Hollywood Theater (Minneapolis) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hollywood Theater
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The Hollywood Theater building from the southwest
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2815 Johnson Street Northeast, Minneapolis, Minnesota |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1935 |
| Architect | Jack Liebenberg and Seeman Kaplan |
| Architectural style | Streamline Moderne |
| Website | hollywoodmpls.com |
| NRHP reference No. | 13001145 |
| Added to NRHP | February 5, 2014 |
The Hollywood Theater is a historic building in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is a famous old movie theater. This building is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It is located in the Audubon Park neighborhood.
Contents
The Theater's Grand Opening
The Hollywood Theater first opened its doors on October 26, 1935. It was a very special event. The sign outside called it the "Incomparable Showcase of the Northwest." This meant it was the best and most unique theater in the area.
Amazing Design and Style
The theater was designed by two architects, Jack Liebenberg and Seeman Kaplan. They had a lot of money to make the theater look amazing. They used a style called Art Deco and Streamline Moderne. This style uses smooth lines and geometric shapes.
The outside of the theater was made of smooth Kasota limestone. It had vertical lines that changed to horizontal ones. Inside, the theater had a beautiful patterned terrazzo floor. It also had shiny gilded pillars and special sound-absorbing tiles. The theater could seat almost 1000 people.
Famous Architects
Liebenberg and Kaplan were well-known for designing theaters. They also designed the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis. Another one of their designs was the Terrace Theatre in Robbinsdale.
Challenges and Closure
Even though the Hollywood Theater was beautiful, it did not make a lot of money. People called it "the Twin Cities' most beautiful and modern neighborhood theatre." But it still struggled financially. The theater changed owners many times. It finally closed in 1987.
A Historic Landmark
In 1990, the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission named the theater a local landmark. This meant it was an important historic building. However, the theater still faced challenges. It could not compete with new video stores and large movie theaters.
Plans for the Future
Over the years, many ideas were suggested for the building. Some people wanted to turn it into apartments. Others thought about making it a studio for film and photography. In 1993, the Minneapolis Community Development Agency bought the theater. They looked at different plans, including fixing it up or even tearing it down.
In 2009, the city bought the land next to the theater. This was to create more space for parking or other uses. In 2015, a developer named Andrew Volna bought the property. He planned to fix it up and turn it into a place for events. He wanted to keep its historic look.
Reopening and National Recognition
The renovation of the Hollywood Theater was finished in early 2023. It reopened soon after that.
The Hollywood Theater was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 5, 2014. It was recognized for its unique Streamline Moderne design. It was also important because it showed how neighborhood cinemas grew during the Great Depression. These cinemas were often locally owned and easy to reach by streetcar.
