San Francisco Theatres: The Imperial / United Artists Theatre: demolition & salvage

The Imperial / United Artists Theatre: demolition & salvage

1077 Market St. | map |

Also see: Imperial / United Artists / Market St. Cinema - main page

The demo fence is up as work begins. It's a Brittany Hopkins photo for Hoodline. It was included with a July 7, 2016 story "Demolition Kicks Off At 6th & Market's Former Market Street Cinema." Thanks to Patrick Carrol for spotting the piece for a post on the BAHT Facebook page.

A peek into the lobby. Photo: Brittany Hopkins - Hoodline

Starting to rip up the main floor. We're out in back on Stevenson St. Thanks to Bob Ristelhueber for the July 12, 2016 photo, one of four with his BAHT Facebook page post. Also see his short video clip of the action the same day.

The facade as demolition was beginning at the rear of the building. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016

Thanks to Hecky Brown for all the terrific photos appearing on this page. These and many others originally appeared as posts on the BAHT Facebook page: July 16 - 40 photos | July 16 - 20 photos | July 23 - 10 photos | July 30 - 9 photos | August 6 - 31 photos | August 13 - 9 photos | August 20 - 4 photos | August 27 - 14 photos | September 4 - "before and after" set |

Top of the facade. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016

Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016

East on Stevenson St. toward the stagehouse. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016

The enlarged loading door. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016

A peek in from a side exit. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016

A wider look in from the exit. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016

Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016

A wide angle view to house right -- and backstage. Photo: Gary Parks - July 2016

Gary comments:"Through the cut-open wall by the proscenium, the backs of the box seating areas can be seen, having been revealed for the first time since 1930. Now, picture all these 1960s mustard and ketchup colors replaced by a riveting color scheme of black, silver, gold, and probably coral, with murals of human figures in the panels flanking the proscenium, and gazelles leaping along the auditorium sidewalls, set-off by clouds, hills, and flowers, and you have the look of the 1930 auditorium."

A closer look at the house right box area. Most of the 30s deco plasterwork has been knocked off. In the hole we see what remains of the wall behind the upper level of the proscenium boxes originally there. Photo: Gary Parks - July 2016

Original plasterwork revealed in the box area behind that of the later remodeling. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016

Another look at the house right box area. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016

Gary Parks comments about this area: "Behind the UA era Deco plaster panels on each side of the proscenium (which originally had figurative murals, btw) the back halves of all the box seating levels were found, complete with wonderful little Art Nouveau wall sconces, which have opalescent, tulip-shaped glass shades. I got to see those after they had been removed. The only 1912 plasterwork which remained visible in the auditorium were two cast plaster vent grilles in the center of the ceiling. Since the main ceiling had been painted black at some point, they were very hard to see. But they were almost identical to ceiling grilles which still exist at the Strand."

A proscenium view. Photo: Gary Parks - July 2016

The dig on the main floor. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016

The rear of the house. Photo: Gary Parks - July 2016

The top of the house right box area. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016

The house right wall in the balcony. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016

Back toward the booth. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016

The balcony side wall house left. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016

The top of the box area house left. Photo: Gary Parks - July 2016

The grid and, below it, the steel added to support the strip club ceiling. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016

Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016

In the trap room below the stage. Look up and you can see several sections of where the stage floor was removable. Thanks to Gary Parks for his July 2016 photo.

Gary comments: "Under the metal stairs -- you should be able to make out a lot of speckles on the wall. These are bullet holes. Someone went crazy down there. The basement was said to be notoriously haunted. Yes -- the outline where a body had been found was still there -- though someone had later embellished it with black paint. Did I experience anything paranormal? No, I don't think so--it was just cool and damp, with water trickling out of leaky pipes above. Greg King's camera started behaving strangely, and then temporarily died, but this may have a mechanical explanation. Though I've had experiences with ghosts elsewhere -- including in theatres -- I like to try and find more earthly explanations first, if possible."

In the basement at one end of the trap room. Thanks to Gary Parks for his July 2016 photo. He comments: "A little room at the far end of the under-stage basement, behind the wall with the bullet holes. As you can see, the bullets pierced all the way through to the metal-clad door. Slugs were embedded in many of the dents in the door.

"I did not get to go into the basement under the seating area. On the day I was there, large backhoes and small bobcats were at work immediately above. My two salvage partners later were allowed into this space, and a cast concrete Egyptian sphinx--of unknown origin, was discovered and salvaged. It had obviously been removed from its original location, whether in this theatre or somewhere else."

Under the stage at one end of the trap room. We're in the little room behind the door with the bullet holes. Photo: Gary Parks - July 2016

The stagehands' office in the basement. Photo: Gary Parks - July 2016

In the basement under the stage. Photo: Gary Parks - July 2016. He comments: "An original fire hose rack at the far end of the basement, under the stage. Look closely at the little ornamental detailing at the top/center of the rack, it is a little coiled fire hose, cast in metal. Originally, an eagle, with wings outspread, perched atop the hose coil. Someone clearly snapped the eagle off as a souvenir at some point. I have seen intact examples of this design, including one salvaged from the Embassy Theatre, before it came down."

A detail of the 1912 firehose rack. Photo: Gary Parks - July 2016

In the lobby up on scaffolding It's a July 16, 2016 Gary Parks photo. He comments: "Here's a photo I took of the stained glass window just before it was removed--after the later dropped ceiling had been torn out to expose it. You're viewing the window from the inside (lobby) and it had been covered with coats of paint on the inside and outside sometime in the Twenties, and then in 1930, covered with sheet metal and stucco on the outside.

"The window reads (backwards from inside) 'GRAUMAN’S IMPERIAL THEATRE.' Later it was covered on the exterior with a wall of sheet metal, and then that was in turn covered in stucco. This high-ceilinged lobby was completely hidden from view during the 1930 Art Deco remodeling, when the theatre became the United Artists.

"The giant ornamental keystone in the center was an amazing discovery, because it mimics--almost exactly--the ornament that was in the center of the arch on the exterior, except the interior version had an egg-shaped cartouche instead of the woman's face that was on the exterior. We were amazed to discover that this ornament was made of tin, and hollow. It was safely removed, but the property owner did not want it. It will find a place of honor over the stairs in the home of the project manager of this whole salvage operation, as partial payment for his extensive services (no, that's not me, but I will have visiting rights)."

A July 16, 2016 photo by Gary Parks of the vestibule just in beyond the outer lobby. The holes in the ceiling were punched when a dropped ceiling was installed in the area.

Gary notes: "A view looking directly up at the vaulted ceiling of the vestibule. Originally, this separated the ticket lobby from the inner lobby. Note the rows of holes for stud lighting. Originally, the auditorium was just as ornate as the lobbies. The one surviving known photo of it in its original form shows this. In 1930, it was drastically remodeled in a low budget Art Deco style, with very little plaster ornament, and lots and lots of metal leafing and muralwork on plain plaster surfaces. In the 60s, when the theatre was modernized as a road show house, all that Deco paint and metal was painted over with plain colors, and so the theatre remained until its demolition. For all those decades--1930 until the very end, the original, ornate lobby was sleeping away above a dropped ceiling."

A July 16, 2016 outer lobby photo by Gary Parks. He notes: "East wall of the outer lobby. The arched plaster panel, with its stenciling, was determined to be the result of an early redecoration of the lobby and entrance vestibule—perhaps during the early 1920s—in which new textured surfaces were applied to walls, and in the case of the vestibule, the ceiling. Note a bit of the art glass facing Market St. on the left edge of the image. Keep in mind that this room was originally open to the street. The vaulted and amply stud-lit vestibule was just beyond the first set of doors."

A July 2016 Gary Parks photo. He notes: "Another view of the original lobby, showing the stained glass window, immense wrought sheet metal cartouche/keystone, and intricate plaster cornices. Note the stud lights--all with bulbs intact--outlining the ceiling. Each bulb was housed in a little bronze tulip blossom! I am told most, if not all, were salvaged. Note the darker, smooth band of wall surface high on the right. This contained a wonderful, stenciled pattern of Charles Renee Mackintosh-style motifs in olive and red, with a theatre mask painted in the center. I tried to take closeup views of this, but they were too dark and out of focus. This feature was not salvageable in the time allotted. Hopefully, one of the salvage team got good shots of this when the scaffolding was in place."

A July 16, 2016 view of the outer lobby ceiling by Gary Parks. We're looking toward house right. He comments: "In this view of the Western wall of the lobby, one can get a little idea of the stenciled frieze, with four red vertical motifs, and a mask in the center, behind the later service ladder."

A July 16, 2016 outer lobby photo by Gary Parks. He comments: "In this view we are looking toward the eastern-oriented wall of the lobby. The stained glass window can be seen on the left. A box of neon transformers, which once powered neon on the dropped ceiling of a later incarnation of the lobby, can be seen below it. On the upper wall directly ahead can be seen the red stencil motifs, with a mask of Comedy in the center. At the same level on the right, is damaged plaster. According to the Walker & Eisen blueprints of the 1930 remodel (turning the theatre into the United Artists) there was a stained glass window all along here, looking down from the Manager's office, and the drawing specifically mentions that it be removed and be replaced by a wall.

"Indeed, just below this area, miscellaneous stained glass fragments were found, in colors which matched those of the intact facade window: amber, cobalt blue, opalescent white, and ruby red, as well as others. It was through an access opening in this area that--years ago--Greg King first viewed the facade window/sign. His neon company was installing neon for the various "themed" areas of the Market St. Cinema, and of course Greg used this as an opportunity to completely explore the theatre, leading to this discovery."

A July 16, 2016 outer lobby photo by Gary Parks. The inner lobby is off to the left, beyond the area with the arched ceiling. Gary comments: "Still standing in the outer lobby, we are now looking at the badly damaged location of the original first row of entrance doors, and the arch of what was once a stained glass transom window. You will notice that the backside of a plaster surface fills the arch. It was part of the later (1920s?) remodeling, which covered the stud-lit ceiling of the vaulted vestibule.

"Note the demolition equipment in the lower left corner of the photo. This is where the original second set of entrance doors was, and where the modern set of doors was. The demolition company carefully tore down the 1960s entrance lobby ceiling, specifically so that we could access the stained glass, and photograph the original lobby in as intact a condition as possible (thank you, Garth). I asked if they discovered any remnants of the Art Deco dropped ceiling which is shown on the 1930 Walker & Eisen blueprints, which I brought with me when I came to the site. Garth said, no, not a trace. When the 1960s ceiling was removed, it revealed what is shown in my photos."

The arched vestibule separating the outer ticket lobby from the inner lobby at the rear of the main floor. Thanks to Gary Parks for his July 16, 2016 photo.

Gary comments: "Here we are looking through the opening where an arched transom window once hung, looking into the vaulted vestibule. Note the shredded remains of a later, textured ceiling installed later, over the original, stud-lit vault. It is my belief that, once the theatre switched to a mostly movies policy--leaving its English Music Hall stage pedigree behind--it was no longer desirable to have indirect sunlight coming through a stained glass transom window, nor was the high level of light in the vestibule, caused by row after row of festive stud lights! So, new textured plaster surfaces were installed over both, and stenciling applied. By the time actual removal of the facade's stained glass was underway, this area of plasterwork was completely gutted out."

The ceiling of the arched vestibule separating the outer ticket lobby (to the left) from the inner lobby at the rear of the main floor (off to the right). Thanks to Gary Parks for his July 16, 2016 photo.

He comments: "Now we are looking Eastward in the vestibule. If you look to the right and left, carefully, you can see how plaster filled the transom window on the left, and swirling stenciled patterns took over the job of decorating the area. What was in the transom area on the right, originally? Later photos of a fragmentary remnant will show..."

A detail of stenciling in the vestibule in beyond the outer lobby. This stenciled area was on the Market St. side of the vestibule covering what had been a stained glass window above the entrance doors. Photo: Gary Parks - July 2016

Another detail of the stencil work. Photo: Gary Parks - July 2016

A July 2016 Gary Parks photo looking up to the south wall of the outer lobby. Market St. is behind us. This ticket lobby area was once open to the street. Note the hole in the arched transom area at the bottom of the photo. Through that hole you're looking at the textured plaster surface of a dropped ceiling in the vestibule beyond. And through a hole in that ceiling the 1912 vaulted ceiling original to the vestibule area.

Gary comments: "Here we are looking toward the vestibule from the outer lobby. Some sections of these ornamental plaster moldings were salvaged. Below, we see the arched location of the functional stained glass transom window which was over the outer set of original entrance doors. Above, the former location of yet another stained glass window, which looked out over the outer lobby from the Manager's office. This was blocked-off by plaster (the backside of which is the visible white surface), in 1930. Note the lavender square. This is a rectangular hole, and we are looking up into the former Manager's office, which had been painted that color presumably when converted into one of the more intimate adult entertainment areas."

Thanks to Gary Parks for this July 2016 view from the outer lobby into the vestibule that leads to the inner lobby. He comments: "A closeup of the frame of the transom window which was over the first set of entrance doors, and looking through to the vestibule vault."

A July 2016 Gary Parks photo of the ceiling of the vestibule in beyond the outer lobby. He comments: "The textured plaster skin which was put over the original vestibule vault is shown here. This was a texture which gained popularity on the 1920s. In the vaulted vestibule of the Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto, a very similar texture can be seen, though painted light blue, in that case. Typically, such surfaces would be painted one color, and then rubbed or lightly brushed over with a gold or amber glaze, as here. In this view, we're looking back toward the outer lobby, and can see part of the stenciled surface which filled in the location of the stained glass transom window."

A vestibule detail taken by Gary Parks in July 2016. He comments: "There is actually order in all this chaos. We are in the vaulted vestibule, facing toward the auditorium. The original ceiling can be seen at the top, with rows of light bulb sockets, and a large flap of plaster from the later (1920s?) 'skin' which was put over it is seen, hanging down.

"The plaster with stenciled swirls is also from that redecoration. Look at the surface fragment behind it. This would have been over the second set of doors, just before entering the auditorium. Instead of an actual stained glass transom window, this inner arch was filled with a grey wallboard-like material, to which was adhered a multicolored Art Nouveau stained glass pattern. Instead of lead, the outlines were filled with grout, like tile would be. You can see the sky blue stained glass of the background, and an opalescent light green color for the swirls. This remaining chunk of the glass design is seen hanging diagonally, almost ready to fall. We asked if we could take it, but permission was unfortunately denied, for fear that the panel to which the glass was adhered was asbestos.

"Speaking of fire retardant materials, I should mention that all the redwood moldings which held the huge facade arch stained glass window/sign were completely sheathed in metal. Everywhere, we saw fastidious attention given to making the building completely fireproof, in 1912. Remember that it was barely six years after the Quake and Fire."

A photo taken by Gary Parks in July 2016 at the auditorium end of the lobby vestibule. He comments: "A detail, showing the juxtaposition of the later stenciled plaster skin, and part of the original stained glass false window. Note what would have been horizontal dark blue and copper stained glass stripes, when the piece was in its original position. The copper colored stained glass had gilding on its underside, after the manner of the glass mosaics of the Byzantine era. Many glass pieces are missing here, and the gray wallboard underneath is visible."

West on Stevenson with a look at the scaffolded stagehouse. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 23, 2016

East on Stevenson. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 23, 2016

A closer look at the back wall. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 23, 2016

The loading door. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 23, 2016

Top of the stagehouse. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 23, 2016

Looking toward Market. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 23, 2016

The view through to the construction fence. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 23, 2016

As the building is being gutted in the rear, nothing appears changed on Market. Well, not quite. The water tower on the stagehouse has vanished -- as has the top of the stagehouse and some of the roof.
Photo: Hecky Brown - July 30, 2016

Hecky comments: "...Today, a cacophony of jackhammers greeted me as I approached the rear of the Cinema on Stevenson. They must've been at it all week as the concrete on the top half the rear wall has been removed, leaving just the steel skeleton behind. They've also covered the opening in the rear wall with some large tarps so I may have gotten the last of my interior photos last week. Also, it appears that the roof has been removed, as evidenced by sunlight streaming through behind the scaffolding and black webbing covering the rear wall. Sure enough, when I walked around to the front of the Cinema on Market Street and then up Jones for a better vantage point I could see that the old black water tank on the roof was gone. There is not a construction crane in the vicinity so they must've cut it up with welding torches."

West on Stevenson. The top of the stagehouse is disappearing. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 30, 2016

The top of the stagehouse. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 30, 2016

Peeking through the back wall mesh up through the stagehouse roof. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 30, 2016

Up into the balcony. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

The house left side of the proscenium. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

Top of the proscenium. Photo: Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

From the booth. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

Looking out to Stevenson St. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

The house right box area. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

An abandoned winch. Draperies? Auditorium chandelier? Unknown. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

Note the stairs up to the balcony level of the boxes and some of the original plasterwork revealed that was behind the boxes. In the concrete we can see the four levels of the upper boxes. Access to the upper level boxes would have been either via the front of the balcony or that stairway we see from the lower level. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

Across the balcony. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

Down the balcony vomitory to the stripped-out balcony level of the lobby. Looking at the voids on either side, it appears that the rear of the main floor might have been viewable from this lobby area. The level with the chain link fence on the left and the pile of dirt on the right is main floor level. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

The rear of the balcony. Note the wide ports -- probably redone when the theatre got 70mm equipped in the 50s. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

Looking into the booth. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

The front wall. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

The switchboard for the houselights. Perhaps added c.1931 during the UA remodel when there were no more stage shows anticipated. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

A closer look at the board. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

The DC switchboard. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

Another booth front wall view. On the wall is a changeover / fader box left over from the theatre's Ampex 6-4-1 sound system installed for 70mm. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

A look down. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

The rear of the stained glass in the lobby above the entrance. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

Hecky later commented: "I learned that the large display of art glass - 27 1/2 feet wide by 8 feet high to be exact - that resided for 104 years on the second story front of the theater was successfully removed this past week. I was told that it took a crew of ten men to extract and lower the piece safely to the ground, where it was then separated into five pieces so it could be crated and shipped locally for restoration. Reportedly, the plan is to then incorporate the entire refurbished art glass piece into the new building that will be replacing the theater. Hope it comes true." Scroll down the page for some photos of the restored glass.

A door to get onto the top of the marquee. The original door would have been glass to match. Here it got replaced with a later model. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

Another view of the the upper portion of the 1912 lobby -- hidden above a dropped ceiling for 80+ years. Ahead note the ceiling cove and a row of lamps to illuminate it. We're looking toward house left -- the art glass at left faces Market St. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

Looking to the west on the upper level of the entrance lobby. Where the plaster is hanging down it looks like there was originally a big arch -- perhaps looking over to a mezzanine lounge area. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

Another lobby view. The arches at the left look into the inner lobby. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

Looking down from the scaffolding to the rear of the main floor. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

The marquee getting disassembled. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

The partially stripped stagehouse. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

The stagehouse being taken apart piece by piece. We're looking west on Stevenson. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

Gary Parks commented on the procedure: "The New Demolition technique of the 21st Century--take it down carefully, recycle the concrete, rebar, and girders. I had occasion to talk with the demolition foreman on site, and he told me they were going to be doing it this way."

The skeleton. That little door in the upper right corner of the firewall would have been your roof access from backstage. The 2nd level down (just below the height of the auditorium) is grid level. You can see the steel still in place for the loftwells. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

We're standing in the stripped-out lobby looking toward where the stage was. The columns mark the rear of the main floor seating area. At the right behind the chain link fence is the area where a set of stairs to the balcony used to be. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

The missing house left stairs to the balcony level of the lobby. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

Looking down from the balcony lobby level into the house right stairwell with stairs missing. The stairs that we do see in the turquoise area are those from the main floor down to the basement. Yes, that's a mirror on the wall as you head to the basement. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

Looking down the house right stairwell toward a section of the chain link in the main lobby. The "Movie Booths" were in the balcony. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

Looking around in the balcony level lobby. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 6, 2016

Looking at the back of the proscenium arch. The horizontal beam is the top of the proscenium. Thanks to Christian Bruno for his August 11, 2016 photo, a post on the BAHT Facebook page.

The vanishing stagehouse. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 13, 2016

He commented: "On Saturday August 13, 2016 I was privileged to witness the former Grauman's Imperial Theater show modern heavy demolition equipment just what it was made of: the highest quality, early 20th century, American-forged steel and rock-hard Portland Cement, that's what! This old theater was not going quietly nor without a fight and I truly felt proud to watch it withstand assault after assault. Yes, in the end, the Imperial Theater will lose this battle but not without staging a valiant and heroic fight. They don't make 'em like that any more...and they never will again."

Looking through the backwall into the balcony. There was once a dressing room behind the window. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 13, 2016

Photo: Hecky Brown - August 13, 2016

On the far left we see bit of the rooms remaining on the upper levels offstage left. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 13, 2016

Several levels of dressing rooms on the right are all that remains of this side of the stagehouse. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 13, 2016

Photo: Hecky Brown - August 13, 2016

A distance shot of the fast-disappearing roof over the auditorium. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 13, 2016

Looking back to what's left of the balcony. It's a Hecky Brown photo. He comments: "August 20, 2016 was my sixth weekly visit in a row to photograph the demolition the former Grauman's Imperial Theater on Market Street. The incredibly sturdy 1912 construction materials and methods employed in this fine theater appear to be slowing the destruction process to a crawl. The main 'progress' made since last week's visit seems to be that the front half of the balcony has been chomped off, as well as the demolition of the two rear corner walls (that each had twin windows - one above the other). Aside from that, the Imperial is still standing tall!"

Photo: Hecky Brown - August 20, 2016

A look across Market. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 27, 2016

He comments: "Well, let's look at the bright side. Now that the old, pesky Grauman's Imperial Theatre (a.k.a. Market Street Cinema) is but a pile of twisted steel and crumbled concrete we can again enjoy the view of Saint Boniface Church's steeple and the finial atop the Hibernia Bank Building. I say 'again' since both of these buildings were standing before construction began on the Imperial in 1912 so this view from the rear of the lot on Stevenson would've been similar (I don't know about the buildings on either side, though)... I imagine that by next weekend there will be no evidence that a theatre ever stood here. Except for the photos. Please enjoy!"

The remains of the lobby and entrance areas as we look toward Market St. That's the Saint Boniface Church's steeple and the finial atop the Hibernia Bank Building at center and right of center. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 27, 2016

The remains of the lobby and entrance areas as we look toward Market St. Through the opening at lower center, that's the construction fence on Market St. Photo: Hecky Brown - August 27, 2016

Photo: Hecky Brown - August 27, 2016

The missing theatre. Photo: Hecky Brown - September 3, 2016

Photo: Hecky Brown - September 3, 2016

Flashback: the view before demolition. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016

Photo: Hecky Brown - August 13, 2016

Photo: Hecky Brown - September 3, 2016

A September 3, 2016 view looking toward Market from where the rear of the main floor seating area had been. Photo: Hecky Brown

The hole where the stagehouse had been. Photo: Hecky Brown - September 3, 2016

Flashback: Stevenson St. as it appeared when the demo was beginning. Photo: Hecky Brown - July 16, 2016. Thanks, Hecky!

The look on Market as work on the new condo project begins. Photo: Bob Ristelhueber - September 4, 2016

The hole where the Imperial had been. On the left wall where the bucket of the lift is note the line of a balcony fire escape down to a rear exit. Photo: Bill Counter - September 24, 2016

Salvage from the theatre:

Molding salvaged from the lobby. It's a Gary Parks photo. He comments: "These decorative molding sections are my allotted portion of the pieces that were salvaged from the lobby ceiling of Grauman's Imperial (Market St. Cinema) just before the building came down. Thanks to Mark Santa Maria and his careful hammer-and-chiseling... More than standard, Beaux-Arts egg-and-dart motifs, the influence of both Art Nouveau, and English Arts & Crafts can be seen. These designs showed up in all three theatres by Cunningham and Politeo that come to mind: Grauman's Imperial, the Alcazar, and the Oakland T&D."

A closer look at bits of lobby molding. Photo: Gary Parks - 2017

Another molding detail. Thanks to Gary Parks for the photos. There are four more to be seen with his September 2017 post on the BAHT Facebook page.

A new piece of molding for a project at the theatre in Niles. Thanks to Gary Parks for his 2021 photo. He comments: "This one of the sections of newly-cast ornament for that project, made from a mold taken of a section of 1912 plaster salvaged from the lobby of the Imperial. Mark Santa Maria did the painting."

The sheet metal from above the stained glass at the entrance. It's a July 2018 photo by Gary Parks. He comments: "Here is the huge sheet metal 'keystone' and cartouche which once topped the stained glass window in the lobby as it looks now, in the collection of the project manager for the removal and restoration of the salvaged stained glass."

Restoration work on the stained glass originally above the entrance. It's an October 2017 Gary Parks photo. He reports: "Images I took at the studio of glass restorer Ken Minasian, where the arched window which slept away the decades behind sheet metal and stucco is being readied for display in the lobby of the condo tower which is nearing completion on the site of the vanished theatre. Other visual tributes to this, and other Market St. theatres are being planned for the interior of the new tower. Stay tuned."

Photo: Gary Parks - October 2017

The restored sign on display. Photo: Gary Parks - 2018

Gary comments: "Unveiled officially March 14. Visible to the public after being hidden for 100 years! Over twenty feet wide and nearly ten feet high. Now permanently enshrined in the lobby of the Stage 1075 Market Street condominium tower, which now stands on the site of the theatre. Financed by developer Robert Huggins, discovered many years ago by Greg King in the hidden recesses of what had by then become the Market Street Cinema. Salvage and restoration project initiated by Mark Santa Maria and Yours Truly. Stained glass restoration by Ken Minasian, Oceana Stained Glass. Project managed by Mark Santa Maria and Garth Herrema."

A fire hose rack. Photo: Gary Parks - 2018. He comments: "While the stained glass window was by far the most spectacular thing saved from Grauman's Imperial Theatre, a large number of smaller items were also saved. A couple which fell to me were one of the solid bronze firehose racks--the largest and most ornate I've ever seen from a historic theatre (only the front plate shown here), and (more humbly) a cast iron baluster from one of the grand staircases, rescued practically at the last minute."

A rescued cast iron baluster. Photo: Gary Parks - 2018

Another look at the window with (left to right) Gary Parks, Jack Tillmany, and onetime Market Street exhibitor, Greg King, who discovered the window above a dropped ceiling while doing electrical work decades ago in what had long been the Market Street Cinema.

Another window view. Photo: Gary Parks - 2018

Historic theatre photos on the wall of the new condo project. Photo: 2018.

Gary comments: "Another aspect: Not only did we save the window, but we conceived historic photo images (thank you, Michelle Antic, and the folks at Riot Imaging) which greet people as they emerge from the elevators on each floor, and decorate one of the hallways and the package room in the building. At the time of these photos, most had yet to be installed, but here are photos of the ones that are in place so far.

"Images on other floors will include the Fox, Paramount (Granada), and the Warfield, as well as more of the Imperial in its other incarnations. All photos used are from Jack Tillmany's collection. First photo here--Jack and I next to photo from the late teens, when the Imperial had just been sold when Sid Grauman went to Los Angeles to build bigger and better theatres there, culminating in his famous Chinese."

The theatre as Loew's. Photo: Gary Parks - 2018. He comments: "Jack and project instigator Mark Santa Maria hamming it up by a photo of the theatre in the 70s, when it was Loew's"

The theatre as the Premiere. Photo: Gary Parks - 2018. He comments: "Jack and Mark next to one showing the theatre in 1929, when it was briefly called the Premiere. The rest of the photo murals will soon be installed on additional floors, and I will return to the building to document them. Permanent caption plaques will we attached to the walls next to them, written by Yours Truly, and fact-checked by Jack."

See 16 more photos of the condo building mural project in a June 2018 post from Gary on the BAHT Facebook page.

A "K" from the signage on the theatre in its Market Street Cinema days. It's in the Gary Parks Collection. Thanks to Gary for the 2020 photo.

An "R" and a "K" that are in Gary's collection filled with argon + a bit of mercury. Thanks, Gary, for the 2022 photo. He comments:

"All the letters on the 1990s refurbishing of the 1960s marquee were double stroke neon in open channel letters. Neon red and argon blue. They animated—I think they’d be all-on, then go to one color, then all on then go to the other color, and repeat, but I can’t recall exactly. Chris Janikos has the complete word—CINEMA, from that marquee, both the metal channel letters and the intact tubing, on display (and I would presume, for sale) in his family’s shop—Janikos & Company, in Burlingame."

One of four box seat sconces installed in the Edison Theatre at the Niles-Essanay Silent Film Museum in 2023. It's a photo Gary Parks featured in a BAHT Facebook post. He comments: "These were salvaged and restored a few years ago by Mark Santa Maria, when the Market St. Cinema was being demolished. So now they are shining for the first time since at least 1930, when they were hidden behind later walls, when the Imperial was remodeled to become San Francisco's United Artists Theatre."

A closer look at the base of the sconce. Photo: Gary Parks - 2023

San Francisco Theatres

The Imperial / United Artists Theatre: demolition & salvage

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