The Deleted Scenes - The Show Goes On
What do you think this building in Old Town Alexandria was? This one isn’t hard to guess, but it’s interesting how adaptable its form is. In fact, if you think about it, basically every building in one of these old cities no longer serves the exact purpose it did when it was built. That’s one of the key elements of traditional urbanism—the buildings are not necessarily tied to their uses. The more use-specific a structure is, the harder it is to adapt and reuse over time. In case you aren’t sure what this one was, here’s the inside: It was a movie theater—originally, the Richmond, later the Old Town, built in 1914 and closing occasionally between owners, but more or less continuously operating all the way until 2012! There’s still a tile mosaic of the name at the entrance: In the second interior picture, I’m standing on the balcony, which began as a dance floor and was later home to a second screen:
Here’s a photo of the theater in the 1960s. A news story on the 2012 closure was kind of dismal:
However, it did not become a discount store, it was not majorly remodeled, and the sign from the Old Town theater (the Richmond sign was long gone) was even retained. Here it is on Google Maps, when it was still open: In mid-2012, after closure, the theater underwent some restoration. The sign was taken down and apparently restored: I’m aware of the fact that this kind of thing is easier in a place that has a lot of money. Neglect can preserve buildings that would otherwise be torn down, but money can actually restore them. Is it ideal that it takes a high-end store to preserve an iconic old building? Maybe, maybe not. But it sure beats knocking it down. Related Reading: What Do You Think You’re Looking At? #6 Thank you for reading! Please consider upgrading to a paid subscription to help support this newsletter. You’ll get a weekly subscribers-only piece, plus full access to the archive: over 1,000 pieces and growing. And you’ll help ensure more like this! You're currently a free subscriber to The Deleted Scenes. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription. |
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