![]() ![]() During the three-day celebration that followed, the owners led tours of the stage and auditorium and showed off the heated seats, trimmed in glow-in-the-dark paint a women’s lounge furnished with plants, chairs, and writing tables and unobstructed views from the balcony. Opening night on March 6 attracted a capacity crowd of regional theater owners, city officials, and well-dressed Bendites to see Four Wives, starring Claude Rains and Eddie Albert. The theater featured the first dual projection system in the Northwest, with voices and music transmitted directly from the film to amplified two-story speakers backstage. Huge timbers, sleek wooden walls, and rounded corners highlighted the interior, while most of the exterior was wrapped in smooth brick and stucco, topped off with a marquee in dazzling neon tubes of green, pink, and gold. In spite of heavy snowfalls during the 1939–1940 winter, the Tower was constructed in just over ninety days. He selected Bend, he said, because of the city's growing population, recreational activities, and inexpensive property. Hodkinson, the founder of Paramount Pictures-moved to Bend and chose a former bakery for the site of his first movie theater. Marcus Priteca, with assistance from Harry Herzog of Portland, for California film distributors Frank Blount and Kenneth Hodkinson. The Tower was designed by celebrated Seattle architect B. Following the Depression, many people saw the building as a symbol of their resilience, collective strength, and optimism. Since the theater’s opening on March 6, 1940, residents have heralded the building’s Streamline Moderne design, especially the four-story column above the marquee, where “Tower” is spelled out in large neon letters. New lighting, exterior and interior, is finely-tuned for balance and compatibility with the historic atmosphere.The Tower Theatre is Bend’s most colorful and iconic landmark. The exterior, glazed terra cotta was repaired and restored the original marquees were replicated the clock tower cap damaged after an earthquake was reconstructed. Decorative figures at the dome and faux bas relief paintings were restored or recreated. The walls and ceiling of the original lobby, auditorium, decorative plaster, and balcony were retained. Elements throughout the store honor the building’s history. One of the tech company’s most significant restoration projects to date, the Tower Theatre creates a gathering place for creativity, inspiration, and presentation. The Tower Theatre is the first movie palace in LA purposefully designed for moving pictures and with built-in electric speakers for sound, ushering in the era of the “talkies.” The legacy of technological innovation continues today for presentation of the tech company’s products that have transformed filmmaking, photography, and music composition. ![]() The rehabilitation of the Tower Theatre in Los Angeles adaptively re-uses a 1927 motion picture theater vacant for 35 years as a flagship for a leading tech retailer including facilities for sales, A/V presentations, community programs, and creative classes. Lighting Designer – Francis Krahe, Francis Krahe & Associates IncĮlectrical Engineer – Jesus Lucero, TK1SC Historic Conservation Contractor – April Rabanera, KC RestorationĮlectrical Contractor – Bennie Bennett, A.J. Historic Conservation Contractor – Dick Gee, Spectra Company Specialty Sub-Contractor(s) – Katherine DeMercurio, EverGreene Architectural Artsįraming and Casework Consultant – Frank Salas, PSI Builders Historic Preservation Consultant – Laura Janssen, Historic Resources Group, LLCĬontractor – Dan Casey, Shawmut Design and Construction Lead Engineer – Structural and Seismic – Anindya Dutta, Simpson Gumpertz & HegerĬonsulting Engineer – Civil – Jeff Gavazza, KPFF Consulting Engineers Historic Architect – Peyton Hall, Historic Resources Group, LLC Executive Architect – Architect of Record – Debra Gerod, Gruen AssociatesĮxecutive Architect – Architect of Record – Devon Barnes, AIA, LEED AP, Gruen Associatesĭesign Architect – Peter Moerland, Foster + Partners
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |