Elmwood Theatre
2966 College Avenue,
Berkeley,
CA
94705
2966 College Avenue,
Berkeley,
CA
94705
3 people
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According to a memo posted on the ticket booth by the Elmwood Theater foundation and the operator, San Carlos Cinemas, flooding from a adjacent property last fall severely damagd the main auditorium’s seats, flooring and concrete base, necessating their removal and replacement. In addition, changes in the city requirements for masonry structures that necessated seismic retrofitting, coupled with delays involving insurance, permits and construction issues have resulted in a longer than expected closure for the theater. The foundation and San Carlos' projected date for reopening the Elmwood (at least as of this writing) is July 2005.
It was an art house in the mid-late 60’s. I remember seeing the French film A Man and a Woman there. It played forever. Some friends who didn’t have a car lived a block away and complained that the whole time they lived there (9 months), the Elmwood only showed that film.
The Elmwood is currently closed for remodeling.
I’ve long felt to some degree that the Elmwood’s story after its 1988 fire is analogous in certain respects to that of Oakland’s New Fruitvale (q.v.) nearly two decades earlier, particularly in that both were operated by United Artists, which essentially stalled as long as it could to avoid reopening both theaters. Fortunately, the Elmwood can boast of a much happier ending to its tale of ordeal, and in a much shorter time as well.
Interesting to see that the Strand’s original architect was A. W. Cornelius, something I did not know. His other theatres include the California in Pittsburg (closed but standing with original facade intact), T&D/Fox/UA in Richmond (demolished 1980s), and T&D/Fox California (in use sporadically for performing arts and movies, remodeled several times) in Salinas.
Architects: 1914 design by Albert W. Cornelius, moderne-ized in 1947 by Alexander Aimwell Cantin
The Elmwood was my pride and joy. I was the independent operator
who, after the fire, tri-plexed the house and equipped it with
vintage, salvaged art deco light fixtures from various older
movie houses including the Merced Theater in Merced CA.
P.S. to my earlier post: Ironically, the building that was nearly destroyed in the fire that that closed the Elmwood reopened far sooner than the theater (whose damage was less severe, though significant) did. Go figure.
The Strand was built in 1914 and became the Elmwood about 1949 after extensive remodeling. It ran as a single-screen until it was closed in October 1988 by a fire that had spread to it from the building next door. United Artists (its operator at the time) attempted to sell it to a developer set to either demolish or radically gut it; fortunately neighborhood and community opposition thwarted that curve ball, and the Elmwood survives today, the only major alteration done during its repairs being to convert the balcony to two smaller theaters.
The Strand was long ago renamed the Elmwood, and operates today as a triplex with a wonderful historically-maintained and decorated feel.(You may want to look up “Elmwood” under Berkeley, CA) Coincidentally, during its triplexing renovation, the Elmwood received salvaged light fixtures from the Strand, San Francisco.