Paramount Theatre
612 Main Street,
Buffalo,
NY
14202
612 Main Street,
Buffalo,
NY
14202
8 people
favorited this theater
Showing 126 - 145 of 145 comments
In some of the photos that you provided the beige taller building next to the tallest one looks like it might have been a theatre facade, but strange that no mention of it being a theatre is on that link.
Lost Memory: I just sent a friend of mine in Buffalo an email concerning this address and forwarded to him the Buffalo link so he may be able to shed some light on 620 Main as he has lived in Buffalo all of his life and remembers many of the former theatres and their locations.
William: Do you remember the art deco Buffalo Central Terminal? The clock has been restored on the outside of the building and so has the brass clock inside after it was found and returned from an antique shop in Chicago. Also, this Saturday there will be the first ever car show at BCT. And thanks for checking out the 620 Main Street location in Buffalo.
Patsy: I will be in Buffalo later this week. I will check out what is there. When there last month I thought it was a parking garage, but it may be condos. Many bldgs in Bflo are being rehabed to residential… L.L.Berger is now condos and the Elk Terminal, too.
What is at 620 Main Street now that the Paramount is gone?
william lambert: The Big E that you refer to WAS the “Castle”. It was The Erie County Savings Bank, designed by G. Post in 1893. It looked like a Castle, with turret like designs ( 7 or 8 ) at the top and Portcullis-like windows. It was razed in 1967 in order to build the south end of the Main Place Mall. It was located on a triangle bordered by Niagara, Church and Pearl Streets.
Here is a link for this theater:
http://ah.bfn.org/a/main/646/hist/
DUnks: Interesting to read that you have the organ that was once in the Shea’s Great Lakes. How did you happen that you became its current owner?
williamlambert: Thanks for the compliments to Buffalo and the area. I know what you mean when you say “the hurricanes in these parts of late are much more harrowing than any blizzard…also the people are nicer and warmer…” Alot of truth in those words! I love the beautiful Shea’s Theatre and the Hall of Fame in the lobby which includes Lucille Ball as its first inductee though she died before making the trip to Buffalo and to her hometown of Jamestown to receive this honor and many others. BTW, I don’t recall the castle that you speak of where the Big E building went up, but can find out through a long time Buffalo resident who will more than likely have the answer!
I was recently in Buffalo and discovered that what was once the Paramount, Great Lakes, is now a parking garage at the corner of Main and Chippewa. The area is thriving. This building was gone when I was a child. But, I do know that my Mom’s stepfather owned it while he ran the Shea’s chain. I had forgotten how beautiful the many buildings in Buffalo are, at least those that remain. Does anyone recall the castle that was where the Big E building went up? I now live far from Buffalo and miss it much… I would not mind moving back the hurricanes in these parts of late are much more harrowing than any blizzard. Also, the people there are nicer and warmer…
Lostmemory: Shea’s took possession of the Great Lakes on Sept.4,1931.
The NW corner of Main & Chippewa was occupied by Harvey & Carey Drug Store, Mac Doel’s Restaurant and Nemmer Furniture Store.
Laube’s Old Spain was located in a building closer to Shea’s Buffalo theater. It closed a number of years ago. After a fire destroyed the original Swiss Chalet restaurant building across the street, they relocated to the premises once occupied by Laube’s. At last report they were still operating there. The Great Lakes/Paramount building bears no hint that it once had been a theater. It was stripped of every detail when it was converted to other use.
I have the organ that was originally installed the theater and would like to have a picture and more information about the theater.
The organ is a Wurlitzer style 235SP, opus #1616 shipped 4/16/1927 to the Great Lakes Theater. Fortunately the organ is complete in almost original condition except for the console. The Console was unusual in that the cabinet was built during the transition period, representing a combination of the two basic styles. In addition, five of the eleven ranks extended to 16'. It was shipped with a pressure (expressive) Piano, and all the standard percussions except for the Tuned Sleigh Bells.
Restoration of the instrument, which includes the addition of several ranks, is in process.
The Paramount Theatre was originally The Great Lakes Theatre. I remember watching it being demolished in the very early 1990’s to make way for the City Centre Condo’s. I may be wrong but at the time I had heard that they were going to keep a small part of the facade incorporated into the new building. However, it doesn’t seem likely. The Paramount stood towards the NW corner of W.CHippewa and Main St. At the time of it’s demolition, there was just an empty lot to the south of it…to the corner of Main and Chippewa. II believe that this is where Laube’s (Lobby’s) Old Spain once stood.
The photo above was shot October 22-23,1951. The Firm was Leon H. Lempert & Son, Theatrical Architects, of Rochester,N.Y.
The Paramount opened May 30,1927 as the Fox Great Lakes. The Architect was Leon H. Lempert,Jr. Interior Designer was Gustave Brandt. It’s original seating capacity was 3,300. It became the Paramount on July 22,1949. It closed Feb.16,1965. Gutted soon after.The facade and walls remained till the 80’s. It was described as a nine story, four bay, Art Moderne building with Spanish Revival style detailing. The main Spanish foyer on the Mezzanine had a ceiling of Indian figures, typifying the past history of this region. The pillars were twisted marble. On either side of the auditorium, in recesses, were large murals showing the evolution and development of Music and Drama. Over the proscenium was a large painting entitled “The Awakening of Day”. Today the site is occupied by the City Center Condominiums. I’ll try and send B&W shots from the Courier Express, at a later date. Bruce, I hoped this helped.
Would like to know more about what is going on with the Paramount Theatre. I would love to see some pictures of the exterior as well as the interior. My parents use to go to both the Shea’s Buffalo and The Paramount to see the Big Bands as well as the movies.Brucec
My father was from Buffalo. We went back every few years to visit relatives. I saw the 1967 James Bond film at a midnight showing of “You Only Live Twice” at the Shea’s Buffalo.The theatre was in beautiful condition. Down the street at the Loews Tech was “Taming of the Shrew” and across the street at the Cinema was “Barefoot in the Park” and down the street at the Century Theatre was a Disney feature and the Paramount was closed. Buffalo truly had a theatre distict then. Bruce
I was in Buffalo last July and was on the street shown in the photo.
Shea’s Buffalo (shown in the photo as closer to the viewer than the Paramount) is still there and being restored (though that huge neon sign is gone), but there is no sign of a theatre where the Paramount was.