Paramount Theatre is a theatre in
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
on Washington Street, between Avery and West Streets.
History
The Paramount opened in 1932 as a 1,700-seat, single-screen movie theatre. It was one of the first movie houses in Boston to play talking motion pictures. The theatre was named after its original owner,
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...
. It closed in 1976 and most of the Art Deco interior decoration was destroyed in the 1980s during the removal of asbestos. In 1984, the building was designated a
Boston Landmark by the
Boston Landmarks Commission.
In 2002, Millennium Partners agreed to restore the Paramount's facade, marquee, and vertical sign in exchange for city approval of their adjacent
Ritz-Carlton Towers project. The city occasionally lighted the sign at night. The city's hopes that the site would be developed by the Cambridge-based
American Repertory Theater were not fulfilled.
In April 2005,
Emerson College
Emerson College is a private college with its main campus in Boston, Massachusetts. It also maintains campuses in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California and Well, Limburg, Netherlands ( Kasteel Well). Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a ...
announced plans to renovate the Paramount Theatre and build a performing arts facility in and around the original building. The $77 million project involved the renovation of the building and adjacent parcels of land into a complex containing a 550-seat theater, a Performance Development Center, a student residence hall, a 125-seat black box theater, a 170-seat film screening room, eight rehearsal studios ranging from to , six practice rooms for individuals and small groups, a sound stage for film production classes, a scene shop, several classrooms, a restaurant, and up to a dozen offices for faculty and staff. Design was by
Elkus Manfredi Architects
Elkus / Manfredi Architects is an architectural firm based in Boston, Massachusetts founded in 1988 by David Manfredi and the late Howard F. Elkus (1938–2017), both fellows of the American Institute of Architects. Its international projects inc ...
, Boston.
[''Boston Globe'']
"Emerson to take on Paramount Theater project," April 13, 2005
accessed March 4, 2010 Acentech Incorporated consulted on the acoustical design of the facility, providing guidance on room acoustics, sound isolation between the stacked spaces on the tight urban site, and mechanical system noise control in the historic building.
The project was completed in early 2010. On March 18, 2010, Emerson College celebrated the grand re-opening of the Paramount Theater with Mayor
Thomas Menino
Thomas Michael Menino (December 27, 1942 – October 30, 2014) was an American politician who served as the 53rd mayor of Boston, from 1993 to 2014. He was the city's longest-serving mayor. He was elected mayor in 1993 after first serving three ...
.
References
*''Boston Globe''
"Paramount Regains its Grandeur," March 3, 2010 accessed March 4, 2010
*''Emerson College Today''
David Rosen, "Preservation, landmarks expert reviews Paramount Theatre art replicas," October 2008 accessed March 4, 2010
*''Emerson College Today''
"Paramount Theatre awarded major grant," October 2007 accessed March 4, 2010
*''Emerson College Today''
"Planning proceeds for College’s Paramount Center development on Washington Street," December 2005 accessed March 4, 2010
*Boston Redevelopment Authority
Press Releases: "Mayor Menino, Emerson Take Center Stage in Paramount Theatre Revitalization Plan," April 13, 2005 accessed March 4, 2010
External links
Paramount Theatre*City of Boston
Paramount TheatreParamount Theatre Study Report
{{coord, 42.353705, -71.062764, region:US_type:landmark, display=title
Culture of Boston
Emerson College
University and college theatres in the United States
Event venues established in 1932
Theatres in Boston
Cinemas and movie theaters in Massachusetts
Boston Theater District
1932 establishments in Massachusetts
Landmarks in Boston