Cincinnati has a West End, just like London, England, and our West End has theaters, but ours are in need of some attention. Like this one:
Photo by Photography for the People
This is commonly known now as the Regal Theater but it was originally built as the Casino Theater in 1913.
Cincinnati Enquirer; Nov 9, 1913; pg. 16
A combination of the vaudeville, dramatic and photo-play house is to be built at the northwest corner of Clark and Linn streets by the Casino Theater Company, which recently closed deals for the purchase of several parcels at the intersection, including the old plant of the Ackerman-Busch Livery Company.
Plans for the theater, to contain 1,500 seats, which includes a balcony arrangement, are now being made by Architects Zettel & Rapp, and indications point to letting of the contracts before the end of another two weeks. The improvement, including the ground, will represent an outlay of close to $125,000. It will be 90x100 feet and the exterior will have the tapestry effect, done in brick. The feature of the improvement, from the outside, will be a dome, over the main entrance, which will be finished in gold and green tile. The stage will be 25x90 feet, and will be arranged for vaudeville stunts and small theatrical performances. The proscenium opening will be 38 feet. J. J. Shelvin, of the Provident Building, will be the principal representative of the company, acting for a party of local capitalists who will not be active in its management. - Cincinnati Enquirer; Nov 9, 1913; pg. 16
1904-1930 Sanborn Map - Source
In the 1940's, the theater was purchased by the Goldman family and they ran it until its closing in 1996. The balcony was changed into two more screens, but the main floor screen and fly space remained. I found this quote on cinematreasures.org:
My Dad managed this place in the early 90s for Gary Goldman until the day they shut it down, the neighborhood largely ruined a lot of the splendor the building had along with the fact that business was on the decline and the money wasn't there to do proper maintenance at the time. The neighborhood and clientele were a little more dangerous then than they would be now.
I'm afraid there is no pipe organ in there. There's a reasonably large stage, a dressing room or two, a decent sized basement are under the stage, a very small orchestra pit in front. In the early 90s the balcony was converted into two more screens.
It ran mostly second run with the occasional first run picture and had the best steamed hot dogs and metts you could get in Cincinnati...
According to a post on the same website, in 2010, Dixon Edward, a former NFL football player who grew up in Cincinnati, was the owner and was looking for ways to restore the property. Nothing has occurred with the building in recent history. It has been owned by the same company, Casino Theater Cincinnati, LLC, /based in Irving, Texas, since 2002.
1/8/2014 Update - The building is now owned by the Hamilton County Land Bank. They are repairing the roof and other maintenance on the building, preparing it for future owners.
Close up of the detail. CASINO can be seen in each of the arches. Source
Side note - I found the comparison in the following maps dramatic. So much has changed in this neighborhood over the last 100 years.
Click to enlarge. 1904-1930 Sanborn Map - Source
Click to enlarge, 2013 CAGIS Map - Source
Posted by cincyhistoryluvr at 4:08 PM 4 comments:
The Over-the-Rhine Blog mentioned my blog in their posting, Over-the-Rhine Streets of Yesteryear. The author was wondering what happened to the block north of Woodward Street between Sycamore and Broadway streets that is now the Cutter Playground. So I did some digging...
CAGIS Aerial 2011 - Source
As you can imagine in a dense neighborhood as Over-the-Rhine, this block was not originally left as vacant land for a park. This block was filled with businesses, tenements and single family homes. You can see the remnants on the property map below:
CAGIS 2013 map showing property lines. The vacated portion of Woodward Street is clearly seen, along with the property lines of smaller parcels. - Source
I searched for older maps that showed even more information. On the above map, you can see just how dense a block it was in 1887. At the southwest corner of Sycamore and Franklin Streets (now Woodward Street) was The Franklin Furniture Company. You can also see the houses that surrounded the old Woodward High School building, which was actually the second building for the school. The first building was built on land donated by William Woodward and his wife, Abigail Cutter Woodward.
This school was built in 1855, the second school building on this lot. It was demolished in 1907 to make way for a new school building. - Source
Not many changes from 1887
In 1910, the "new" Woodward High School was opened. When this building was built, buildings to the east and west were demolished. According to a Cincinnati Enquirer article from 1907, it cost the Board of Education $100,000 to obtain this extra land.
If you look closely, you can see the old parcels underneath the "new" school building. These same maps were updated every year with any changes that occurred.
1949 Aerial Photo of Woodward High School and the block just north before the buildings were demolished for the Cutter Playground. - Source
As early as 1936, conversations began on the need for a playground to serve five schools in the area. The talks continued in 1951 and debate was started on whether the block north or south of Woodward High School should be demolished for the playground. Either block would cause a street to be vacated. By 1956, plans were finalized for the north block to be the site of the playground and fifteen buildings were demolished.
The caption reads: " For the healtier minds and sounder bodies of children of the densely populated downtown district, Cincinnati is clearing away part of the past... Fifteen buildings made way for Woodward Playfield north of Old Woodward High School. This view was taken from Sycamore Street looking east on East 14th Street.
Cincinnati Enquirer; August 27, 1955
Woodward High School moved to Bond Hill in 1953 and the Over-the-Rhine school building became Abigail Cutter Junior High School. The playground was also renamed to match the school. While the building changed once again in 1977 to the School for the Creative and Performing Arts, the Cutter name stayed with the playground to the present.
Cutter Playground - Source
Posted by cincyhistoryluvr at 1:30 AM 4 comments:
UPDATE - Congratulations to Cindy, our winner!
In honor of my Facebook page reaching 1,000 likes, it is Giveaway Time!
Thanks, Facebook Fans!
"The Signs of OTR" - A. Senefeld
I am giving away one (1) 16x20 poster of the picture above. This collage was made from pictures I have taken from the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Some of these buildings have been featured on this blog:
Keyer and More
The Mystery of Casse' Frocks
The Levine Furniture Company
The entry form is below. Entries will be accepted starting at 12:00 AM, February 1, 2013 and will end 12:00 AM, February 8, 2013.
Posted by cincyhistoryluvr at 12:00 AM No comments: