The PALM neon sign is alive and well, and switched on at night, in the window of a Burlingame antique store on California Dr at Sanchez Av. The nice man who runs the store wasn’t at liberty to tell me who bought it or for what price, but it is going to a good home. Also sold was the etched glass ticket window from the Palm; in the window also.
For those building a home theater, the copper decorative façade and a theater seat from the old Presidio Theater in San Francisco are for sale too. The façade is beautiful!
The shop owner said they light the sign every night, and it should remain in the window for another week or so. I drove by at night, and it’s beautiful. Don’t miss it!
The PALM neon letters from the theater tower are now all lit up, on street level, inside an antique store in Burlingame, on California Ave just south of Broadway. I was driving by late last night so I didn’t get the store name nor the asking price for the letters. I’ll try to get a closer look this weekend and post the price of theater history.
I have a not so great color photo of the front of the Palm and the stripy looking siding is red “used” brick. Not 100% sure, but I’d say it was half thickness.
The Palm is VERY much gone. I drove by yesterday, hoping to get a photo of the scar in the ground that once was a theater, but the entire lot is now a graded field of fresh soil. Stacked near what used to be the entrance, is a pile of very large steel I beams.
MagicLantern and Ivmstar thank you for those thoughts. They were great. Sad to see history, however minor, shipped off to the landfill. Hope the neighors are pleased with their new apartment complex. Like the SF Bay Area really needs another crappy apartment building.
Did anyone get a shot of the wall murals? The times I ventured into the place, it was so dark inside I couldn’t make out what they were.
Oh, and Ivmstar – tell your husband to visit the Stanford theater on University Ave in Palo Alto if he wants to once again smell that theater smell. It’s GREAT!
Actually, I drove by on Sunday and there was one etched panel still on the facade, but it looked like it had been damaged when they tried to remove it, so they left it be. From the look of the rubble, it seemed like the Palm was a well build structure, with reinforced concrete walls.
I agree with lanajean; I know that progress is important, and not everything needs to be saved, but it’s sad to see simpler times bulldozed over.
I have a very nice B&W photo of the front of the Palm that I saved from the online version of the local paper. I’d post it here, but seems the Add Photo feature of this site has been broken for a long time. Give me the URL to another website and I’ll upload it there.
Thanks Gary. Happy to hear that something will be saved from the place. It wasn’t the grandest of theaters, but it’s still sad to see these little, neighborhood places torn down. I recall driving by one night during a light rain, and the neon PALM sign looked magical. That lighted sign was the only bit of excitement in an otherwise bland row of cheap houses.
Yesterday I drove by the Palm. There is now a fence surrounding the entire theater; in readiness for its destruction. The neon PALM sign is still in place, as are the numerous etched glass palms panels that decorate the theater entrance. Hope someone saves those panels; they’re very attractive.
I have a very nice black and white photo of the Palm; taken from a story in the local newspaper. It’s a nice shot and I’d love to upload it, but unfortunately the Add Photo tool for this sight is broken.
The demolition of San Mateo’s historic Palm Theater, set to be replaced with a 19-unit condominium building, has been postponed to next summer, the project’s architect said yesterday. While developers had initially hoped to begin demolition
and construction this month, that estimate appears to have been “a little optimistic,†architect Douglas Fong of the San Francisco-based Design + Build said yesterday. Fong said construction would probably not start until the next building season, in Summer 2005. “It’s mainly to do with the process and just how long it takes to get a project like this designed,†Fong said. “This will allow us to do a more thorough job.â€
City planning officials said no applications had been filed for demolition or building permits on the 1705 Palm Ave. property. The theater, which has operated as an adult cinema since 1972, remains open to business in the meantime, although the theater manager said he expected it to close. While the cause of the delay remained unclear yesterday, it appears that the sale of the property has not been completed. Currently owned by the Santa Rosa-based North American Cinemas, the property was under contract to be sold to a partnership once development plans were approved, according to Allison Borden, a city planner. No record of a sale has been filed with the San Mateo County Assessor’s Office, and both Fong and Allison Borden, a city planner on the project, said they were not certain that the purchase had been completed. Fong did not return a call requesting further information on his employers, the building’s expected purchasers. Calls to North American Cinemas were not returned yesterday. The company’s president, Daniel Tocchini, said in a letter to city officials last year that single-screen theaters such as the Palm are no longer economically viable.
City officials approved the theater’s demolition in February with the requirement that the developers document the building, which dates to 1949, and preserve as many of the interior fittings as possible. The project will also require mitigation measures for contaminated ground water under the property and asbestos in the building. The building, described as a mix of Deco, Modern and Art Deco, is eligible for the state registry of historic buildings and is the only remaining neighborhood theater in San Mateo of its era. Planning Commission members concluded it was not architecturally significant.
As of Sunday May 3 the building is still standing but I couldn’t tell if the theater was still operating. I haven’t seen anything in the local papers about a demolition date, but I’ll keep an eye out. It’s a pretty simple structure, so I’d guess it’ll take maybe two days to pull down and haul away.
Minutes from the City Council meeting held April 19, 2004,in part:
“Motion was made by Lee, seconded by Epstein, and carried unanimously (5-0) to approve PA01-146 Palm Residences, demolition of the existing theater to allow construction of a 2-and 3-story, 19 unit residential building atop below-grade parking at 1705 Palm Avenue.”
The planning commission papers regarding the Palm do mention the idea of modifying the existing structure, but was rejected as being too expensive. And as far as Bay Meadows – the place now looks like a deserted movie set used for a Roman sword and sandal flick. Very much a planned, sterile, empty, Stepford community.
As a native Californian, I’ve seen much of our buildings and farms destroyed for the sake of short term profit. I assure you, if Jesus Christ had been born in California, the spot would now have a mini-mall on top of it. This website is a great way to at least preserve the memory of a vanishing culture.
Bottom line, in the San Francisco bay area, property is over valued, history isn’t valued, governments have no pride nor imagination, and development is driven by greed – not need.
Unfortunately, the Palm isn’t an ornate movie palace like the Paramount in Oakland. It’s just a modest little neighbor theater, with minimal architectural interest. However, it does have a marvelous neon façade that bathes the entire street in a wonderful electric glow. I drove by one night after a rain, and it was pure magic. I’m sure the neighbors won’t miss what they must consider the annoying light pollution, and that the addition of 19 low-income rental units far outweighs the lost of a bit of local history they probably never experienced, nor care to preserve.
The new multiplex downtown spelled doom for any consideration of the Palm ever returning to a first run venue, and it took the passion and deep pockets of the Packard family (of Hewlett-Packard electronics) to turn the Stanford Theater, in Palo Alto, into a revival house gem. I don’t think the money or the passion is there for the poor Palm. Sad to see another bit of Americana shipped off to the landfill.
The Planning Commission held a public hearing for the planning application (both the project and the environmental document) on February 24, 2004 and recommended approval of the project to the City Council, which has final decision-making authority on the project.
The City Council hearing for the project was previously noticed for March 15. To give the applicant time to make minor changes requested by the Commission as part of their recommendation (and to give staff time to review them), the hearing before the City Council has been moved to April 19, 2004.
The body of letter from the owners of the Palm Theater to the Planning Department dated December 8, 2003:
Our company is the owner of the Palm Theatre and has been for almost 30 years. I am writing to explain the condition of the motion picture industry in regards to single small screen operations such as the Palm.
This type of theatre is no longer viable in competing or acquiring film since the market has so dramatically changed in recent years. With the advent of the multi screen theatre it would be impossible to acquire film on a first run basis. ( Which will be needed to sustain a business such as this).
As you can see up and down the peninsula and in the bay area there are almost no single screen operations. In our industry today generally there are no new complexes being built less than 8 screens. Even most 8-screen theatres have fallen by the way side. It is impossible to compete for any kind of film with a single screen theatre. Unfortunately single screen theatres are a thing of the past and are no longer viable in today’s market:
Daniel F. Tocchini
President
North American Cinemas, Inc
Santa Rosa, CA
Of course Mr Tocchini’s explanation of the Palms failure because the market is moving away from single screen theatres rings false, then you consider that the Palm has been open and showing xxx films for the entire 30 years that it’s been owned by North American Cinemas.
The PALM neon sign is alive and well, and switched on at night, in the window of a Burlingame antique store on California Dr at Sanchez Av. The nice man who runs the store wasn’t at liberty to tell me who bought it or for what price, but it is going to a good home. Also sold was the etched glass ticket window from the Palm; in the window also.
For those building a home theater, the copper decorative façade and a theater seat from the old Presidio Theater in San Francisco are for sale too. The façade is beautiful!
The shop owner said they light the sign every night, and it should remain in the window for another week or so. I drove by at night, and it’s beautiful. Don’t miss it!
A bit of history FOR SALE!
The PALM neon letters from the theater tower are now all lit up, on street level, inside an antique store in Burlingame, on California Ave just south of Broadway. I was driving by late last night so I didn’t get the store name nor the asking price for the letters. I’ll try to get a closer look this weekend and post the price of theater history.
Recently –
Sorry for the poor quality color photo, but it’s all I have:
View link
“Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”
Recently –
I have a not so great color photo of the front of the Palm and the stripy looking siding is red “used” brick. Not 100% sure, but I’d say it was half thickness.
The Palm is VERY much gone. I drove by yesterday, hoping to get a photo of the scar in the ground that once was a theater, but the entire lot is now a graded field of fresh soil. Stacked near what used to be the entrance, is a pile of very large steel I beams.
Fast work men!
MagicLantern and Ivmstar thank you for those thoughts. They were great. Sad to see history, however minor, shipped off to the landfill. Hope the neighors are pleased with their new apartment complex. Like the SF Bay Area really needs another crappy apartment building.
Did anyone get a shot of the wall murals? The times I ventured into the place, it was so dark inside I couldn’t make out what they were.
Oh, and Ivmstar – tell your husband to visit the Stanford theater on University Ave in Palo Alto if he wants to once again smell that theater smell. It’s GREAT!
Here’s a link to a not so great shot I found online of the etched mirror behind the counter: View link
Here’s a link to a night shot of the Palm, also found online: View link
Thanks to the anonymous photographer who took these shots.
Actually, I drove by on Sunday and there was one etched panel still on the facade, but it looked like it had been damaged when they tried to remove it, so they left it be. From the look of the rubble, it seemed like the Palm was a well build structure, with reinforced concrete walls.
I agree with lanajean; I know that progress is important, and not everything needs to be saved, but it’s sad to see simpler times bulldozed over.
Here’s a link to a nice image of the Palm.
View link
July 11, 2005
RUBBLE!
RIP Palm Theater
I have a very nice B&W photo of the front of the Palm that I saved from the online version of the local paper. I’d post it here, but seems the Add Photo feature of this site has been broken for a long time. Give me the URL to another website and I’ll upload it there.
Thanks Gary. Happy to hear that something will be saved from the place. It wasn’t the grandest of theaters, but it’s still sad to see these little, neighborhood places torn down. I recall driving by one night during a light rain, and the neon PALM sign looked magical. That lighted sign was the only bit of excitement in an otherwise bland row of cheap houses.
Drove by today on my way to the market. A workman was outside, removing the etched palm panels. I guess the end is near.
Yesterday I drove by the Palm. There is now a fence surrounding the entire theater; in readiness for its destruction. The neon PALM sign is still in place, as are the numerous etched glass palms panels that decorate the theater entrance. Hope someone saves those panels; they’re very attractive.
According to the San Mateo County website, as of May 1, 2005:
“A demolition permit and an excavation and shoring permit have been submitted for review.”
My guess is, they’ll start at 8:30AM and it’d be a pile of twisted rubble by noon. Sure hope they manage to save a few items.
I have a very nice black and white photo of the Palm; taken from a story in the local newspaper. It’s a nice shot and I’d love to upload it, but unfortunately the Add Photo tool for this sight is broken.
Palm Theater’s Demolition is Delayed –
The San Mateo Daily News – Wed, June 30, 2004.
The demolition of San Mateo’s historic Palm Theater, set to be replaced with a 19-unit condominium building, has been postponed to next summer, the project’s architect said yesterday. While developers had initially hoped to begin demolition
and construction this month, that estimate appears to have been “a little optimistic,†architect Douglas Fong of the San Francisco-based Design + Build said yesterday. Fong said construction would probably not start until the next building season, in Summer 2005. “It’s mainly to do with the process and just how long it takes to get a project like this designed,†Fong said. “This will allow us to do a more thorough job.â€
City planning officials said no applications had been filed for demolition or building permits on the 1705 Palm Ave. property. The theater, which has operated as an adult cinema since 1972, remains open to business in the meantime, although the theater manager said he expected it to close. While the cause of the delay remained unclear yesterday, it appears that the sale of the property has not been completed. Currently owned by the Santa Rosa-based North American Cinemas, the property was under contract to be sold to a partnership once development plans were approved, according to Allison Borden, a city planner. No record of a sale has been filed with the San Mateo County Assessor’s Office, and both Fong and Allison Borden, a city planner on the project, said they were not certain that the purchase had been completed. Fong did not return a call requesting further information on his employers, the building’s expected purchasers. Calls to North American Cinemas were not returned yesterday. The company’s president, Daniel Tocchini, said in a letter to city officials last year that single-screen theaters such as the Palm are no longer economically viable.
City officials approved the theater’s demolition in February with the requirement that the developers document the building, which dates to 1949, and preserve as many of the interior fittings as possible. The project will also require mitigation measures for contaminated ground water under the property and asbestos in the building. The building, described as a mix of Deco, Modern and Art Deco, is eligible for the state registry of historic buildings and is the only remaining neighborhood theater in San Mateo of its era. Planning Commission members concluded it was not architecturally significant.
A brief chat with the theater manager revealed that the Palm should close sometime near the end of this year. No specific date was given.
As of Sunday May 3 the building is still standing but I couldn’t tell if the theater was still operating. I haven’t seen anything in the local papers about a demolition date, but I’ll keep an eye out. It’s a pretty simple structure, so I’d guess it’ll take maybe two days to pull down and haul away.
Minutes from the City Council meeting held April 19, 2004,in part:
“Motion was made by Lee, seconded by Epstein, and carried unanimously (5-0) to approve PA01-146 Palm Residences, demolition of the existing theater to allow construction of a 2-and 3-story, 19 unit residential building atop below-grade parking at 1705 Palm Avenue.”
tick-tick-tick
The planning commission papers regarding the Palm do mention the idea of modifying the existing structure, but was rejected as being too expensive. And as far as Bay Meadows – the place now looks like a deserted movie set used for a Roman sword and sandal flick. Very much a planned, sterile, empty, Stepford community.
As a native Californian, I’ve seen much of our buildings and farms destroyed for the sake of short term profit. I assure you, if Jesus Christ had been born in California, the spot would now have a mini-mall on top of it. This website is a great way to at least preserve the memory of a vanishing culture.
Bottom line, in the San Francisco bay area, property is over valued, history isn’t valued, governments have no pride nor imagination, and development is driven by greed – not need.
(off my soapbox)
Unfortunately, the Palm isn’t an ornate movie palace like the Paramount in Oakland. It’s just a modest little neighbor theater, with minimal architectural interest. However, it does have a marvelous neon façade that bathes the entire street in a wonderful electric glow. I drove by one night after a rain, and it was pure magic. I’m sure the neighbors won’t miss what they must consider the annoying light pollution, and that the addition of 19 low-income rental units far outweighs the lost of a bit of local history they probably never experienced, nor care to preserve.
The new multiplex downtown spelled doom for any consideration of the Palm ever returning to a first run venue, and it took the passion and deep pockets of the Packard family (of Hewlett-Packard electronics) to turn the Stanford Theater, in Palo Alto, into a revival house gem. I don’t think the money or the passion is there for the poor Palm. Sad to see another bit of Americana shipped off to the landfill.
Update on Palm Theater demolition:
The Planning Commission held a public hearing for the planning application (both the project and the environmental document) on February 24, 2004 and recommended approval of the project to the City Council, which has final decision-making authority on the project.
The City Council hearing for the project was previously noticed for March 15. To give the applicant time to make minor changes requested by the Commission as part of their recommendation (and to give staff time to review them), the hearing before the City Council has been moved to April 19, 2004.
tick – tick – tick
Beautiful! Simply beautiful! Worth the sea trip and an overnight stay on Catalina, just to see a movie in this wonderful theater.
The body of letter from the owners of the Palm Theater to the Planning Department dated December 8, 2003:
Of course Mr Tocchini’s explanation of the Palms failure because the market is moving away from single screen theatres rings false, then you consider that the Palm has been open and showing xxx films for the entire 30 years that it’s been owned by North American Cinemas.