Uptown theater new owner and photos

[jay]

Easy Street Productions performed at Rocky Ridge this evening.  Members of the cast mentioned Easy Street's days at the Uptown Theater and named several of their successful shows that were performed there.

[Towntalk]

If you are a certain friend of mine, they wouldn't even give you the land even if you wanted to build a church there.

[Nicholas Serra]

Land bank would give them the land. And if they didn't, it would be very very cheap. Can't give away vacant lots in this town hah.

[steveovig]

When the buildings that burned are demolished, there will be ample parking next to the theater.

I imagine that might cost money though, right?  Unless the city gave them the land for revitalization.

I want to throw my hat in, just like on Facebook, as being able to volunteer to shape the building up, etc, if and when, the building might see work done.  I've been sort of obsessed with the theater for a good couple years.  I always drove past it and was amazed to think that the area once housed a working movie theater.  I'm too young to have attended a show there.  I was maybe 10 when Easy Street stopped playing there.  I grew up about two blocks away.  I'd love to see movies shown there again but I realize the cost may stop that.  I guess just having community theater or something there would still be good, and I would be very happy to support it in many ways.

[Towntalk]

What is the name of the group of super intelligent people, because you and I should belong to it Jay. you hit the nail on the head about theater parking.

[jay]

When the buildings that burned are demolished, there will be ample parking next to the theater.

[Nicholas Serra]

I heard they already found a new space? Maybe not.

[Towntalk]

Nick, mention Oakland Cener For The Arts Theater that use to be downtown. The Uptown Theater might be the venue to help them get back open. I don't know who would be the contact person for Oakland. Here's the link to its facebook page that might help.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Oakland-Center-for-the-Arts/55601898362

[Nicholas Serra]

New owner is open to the idea of a non profit, crowdfunding, or some kind of community action.

[Towntalk]

If a team of volunteers could be put together to clean up the theater and give it a fresh coat of paint, it could be brought back as a live venue and community theater that could occassionally show art films (Note art films are not porn) and film festivals such as Cleveland's Ceder Lee.

[Nicholas Serra]

That last photo is from the Viking lounge next door. Sorry, I shoulda captioned that. Only place I noticed water in the theater was the basement, and i think it was just the fire hose runoff. No smoke smell was present in the theater.

[Towntalk]

Thanks so much for the photos Nick. From that bottom picture it looks like the theater had water damage. Was there smoke damage as well?

[Nicholas Serra]

There were two rooms with fireplaces. These were in the apartments above the theater, which sit behind the balcony and projector room.

[jay]

What was the purpose of the room with the fireplace?

[Nicholas Serra]

All of you know that the 2700 block of market recently went up in flames. Fortunately, the Uptown Theater building was not damaged. The bar building adjacent, the old Viking Lounge, sustained some damage.

The theater recently changed hands and the new owner was on site securing the building. He was a very cool guy and is trying to figure out plans for the building. He let myself and another photographer go through the whole theater and take some photos. I did not have my equipment on me, so all I have are some iphone shots.