Coliseum Theater (Seattle)

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Coliseum Theater
Seattle Coliseum Theater 15.jpg
The Coliseum Theater on a winter day.
Downtown Seattle, Washington, USGS National Map, 2025.png
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Location5th Ave. and Pike St.
Seattle, Washington
Coordinates 47°36′41″N122°20′2″W / 47.61139°N 122.33389°W / 47.61139; -122.33389
Built1916
Architect Priteca, B. Marcus
Architectural styleLate 19th And 20th Century Revivals, Second Renaissance Revival
NRHP reference No. 75001854 [1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPJuly 7, 1975
Designated SEATLJanuary 17, 1978 [2]

The Coliseum Theater, a former cinema in Seattle, Washington, opened January 8, 1916. [3] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, [1] and is also an official Seattle city landmark. [4] Designed by B. Marcus Priteca, it was Seattle's first theater built specifically for showing movies, and was one of the first cinemas anywhere to strive for architectural grandeur. [5] When it opened, it was advertised as "the world's largest and finest photoplay palace." [3] In 1931, the Journal of the Royal Institute of Architects called it "the first of the world's movie palaces." [5]

The exterior features elaborate terra cotta work, and the original interior was comparably ornate. When it opened in the silent film era, it boasted a 7-piece orchestra plus an organist; the giant organ was made by Moller, and the musicians—all Russians—were reputed to be the highest-paid movie theater musicians in the country. Anita King attended the opening night to give a speech dedicating the theater. [3]

The Coliseum continued as a first-run theater into the late 1970s, [5] and continued to show films until 1990. [3] It closed on March 11, 1990, after showing the film Tremors ; [6] the building was renovated into a 15,000-square-foot (1,400 m2) Banana Republic clothing store that opened in 1994. [7] The store closed in 2020 and is planned to be replaced by a temporary art space by XO Seattle in 2023. [6] [8] XO Seattle moved from the space after co-founder Austin Bellamy Hicks was accused of sexually assaulting two women. [9] [10] Since 2024 it has been occupied by the women-run artist collective Actualize AiR.

References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ↑ "Landmarks and Designation". Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. Archived from the original on March 6, 2013. Retrieved March 4, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Flom, Eric L. (July 12, 2000). "Coliseum opens in Seattle on January 8, 1916". HistoryLink . Retrieved May 2, 2009.
  4. ↑ "Landmarks Alphabetical Listing for C". Seattle Department of Neighborhoods. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved May 2, 2009.
  5. 1 2 3 "Coliseum Theater". Seattle: A National Register of Historic Places Itinerary. National Park Service. Archived from the original on December 14, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2009.
  6. 1 2 Vansynghel, Margo (March 21, 2023). "Seattle's historic Coliseum Theater, old Banana Republic store to get new life". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  7. ↑ Lilly, Dick (December 27, 1993). "'Re-retailing' of Seattle predicted". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  8. ↑ Eals, Clay (September 8, 2022). "Seattle's grand 1916 Coliseum Theater became a Banana Republic". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  9. ↑ Nerbovig, Ashley. "Two Women Accuse XO Seattle Co-Founder Austin Bellamy Hicks of Sexual Assault in the 2010s". The Stranger. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Seattle artists on the importance of safe spaces following $pentFest controversy". www.realchangenews.org. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
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