Pantages Theater
708 Hennepin Avenue,
Minneapolis,
MN
55403
708 Hennepin Avenue,
Minneapolis,
MN
55403
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Another interesting fact is that the Stimson Building, which houses the theater was intended to be a large office block. It was discovered during the renovation that the 2-story Stimson was way overbuilt with huge columns that poke through the roof. Upon later investigation they found pictures advertising a new 12-story building housing the Pantages from the 1910s. It is still possible that the upper stories could be built, perhaps as a hotel to serve the entertainment district…
-Sean
Ted Mann has quite a legacy of destroying the great movie palaces of Minneapolis. Having worked closely with the architects that refurbished the theater most recently, I know first hand the damage that man could do. He was a fan of updating rather than preserving and the Pantages suffered. During remodeling, anything that protruded from the wall was hacked off to hang drapes. The original lobby was gutted, hence the new ‘modern’ lobby. I beleive he also worked on the Acadamy (Shubert) which is in dire need of restoration.
The Pantages Theatre has reopened for off-broadway type shows. The Auditorium has been restored to its 1922 appearence, while the lobby is modern. A vertical sign of the marquee has been restored to its 1920s look.