The renovation to date has only resulted in opening a video game room in the former lobby. Other work continues in the auditorium.
When it was built, it had a “swamp” roof for cooling, which was like having a small lake on top of the building. It cause a great deal of difficulty during renovation because of water damage.
The Iris closed in 1952 and was converted to a very plush banquet hall, The Chateau Royale. I attended many functions there and it was still elegant. The owners had statuary that had been in the Paradise theater previously.
After the neighborhood ran down, it became a church.
A fun place. We used to go there to see horror films, which were its specialty in the 50’s. It also was one of the only theaters where you could buy hot dogs in the lobby. What a smell would greet you when you came in the doors!
I remember this theater as the Rockne. It was renamed after Knute Rockne of Fighting Irish fame after his untimely demise in plane crash. It was always a neat place to watch a film, especially since it was one of the few neighborhood places that had a balcony.
Unfortunately, it became a porno house in the 70,s. Nice to see it’s a church now.
The renovation to date has only resulted in opening a video game room in the former lobby. Other work continues in the auditorium.
When it was built, it had a “swamp” roof for cooling, which was like having a small lake on top of the building. It cause a great deal of difficulty during renovation because of water damage.
The Iris closed in 1952 and was converted to a very plush banquet hall, The Chateau Royale. I attended many functions there and it was still elegant. The owners had statuary that had been in the Paradise theater previously.
After the neighborhood ran down, it became a church.
A fun place. We used to go there to see horror films, which were its specialty in the 50’s. It also was one of the only theaters where you could buy hot dogs in the lobby. What a smell would greet you when you came in the doors!
I remember this theater as the Rockne. It was renamed after Knute Rockne of Fighting Irish fame after his untimely demise in plane crash. It was always a neat place to watch a film, especially since it was one of the few neighborhood places that had a balcony.
Unfortunately, it became a porno house in the 70,s. Nice to see it’s a church now.