Paramount Theatre is a theatre in

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

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, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

. It closed in 1976 and most of the

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...

interior decoration was destroyed in the 1980s during the removal of asbestos. In 1984, the building was designated a

Boston Landmark A Boston Landmark is a designation by the Boston Landmarks Commission for historic buildings and sites throughout the city of Boston based on the grounds that it has historical, social, cultural, architectural or aesthetic significance to New Engla ...

by the

Boston Landmarks Commission The Boston Landmarks Commission (BLC) is the historic preservation agency for the City of Boston. The commission was created by state legislation in 1975. History Urban renewal in the United States started with the Housing Act of 1949, part of Pres ...

. 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 The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC is an American multinational company that operates the luxury hotel chain known as The Ritz-Carlton. The company has 108 luxury hotels and resorts in 30 countries and territories with 29,158 rooms, in addit ...

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 The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) is a professional not-for-profit theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1979 by Robert Brustein, the A.R.T. is known for its commitment to new American plays and music–theater explorations; to ne ...

were not fulfilled. In April 2005,

Emerson College Emerson College is a private college in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It also maintains campuses in Los Angeles and Well, Limburg, Netherlands (Kasteel Well). Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of Public Speaking, o ...

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 Howard F. Elkus, both fellows of the American Institute of Architects. History In 2022 Elkus Manfredi was the largest archite ...

, 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. Paramount Theatre Boston 2025

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 Art Deco cinemas and movie theaters