer than the Park as the surrounding neighborhood did not decline as rapidly, and with over a thousand less seats, the theater was able to remain profitable longer.
There were multiple attempts around the country to have a second downtown. The area by the Fox St Louis, by the Fisher Building in Detroit. Usually it was where multiple streetcar lines split away from a main intersection a distance from downtown. Huge downtown department type stores usually did not develop, so retail was less dense. Loew’s Park became a loosing proposition and ceased to show movies much earlier than other theatres and became a church, with a very interesting lot of stories about it. That is why there was so little remodeling that was normal for theatres with even fair grosses. The lobby outlasted the theatre as a store for several years and was the least real estate needed to access the huge theatre in the middle of the block.
One has to remember though that there was a time in the late 1920’s and 1930’s that the 105th and Euclid area was almost a second downtown with two Lamb theaters (Keith’s 105th almost across the street) and four or five smaller theaters adjacent to upscale stores and fashionable restaurants. But by the late 1950’s and after, the area became very down at heel and even dangerous. Looking at the area today, it is hard to imagine how trendy and bustling it once was as a businesss and entertainment district as newer and bland office and hospital buildings have replaced what was once a very urban main street.
It was huge for a theatre so far from downtown. Typical Lamb design but in my list of top 10 most decayed theatres. Rain had washed so much plaster away that the basement filled up about 4 feet deep with the plaster dust, which set up and looked and felt like a level concrete floor. The ventilation penthouse had a wood floor that was too rotted to walk on, especially knowing it was a huge drop to the ceiling below if it let go. I have a couple of box seats that survived a fire and salvaged the marble from the lower steps of the grand staircase as part of a contents purchase form the church that still owned it. It did not get any later remodelling that many Lamb theatres got and the flower well was still open under the balcony to the seating below. We had to bring in a generater and several thousannd watts of lighting to get pictures.
The Park Theater was opened (1921) as one of the largest motion -picture houses in Cleveland. Joseph Laronge selected the site at 10211 Euclid Ave, and Thomas W. Lamb built the theater for the Loew interests. The first audiences were deeply impressed by the golden silk-velour walls, the ivory-and-gold decorations, the murals, and the majestic proscenium arch. The spacious promenade and lobby also contributed to make the theater one of Loews three most important playhouses in the nation at the time of the opening. An excellent orchestra contributed to the programs.
excerpt from “Cleveland: The Making Of A City” by William Ganson Rose
The Park was very similar to the downtown Loew’s State. It was in Thomas Lamb’s typical Adam style. I was in it once and it really seemed more ornate than the State to me. The west side Granada was an atmospheric theatre, about 2300 seats. I think the only other atmospheric theatre in Cleveland was the Hilliard Square. In the 40’s and 50’s the Park and Granada played 2nd run films together, right after their first run at the downtown Loew’s houses.
Anyone know what architectural style it was? Were the Granada and the Park identical? For some reason I cant remember the Park, though I do remember the Granada (ads at least. Was never in either theater).
Wasn’t the divorcement to seperate the MGM Studios from Loew’s, Inc., which left Loew’s with only the theatres?
The neighborhood there was ok in the 50s, and then went downhill real quick in the 60s.