ALAMEDA — People are rallying to rescue a vintage movie theater here that could go out of business after being shut down for six months, with no opening date in sight, because of the pandemic.
Similarly, residents are raising money to try to save independent movie houses in Orinda and Livermore.
Not only has the Alameda Theatre & Cineplex been a place to catch the latest blockbuster, it also has been somewhere to watch a Golden State Warriors game, or even to reserve a spot for a kid’s birthday party, making it more of a community hub than just a business.
Since March, however, the theater on Central Avenue has been shuttered after Alameda County health officials ordered all theaters closed.
The movie house has been feeling the pinch. And it’s left some film fans fearful about the longterm future of the venue, a key downtown business.
The community, however, is determined to save the Art Deco theater, built in 1932, back when the country was also weathering some tough economic times.
The Alameda theater is not the only movie house in the East Bay the public wants to preserve.
People are also raising money for the Orinda Theatre, which began showing movies in December 1941, the same month the United States entered World War II. It costs up to $18,000 a month to maintain the building at Orinda Theater Square during the closure, according to its GoFundMe page.
As of Friday, people had donated more than $117,000. The goal is to raise $165,000.
The Vine Cinema & Alehouse in Livermore, which opened in December 1956, also is looking to keep going. Its first screening was a Jack Lemmon flick called “You Can’t Run Away From It.”
The Livermore theater, which specializes in art and independent films, locked its doors March 16. It had raised more than $103,000 toward its fundraising goal of $65,000 to stay open as of Friday, according to its GoFundMe page.
“The response to our campaign is one of the most humbling and uplifting experiences I have ever witnessed,” operator Kenny Way posted on the fundraising page. “I am truly grateful for each and every one of you that donated.”
Kyle Connor, who operates the Alameda theater, said he has been amazed by the public’s support, especially from people who he does not know who dipped into their pockets.
“It’s been overwhelming,” Connor said in a phone call. “It’s been very, very heartfelt for me. And it’s something I truly appreciate.”
As of Friday, a GoFundMe account for the Alameda theater has received more than $85,000 in donations. The account was set up Aug. 22, with a goal of raising $100,000.
“The great thing is that we have had over 1,000 people donate,” said Kevin Kennedy, Alameda’s city treasurer who helped launch the fundraising effort. “That’s a lot of people. And some of these are people who are giving small amounts, or what they can afford. Still, they want the theater to stay open.”
While donations are still coming in, the money might not be enough, Kennedy said.
It takes at least $20,000 a month to pay for lights, insurance and other costs to maintain the building, he said.
What’s special about the Alameda fundraising drive, Kennedy said, is that people have responded because they want to promote the economic vitality of Park Street, which along with Webster Street is a key business strip in Alameda.
Architect Timothy Pflueger, who died in November 1946, designed the Alameda theater. He also designed Oakland’s Paramount Theatre and San Francisco’s Castro Theatre, both iconic Bay Area structures.
The Alameda theater regularly hosted a talent show before films would start, an event that included the city’s teenagers showcasing their musical skills. Patrons could order drinks and food from an adjacent restaurant that would be delivered at their seats as they watched the show before the film started.
The original Alameda theater, which opened in 1932 with a screening of “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm,” closed in 1979 and was converted to a roller rink and a gymnastics club.
Later, the city built a parking garage next to the property, and the roller ink and gymnastics club were taken out. Connor added seven screens to the original theater to make the place more financially viable.
The city invested about $36 million toward building the garage, he said, which also serves customers of nearby stores and restaurants and City Hall, about a block from the theater.
Connor said he put about $11 million into renovating the theater. Since it reopened in 2008, a Starbucks, Peet’s Coffee & Tea and other businesses have opened nearby, helping draw more people to the area, Kennedy said.
“In addition to reinvigorating business and entertainment in the area, the theatre has also hosted events and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local nonprofits,” organizers of the online fundraising effort said.
"movie" - Google News
September 16, 2020 at 07:52PM
https://ift.tt/35GSVhf
Communities rally around East Bay movie theaters - East Bay Times
"movie" - Google News
https://ift.tt/35pMQUg
https://ift.tt/3fb7bBl
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Communities rally around East Bay movie theaters - East Bay Times"
Post a Comment