Westlake Theatre

638 S. Alvarado Street,
Los Angeles, CA 90057

Unfavorite 16 people favorited this theater

Showing 26 - 50 of 107 comments

vokoban
vokoban on July 26, 2009 at 9:59 am

Nice photos…..they really show that there is something here to save.

vokoban
vokoban on July 22, 2009 at 4:26 pm

That’s alright. I just hope it doesn’t get demolished.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on July 22, 2009 at 4:14 pm

Not surprising. Looks like it will be a swap meet for a while.

vokoban
vokoban on July 22, 2009 at 3:54 pm

Uh oh….this looks bad:

View link

Bway
Bway on May 26, 2009 at 8:19 am

Great photos ken mc. I had wanted to stop inside that theater when driving by a few times, but just never had the time to stop. It’s such a diamond in the rough, and almost waiting to be restored.
It reminds me a bit of a theater in Richmond Hill, NY, the RKO Keiths Richmond Hill Theater…used as a flea market/Bingo hall. When I first went into that theater in the early 80’s, it still had all it’s original gold leaf paint and colorful ceiling, etc. It’s since been repainted with plain beige paint, but still seems like a diamond in the rough like this one.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on April 10, 2009 at 6:14 pm

Here is a 1983 view of the Westlake:
http://tinyurl.com/db2us5

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on March 19, 2009 at 9:14 am

The CRA discussion was last August. Is there anything new on this one?

monika
monika on January 17, 2009 at 9:36 am

Socal09, I am shocked by your comment! When I had the opportunity to visit the Westlake I was amazed at the condition of the interior of the building, the murals, the box office, facade, and rooftop neon. Consider the building empty, the vendors and temporary walls removed, those bright flood lights in the auditorium replaced by soft house lights. Regardless of one’s definition of “worthiness”, the Westlake gives no indication that it is not an ideal contender for restoration. If the fire riddled, rotted away by the elements for decades New Granada theatre in Pittsburgh can be slated for restoration, surely the Westlake “deserves” it.

Please do not read this passionate comment as aggressive, I simply did not expect a comment like yours in regard to a theatre with such life left in it as the Westlake.

vokoban
vokoban on January 17, 2009 at 6:42 am

When all of the vendor fixtures, merchandise, and junk are removed I’m sure the situation will look much different. Luckily, there are only opinions on this site and your ‘not worthy’ proclamation is only an opinion. You should see how Grey Gardens looks now….who would have imagined?

socal09
socal09 on January 17, 2009 at 2:14 am

This theatre is a dump. Not worthy of restoration.

vokoban
vokoban on January 16, 2009 at 10:19 pm

You’re a peach.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on January 16, 2009 at 9:04 pm

Go to www.issuu.com and put boxoffice in the search engine.

vokoban
vokoban on January 16, 2009 at 8:56 pm

Nice…where do you access that magazine? Did you go to the library or is it online somewhere?

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on January 16, 2009 at 6:00 pm

Here is an item from Boxoffice magazine in January 1960:

LOS ANGELES-N.P. “Red” Jacobs, president of Favorite Films of California and operator of the local Lake Theater, has purchased the Westlake Theater and building at Alvarado and Wilshire. He assumed active operation as of December 30.

Jacobs acquired the Westlake from Fox West Coast Theaters. The circuit had operated the 1,900-seat fim house for many years.

unihikid
unihikid on December 28, 2008 at 5:52 pm

im sure it can be restored no matter what.and you gotta see it from a “big picture” point of view,like it or not that area is coming up,i call it “the white flight of the yuppies”,10 15 years ago melrose was the place to live,now everyone is getting smart and moving south and east because its more affordable.now with parking..who needs cars when you have the subway a few short steps away….this would be the first step in getting that area to cater to more people and not just latinos.just wait and see this is a big step for a great lil community

Meredith Rhule
Meredith Rhule on December 20, 2008 at 4:30 pm

Yes, this was a real theater, and I did work here.

Meredith Rhule
Meredith Rhule on December 20, 2008 at 4:22 pm

This was my Sunday relief work in the late 70s. It was a nice place to relax and enjoy the little lake across the street. I gotta watch the video above again. I never saw the concession stand in it when I watched it before. Hmmm, okay, let’s watch it again…

socal09
socal09 on October 18, 2008 at 9:18 pm

Having visited the Westlake theater today, I can’t say there’s much left to save and the neighborhood is a nighmare. Who is going to come to this renovated theater in this poor Latino neighborhood? No one is going to park in this area at night, if you can even find parking. The concrete floor that was poured seems to have destroyed much of the decoration on the side walls of the theater below the small curved balconies shown in Neonrocks photo above. I can’t say I was too impressed by the decor that was left. It was rather garrish and cheap looking. I’m all for saving old theaters but this doesn’t seem like one worth concentrating a lot of effort on. I’d rather see the Pacific in Hollywood or the Tower, Roxie or Warner downtown restored. The Westlake might work as a Latin American Cultural/Community Center but not as a film venue.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on September 26, 2008 at 10:48 pm

Here is a photo from the adult film days, circa 1985:
http://tinyurl.com/3hxyf5

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 23, 2008 at 9:41 am

Here is the LA Times story in the paper today:
http://tinyurl.com/5c5txr

monika
monika on August 23, 2008 at 9:33 am

Six recent photos of the Westlake can be seen at my Flickr page:
View link

neonrocks
neonrocks on August 10, 2008 at 8:46 pm

I visited the Westlake Theater this past weekend and took a video of the interior. Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyX8ZcBUDpA

Also, the CRA has come up with some redevelopment plans for the theater and its environs that are, well, rather hideous:

View link

I think we should start making some phone calls to LA City Council and the LA Conservancy. These plans do not match the other historic architecture of the area. What an eyesore this restoration might turn out to be!!

P.S.
I found a picture of the old neon lit up!:
View link

Also, here’s how the interior used to look when it was still intact:
View link