Uptown Theater (Kansas City, Missouri) facts for kids
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| Address | 3700 Broadway Blvd Kansas City, MO 64111-2506 |
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| Location | Valentine |
| Owner | UGA |
| Operator | Mammoth |
| Capacity | 2,400 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | November 1926 |
| Opened | January 6, 1928 |
| Renovated | 1941, 1994-98 |
| Closed | 1989-98 |
| Reopened | 1998 |
| Architect |
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| General contractor | Fleming-Gilchrist Construction |
| Main contractors | Valentine Realty Company |
| Website | |
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Uptown Building and Theater
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| Architectural style | Renaissance |
| NRHP reference No. | 79001374 |
| Added to NRHP | June 27, 1979 |
The Uptown Theater is a special and old building in Kansas City, Missouri. It is a historic theater that was added to a list of important places in 1979. This list is called the National Register of Historic Places. On this list, it is known as the Uptown Building and Theater.
Contents
History of the Uptown Theater
Building the Theater
The first ideas for the Uptown Theater came from an architect named Robert Gornall. He was from Kansas City. Work began on the part of the building that would have offices and shops. This part was finished in November 1926.
Gornall also planned for a theater to be at the back of the building. It would have a tall tower at the front for the entrance. After the offices were almost done, they started building the theater part. But then, work stopped for a while.
In 1927, a company called Universal Film Company bought the unfinished building. They hired a designer named John Eberson. He was born in Austria. Eberson was in charge of finishing the theater and decorating the inside. A local company, Fleming-Gilchrist Construction Company, built both parts of the Uptown.
Opening Day and Special Features
John Eberson designed the Uptown in an Italian Renaissance style. It was an "atmospheric theater." This means the inside looked like you were outdoors. It was one of only a few theaters like this in Missouri.
The theater's inside looked like a Mediterranean courtyard at night. It had a ceiling that looked like a night sky with twinkling stars. There were even clouds and mechanical birds that could fly!
The Uptown Theater opened on January 6, 1928. The first movie shown was The Irresistible Lover. It was the first theater outside of downtown Kansas City to show brand new movies.
In 1931, the Uptown Theater created a special system called Fragratone. This system could send nice smells into the theater. The smells would come through the air vents during the movies.
Later Years and Closure
For many years, the Uptown showed movies. It also hosted live shows like vaudeville and stage plays. This continued through the 1970s.
By the late 1970s, the theater mostly became a place for concerts. It stayed a concert venue until it closed in 1989. The building had become quite old and needed many repairs. Many of its original decorations had been painted over.
Bringing the Uptown Back to Life
Why the Theater Closed
After the Uptown Theater closed in 1989, it was given to a group called the Land Trust of Jackson County. This group helps sell properties when taxes haven't been paid. Larry Sells was in charge of the Land Trust at that time. He tried for several years to sell the empty theater, but he couldn't find anyone to buy it.
A New Beginning
In 1994, Larry Sells left the Land Trust. He then bought the Uptown Theater himself for $7,500. He wanted to fix up the theater. He also planned to improve the whole area around Broadway between 38th Street and Armour Boulevard.
Sells created a company called UGA, LLC to buy the theater. After buying it, he spent $15 million to make the theater new again. The beautiful original details and colors that Eberson designed were brought back.
Modern Updates
During the renovation, they also added a lot of new space. This included 33,000 sq ft (3,100 m2) for the lobby, a bar, offices, and banquet rooms. Because of this big project, the Uptown is still one of the few "atmospheric theaters" that is open today.
Some of the seats are still in the balcony and the back part of the main floor. But the front part of the floor, closest to the stage, is now open. This allows for tables or standing room during concerts.
