Golden Gate Theater facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Golden Gate Theater
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Golden Gate Theater, 2008
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 Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 5170 E Whittier Blvd, East Los Angeles, California |
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| Built | 1927 |
| Architect | Balch Brothers; Vega Corp. |
| Architectural style | California Churrigueresque |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002192 |
| Added to NRHP | February 23, 1982 |
The Golden Gate Theater is a really cool old movie theater in East Los Angeles, California. It was built way back in 1927. This theater has a special look called California Churrigueresque style. In 1982, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list helps protect important historical buildings.
The theater stopped showing movies in 1986. A nearby building, which was part of the theater complex, was damaged by an earthquake in 1987. It was later torn down. The theater building itself stayed empty for over 20 years. Many people wanted to save it. Finally, in 2012, it was turned into a drugstore and opened again.
About the Theater Building
The Golden Gate Theater was a huge place. It could seat almost 1,500 people! It was built in a busy part of Los Angeles. This was at the corner of Whittier Boulevard and Atlantic Boulevard.
A man named Peter Snyder, often called the "Father of the East Side," built the theater. The architects were William and Clifford A. Balch. They also designed other famous theaters. The theater's design was very fancy. Its entrance looked just like a famous old building in Spain. When the theater was planned in 1927, newspapers said it would be a place for plays and movies. It would also have shops and apartments.
The theater was originally inside a larger L-shaped building called the Vega Building. This building had shops all around the theater. The Vega Building was famous for its tall, four-story tower. Experts who looked at the theater said it still looked very much like it did when it was first built. This helped it become a historical landmark.
Closing and Earthquake Damage
The Golden Gate Theater stopped showing movies in 1986. The next year, in 1987, a big earthquake hit the area. It was called the 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake. This earthquake badly damaged the Vega Building, which was next to the theater. For a few years, a church used the theater building for services. But they had to leave because of the earthquake damage.
Officials decided the Vega Building was too dangerous. So, it was torn down in 1992. This left the theater building standing alone in an empty space. People said that the empty theater building only hinted at how grand it once was.
Saving the Theater
The theater building stayed empty for a long time. People tried to tear it down many times. After the earthquake damaged the Vega Building, some wanted to tear down the theater too. County inspectors said the building was unsafe. Businesses inside, like a jewelry store and a bowling alley, had to close.
In 1988, demolition work started. But officials, like County Supervisor Ed Edelman, stopped the work. Demolition crews had already started taking down walls. Edelman, along with other community leaders and many concerned people, showed up to make sure the work stopped. They believed there was a mistake in allowing the demolition.
In 1992, the Vega Building was torn down. In 1994, the family who owned the theater wanted it removed from the National Register of Historic Places. This would make it easier to tear down the theater. But groups like the Mothers of East Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Conservancy fought against this. The Conservancy pointed out that the theater was one of only a few buildings in Los Angeles with its special Spanish Churrigueresque style.
In August 1994, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to call the theater a "historical resource." The State Historical Resources Commission also said no to removing the theater from the National Register.
In 2003, a new owner bought the property. There were rumors that they wanted to turn it into a Walgreens drugstore. The owner said they wanted to keep the building's beautiful look. But preservationists worried that the inside of the theater would be completely changed. They were especially concerned that the tall ceilings and stage arch would be replaced. Some people hoped the theater could become a performing arts center instead of a drugstore.
By 2008, people were still working to save the theater's historic inside. The Los Angeles Conservancy wanted to keep the original lobby, concession stand, and mezzanine level. They also wanted the building to be used again.
Finally, on May 25, 2010, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved turning the theater into a 24-hour drugstore. It opened as a CVS on August 19, 2012.
See also
