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granada theater lives on through fragments rescued during its demolition

the bldg. 51 museum, comprised of fragments from chicago's past, continues to acquire historically important architectural artifacts from the non-extant granada theater, a once a grand movie palace constructed for the marks brothers in 1926. levy and klein were architects of this building, now lost to us except for photographs and scattered pieces. the plaster fragments, cove lighting fresnel lenses and unused tickets added to the collection bolster a historical narrative of the theater from its initial construction to the day it was taken down by wreckers.

the historic american building survey (habs) has been an incredible resource, enabling me to pinpoint the location of granada theater fragments belonging to the bldg. 51 museum "in situ."

 

the theater's plaster ornament is believed to be fabricated by the decorators' supply company of chicago, ills. their firm, tracing its roots to the world's fair of 1893, supplied cast plaster ornament for many chicago movie palaces built during the great depression.

though grateful for the photo-resources, i am equally overwhelmed by a sense of tragedy  when i revisit the survey's imagery documenting both exterior and interior undergoing a slow and painful death. the disheartening imagery of the extensive damage (and even senseless vandalism) done to the theater both before and during its demolition is quite brutal.

i've heard countless stories of individuals freely walking into this once opulent movie palace and, free of any obstacle, walking out with whatever they could carry. in fact, the bldg. 51 collection owes its granada theater artifacts to those unofficial salvagers, who obtained fragments piecemeal, just before the building's wholesale destruction. if not for those individuals, the theater would live on only in photographs. in 1990, after all was said and done, the theater was a vacant space. shockingly, the great majority of ornamental terra cotta and plaster went into the landfill. how i wish i had been there to document the palace's last breath of life. still, very few people cared at that time and so kudos must be given to the individuals who did what they could to record this act of civic vandalism.

the granada fragments housed in the bldg. 51 museum are highly informative, and have allowed me to gain an appreciation of the materials and construction methodologies used in the granada. since it isn't a building i documented first-hand, i glean what i can from these fragments. they offer insight into the types of surface treatments, the sense of scale and the techniques involved in fabricating the ornament, whether its terra cotta from the facade, or plaster pieces from the lobby.

i spend days, sometimes weeks, studying the salvaged granada theater ornament, using both imagery and written information to strengthen my connection to the remarkable building that i wasn't able to experience myself.  i would love to have played a role in documenting the theater, from its time of construction to the final days of its demolition. i can only hope that documenting the congress theater will ease my mind a little, during what will likely be a lengthy transformation to its original splendor. for now i struggle not to ruminate on the missed opportunity to expose the granada theater's hidden secrets, which more than likely went unnoticed as it was being ripped apart.

update: i received this email shortly after the blog email "blast" was sent wednesday morning. it's incredibly refreshing to hear from others who are equally horrified by such a tragic and senseless lost. i asked k.p. if he had any images he would like to share. i will gladly post them on the blog if he does. 

Eric,

Thank you for the post about the Granada. After I left UofC and lived for a time up on Gordon Terrace, me and some friends went for a late afternoon “tour” of the Granada around 1981. We were neither vandals nor thieves, just appreciative of great architecture and shamelessly curious. We were simultaneously awestruck and horrified. I’ll never forget the majesty of that space.

K. P.

 

 



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