The Paramount Theater (formerly known as Julia Sanderson Theater and The Hippodrome) is an historic theater located at 1676-1708 Main Street in

Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is the most populous city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, and its county seat. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ea ...

. Built in 1926 out of part of the grand Massasoit House hotel at a cost of over $1 million, the Paramount Theater was the most ornate picture palace in

Western Massachusetts Western Massachusetts, known colloquially as "western Mass," is a region in Massachusetts, one of the six U.S. states that make up the New England region of the United States. Western Massachusetts has diverse topography; 22 colleges and univ ...

. As of 2011, The Paramount is in the midst of a $1.725 million renovation to once again become a theater after decades as a disco and concert hall, (the Hippodrome), when it was the center of Springfield's

club Club may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Club'' (magazine) * Club, a ''Yie Ar Kung-Fu'' character * Clubs (suit), a suit of playing cards * Club music * "Club", by Kelsea Ballerini from the album ''kelsea'' Brands and enterprises * ...

scene. In 2018 the building's owners, the New England Farm Workers Council, announced plans to redevelop it in tandem with a new adjacent hotel building. In a push to renovate the Paramount along with Holyoke's

Victory Theater The Victory Theatre (in stone on building, spelled "re") is a theater in Holyoke, Massachusetts. It was built in 1919 and opened in 1920 by the Goldstein Brothers Amusement Company. The architecture is in the Art Deco style and is considered the ...

, in October 2018, the administration of

Massachusetts Governor The governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the head of government of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The governor is the chief executive, head of the state cabinet and the commander-in-chief of the commonw ...

Charlie Baker Charles Duane Baker Jr. (born November 13, 1956) is an American politician serving as the sixth president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 72nd governor of Massa ...

announced a $2.5 million grant to assist the project, on top of a $4 million federal loan guarantee. However, the New England Farm Workers Council would subsequently announced plans to sell the building on July 30, 2024. An auction was slated for August 20 of that year before being delayed to September 23.

History

From 1926 until the 1960s, The Paramount changed names several times—including a brief stint as the

Julia Sanderson Julia Sanderson (born Julia Ellen Sackett; August 27, 1887 – January 27, 1975) was a Broadway actress and singer. In 1887, she was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, to parents Albert H. Sackett (also a Broadway actor) and Jeanette Elvira San ...

Theater, honoring a famous actress from Springfield. However, it remained a movie theater until the 1960s, when it began to find use as a mixed use venue for movies, rock concerts, and other live performances. The building was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1979. In 1999, the venue was purchased and restored by Steven Stein and Michael Barrasso of Paramount Realty Investment LLC/Creative Theater Concepts. At that time, it was turned into a lavish nightclub and performance space. The venue's main floor seats were removed; however, the 1,100 balcony seats were retained and restored. The theater underwent a $1.3 million renovation in 1999, and was reopened as the Hippodrome. The original organ was restored and the marquee was changed to reflect the theater's new name. The Hippodrome became a popular nightclub and concert venue during the 2000s. In 2011, the theater was purchased by the New England Farm Worker's Council. As of 2011, the Paramount Theater is in the midst of a $1.725 million renovation to once again become a theater and performance space.

References

{{Authority control Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts Buildings and structures in Springfield, Massachusetts Buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Springfield, Massachusetts Tourist attractions in Springfield, Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places in Springfield, Massachusetts 1912 establishments in Massachusetts

History

See also

References