170th Street Cinema
17050 Collins Avenue,
Sunny Isles Beach,
FL
33160
17050 Collins Avenue,
Sunny Isles Beach,
FL
33160
3 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: General Cinema Theatres, Loew's Inc.
Architects: Melvin Grossman
Functions: Gymnasium
Previous Names: Loew's 170th Street Theatre, Sunny Isles Beach Twin
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News About This Theater
- Jun 18, 2010 — "Jaws"... Happy 35th!
- May 14, 2010 — Please Post Today, May 14 --- "Jaws," Happy 35th
This rather simple Loew’s house opened August 6, 1958 with Brigitte Bardot in “La Parisienne”. Its single screen had 1,107-seats. It survived a criminal GCC twinning in the 1970’s by stumbling onto bookings of “Jaws” and “Star Wars” in a very competitive zone. It later became a four screen theatre and finally (very briefly) had six screens.
Minutes away fom Rascal House and the Wreck Room of the Castaways Hotel, this theatre was located on a strip mall in the heart of one of Miami Beach’s gloriously tacky stretches.
It was closed in December 1994, due to a fire.
Contributed by
Al Alvarez
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Recent comments (view all 35 comments)
ridethectrain, it did re-open after that as a short-lived six-plex.
Was it known how the fire started?
The building now a sports store(Simons Sportswear), a cell phone store(Metro PCS), a cuban restaurant(El Tropico), a creperie(Very Crepe), a pizza restaurant(Dominos), a money transfer service(Sunny Envios), a art and craft class, a cafe and grill(La Barra), a pharmacy(Solutions Pharmacy), an insurance company(Alltrust Insurance Group), a real estate office(Century 21), a Peruvian bistro(El Tatya), a beauty salon(Sally Beauty), a escow service(Florida Closing and Escrow), a beauty salon(I Brow), a gym(Fitness time) a spa(Med Spa), a beauty salon and spa(Trini Salon and Spa), a market and deli(European Delights), a restaurant(Bella Risorante), medical marijuana center(Miracle Leaf), a yoga studio(Alexia Wellness Meditation & Yoga Lounge), a real estate office(VIP beach realtor team).
Police suspected that chemicals in a second floor print shop at the shopping center started the fire.
Arson or accidental fire in the second floor print shop?
No one seems to have been charged with a crime.
The Theatre open as 6 screens on August 5, 1994 as theSunnyvista Sunny Isles Beach Cinema. The fire happened sometime around October 30, 1994 (The last movies that played were Stargate, Little Giants, Exit To Eden, The River Wild, East Drink Man Woman, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare and The Specialist.
It closed as a Twin on November 11, 1993 with In The Line of Fire, Whats Love Got To Do With It, Sleepless In Seattle and The Firm
General Cinema sold the theatre on March 23, 1989 and it became independent. Please update
Don’t know when Loews sold the theatre to General Cinema. I went to the theatre once in 1985 to see The Sluggers Wife when I was on vacation
GCC took over Loews in Florida in 1973 with the exception of the Bay Harbor and 167th St. Twins. Those two locations had a partner who refused to go along with the sale. Those two locations remained Loews.
GCC got rid of it in 1990. I can’t recall who took it over but the next owner after that in 1993 was Sun Vista Holdings out of MI IIRC. They were the final owners when the fire happened. I think in its final incarnation it was a 6 screen going through a 4 screen period if memory serves.