Rialto Theater (Tacoma, Washington)

Last updated
Rialto Theater
Rialto Theater-Tacoma.jpg
USA Washington location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location310 Ninth St., Tacoma, Washington
Coordinates 47°15′18″N122°26′24″W / 47.25500°N 122.44000°W / 47.25500; -122.44000 Coordinates: 47°15′18″N122°26′24″W / 47.25500°N 122.44000°W / 47.25500; -122.44000
ArchitectBorhek, Roland E.
Architectural styleClassical Revival
MPS Movie Theaters in Washington State MPS
NRHP reference No. 92001041
Added to NRHPAugust 21, 1992 [1]

The Rialto Theatre in Tacoma, Washington was built in 1918 to showcase movies. Its design reflects the affluence following World War I. It reflects the character of a palace and is the result of efforts by entrepreneur Henry T. Moore and Tacoma architect Roland E. Borhek. [2] Designed to hold 1500 patrons (revised to 780 today) and retail space. The two-and-a-half-story structure is in the historic downtown of Tacoma. The area has long been associated with theaters and entertainment. The theater is freestanding, with a dramatic view on an incline with a classical façade sheathed of glazed white terra cotta. Both the interior and exterior retain most of the original design of Roland E. Borhek. The theater has an auditorium, proscenium with stage, a relocated projection booth, balcony, lobby, and commercial space. It has been altered with the removal of the storefronts and marquee. On the inside, the lobby's decorative ceiling has been hidden and the concession areas expanded. [2]

Contents

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. [1]

Exterior

Rialto Theaters main entrance, showing canopy, Tacoma, Washington. Rialto Theater - Main Entrance.JPG
Rialto Theaters main entrance, showing canopy, Tacoma, Washington.

Located on 9th Street between Market Street and "C" Court. The rectangular theater is 120 feet (37 m) along 9th Street and 90 feet (27 m) on Market Street and "C" Court. The Ninth Street front presents a trapezoid appearance as the street rises a full story from the east corner on "C" Court to the west corner on Market Street. Originally, three storefronts were located along 9th street with doors on the incline. [2]

The walls are patterned, buff-toned stucco with a muted backdrop for the classical decorative features. The decorative features are glazed, white terra cotta and applied around the main entrance. The roof above the auditorium is gabled and flat, abutting the parapets. It is brick and hollow clay tile construction with a steel truss roof system over the auditorium. Reinforced concrete beams support the proscenium arch and balcony. [2] The main entrance is rounded at the northeast corner and sheathed in the terra cotta. The classical decorative features are concentrated around the entrance. Three arched openings form a semi-circular arcaded entry with a ticket window, a double leaf glass door, and terrazzo flooring and marble kickplating. A replicated three-part flower petal marquee projects out over the entranceway. The second story is enclosed and capped with decorative parapet with lighted finials. The fenestration on the upper facade of the turret-like corner mirrors the arcaded entry below and features three sets of segmented arch windows. [2] The remainder of the primary facade is less ornamented. The stuccoed wall surface is divided into six bays along the length by terra cotta piers of classical design. The decorative terra cotta parapet extends the entire length with lighted finials where the piers abut the cornice line. Adjacent to the main entry, the upper story of the first three bays features fenestration and an ornamented cornice. [2] Lighted finials smaller than the pier finials adorn the parapet. Storefronts occupied the first bays along the second level from the northwest corner. [2] The Market Street front has a replicated storefront on the corner and a stairwell from an emergency exit serving the auditorium below. [2]

Commercial corner of the Rialto Theater, Tacoma, Washington Rialto Theater - nw corner.JPG
Commercial corner of the Rialto Theater, Tacoma, Washington

Interior

The interior includes a lobby, auditorium with balcony, projection booth, a shallow stage with proscenium, backstage dressing areas, mechanical rooms, and commercial space. The lobby leads into the back of the auditorium. There is a ramp and stairways to the balcony. The balcony is over the lobby, hanging over a part of the main floor. The other spaces are along the length of the auditorium. Along the auditorium on the second floor are the manager's office, restroom facilities, waiting or smoking rooms, storage, and the corner commercial spaces. [2] The lobby features recessed lights and a coved ceiling segmented and decorated with plaster swags of greenery. The ramp parallels the back wall and splits to access the balcony from opposite sides about a third of the way forward. [2] The auditorium is entered from the back with two aisle creating three seating areas. The rectangular two story high hall is designed for movies with a shallow stage and wings. Curves are visible throughout with a cove ceiling and curved walls from the proscenium.. The classical ornamentation is cast plaster on the walls, ceiling, proscenium, and balcony railing. The proscenium displays the richest plaster relief work consisting of an entablature with classical piers. Two cherubs blowing long trumpets and separated by a lighted torch are perched atop the proscenium. On each side of the proscenium is a screened area, which once held organ pipes. The areas are ornamented with cast plaster grills capped by eagles and flags. Lighting comes from chandeliers suspended above, replicated wall sconces, and indirect lighting along the cornice and beneath the organ grills. [2] Above the main entrance is a round room, which served as the anteroom to the ladies restroom. The upper level was redesigned in 1991 and includes restroom facilities and a small rehearsal hall and the replicated corner storefront. [2] The 1991 rehabilitation updated the technical and mechanical systems, restored the lobby, and applied an interior color scheme similar original. [2] The rear wall of the auditorium below the balcony was redesigned as a curved surface and the projection booth was moved to the balcony. Seating was restored to the 1951 remodeling, rather than the original 1918. Other changes were made to conform with handicap access and public safety. [2]

Bibliographical

Related Research Articles

Fox Theatre (Detroit) Theater and former movie theater in Detroit, Michigan, US

The Fox Theatre is a performing arts center located at 2211 Woodward Avenue in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, near the Grand Circus Park Historic District. Opened in 1928 as a flagship movie palace in the Fox Theatres chain, it was at over 5,000 seats the largest theater in the city. Designed by theater architect C. Howard Crane, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

Michigan Theater (Ann Arbor, Michigan)

The Michigan Theater is a movie palace in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. It shows independent films and stage productions, and hosts musical concerts.

Tarrytown Music Hall

The Music Hall, in Tarrytown, New York, United States, is located on West Main Street downtown. It is a brick structure in the Queen Anne architectural style erected in the late 19th century. In 1980, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Orpheum Theatre (Minneapolis)

Orpheum Theatre is a theater located in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is one of four restored theaters on Hennepin Avenue, along with the Pantages Theatre, the State Theatre and the Shubert Theatre.

Ulster Performing Arts Center

The Ulster Performing Arts Center (UPAC), originally the Broadway Theater and Community Theatre, is located on Broadway in Kingston, New York, United States. A Classical Revival building built in 1926, it is the only unaltered pre-World War II theater left in the city, and one of only three from that era in the Hudson Valley. It is also the largest proscenium theater between Manhattan and Albany.

Foster Building United States historic place

The Foster Building, originally the Hotel Foster, is located on State Street in Schenectady, New York, United States. It is a commercial building in the Beaux-Arts architectural style.

Chesterton Commercial Historic District Historic district in Indiana, United States

The Chesterton Commercial Historic District is a historic district in Chesterton, Indiana.

Sacramento Masonic Temple United States historic place

The Sacramento Masonic Temple, built between 1913 and 1918, is a five-story building on J Street in downtown Sacramento, California. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

Bank Street Historic District (Waterbury, Connecticut) Historic district in Connecticut, United States

The Bank Street Historic District is a group of four attached brick commercial buildings in different architectural styles on that street in Waterbury, Connecticut, United States. They were built over a 20-year period around the end of the 19th century, when Waterbury was a prosperous, growing industrial center. In 1983 they were recognized as a historic district and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Littleton Main Street United States historic place

The Littleton Main Street is a historic district located along W. Main Street, from South Curtice Street, to South Sycamore Street in Littleton, Colorado. The district dates from 1890. The nineteenth century buildings are red pressed brick, many with stone foundations and trim. These buildings replaced smaller frame structures from the pioneer era and proclaimed the success of their builders through solid construction and application of exterior ornament.

Capitol Theater (Burlington, Iowa) United States historic place

The Capitol Theater was a 700-seat theater in Burlington, Iowa. Opened in 1937, with the first showing being Mark Twain's classic "The Prince and the Pauper". The theater was both a movie theater and an auditorium used for performances. The theater closed in March 1977, the final showing was the Stephen King horror classic "Carrie".

MBA (Modern Brotherhood of America) Building United States historic place

The MBA Building, or Modern Brotherhood of America Building, also known as the Brick and Tile Building, is a large office building in Mason City, Iowa, built in 1916-1917 for the Modern Brotherhood of America, a fraternal lodge. The MBA's primary purpose was to provide life insurance to its members, and the building housed those operations.

Beacon Theatre (Hopewell, Virginia) United States historic place

Beacon Theatre, also known as the Broadway Theatre and Pythian Lodge, is a historic theatre building located at Hopewell, Virginia. It was built in 1928, and is a three-story, vaudeville and movie theater with storefront commercial space, second-floor apartments and third-floor meeting space. It has Colonial Revival and Art Deco style details. The building features decorative bands of flush brickwork punctuated with rectangular cast-stone corner blocks and cast-stone detailing in the parapet coping; the theater is adorned with classical plaster friezes, an elaborate proscenium, and a cove ceiling in the auditorium. The Beacon Theatre remained a theater offering live performances and movies until it closed in 1981. It later reopened.

St. Luke Building Historic commercial building in Virginia, United States

St. Luke Building is a historic office building located in Richmond, Virginia. Built in 1902–1903, the St. Luke Building is located on a lot in the southeast corner of a block defined by St. James Street to the east, West Baker Street to the south, St. John Street to the west, and West Charity Street to the north. From the headquarters building, Maggie L. Walker oversaw operations of the Independent Order of St. Luke. Founded in 1869, the Order's mission to foster African-American economic independence was largely realized under the leadership of trailblazing African American businesswoman Maggie Lena Walker through enterprises housed in the St. Luke Building. The building also housed the St. Luke Herald newspaper, the St. Luke Educational Fund, the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank, and the St. Luke Emporium. Walker was the first African American woman to found a bank in U.S. history, and she leveraged her entrepreneurial success to advocate for African Americans’ civil rights. The office of Maggie L. Walker has been preserved as it was at the time of her death in 1934.

Langham Hotel, Warwick Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Langham Hotel is a heritage-listed hotel at 133 Palmerin Street, Warwick, Southern Downs Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Dornbusch & Connolly and built from 1912 to 1913. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. It is now home to a registered club, the Condamine Sports Club.

Farmers and Merchants Savings Bank (Grand Mound, Iowa) United States historic place

Farmers and Merchants Savings Bank, also known as Union Savings Bank and First Trust and Savings Bank, is an historic building located in Grand Mound, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

Pantages Theater (Tacoma, Washington) United States historic place

The Pantages Theatre or Jones Building in Tacoma, Washington was designed by the architect B. Marcus Priteca. The unusual structure opened in January 1918. It was designed to be an office building and a vaudeville theatre. The theaters Second Renaissance Revival style is juxtaposed with the Commercial style. The exterior above the ground floor is largely unaltered. The building still houses entertainment and commercial activities.

New Center Commercial Historic District Historic district in Michigan, United States

The New Center Commercial Historic District is a commercial historic district located on Woodward Avenue between Baltimore Street and Grand Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.

Gabriel Richard Building United States historic place

The Gabriel Richard Building, also known as the Weil and Company Building, is high-rise located at 305 Michigan Avenue in Downtown Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017. The building will open as a residential apartment building known as the Gabriel Houze in late 2017.

Bowen Post Office Historic site in Queensland, Australia

Bowen Post Office is a heritage-listed post office at 46 Herbert Street, Bowen, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by the Commonwealth Department of the Interior and constructed in 1936. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 8 November 2011.

References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Sullivan, Michael, Realto Theater, 77001352; United States Department off the Interior, National Park Service; National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form; Washington D.C., August 21, 1992