May 22

(1) Friends of the Boyd need YOU to join us at a RALLY to save the historic Boyd Theatre, in front of the theater, on 1908 Chestnut Street on Thursday May 22 at LUNCHTIME, starting at 11:30 AM.

Howard Haas, President of the Friends of the Boyd, will summarize the ever-evolving status of the stalled restoration effort and explain how Philadelphia’s last movie palace finds itself in jeopardy of demolition again. John Gallery, Director of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia will speak on why the Alliance included the Boyd Theatre in their 2008 Endangered Property List. Babette Josephs, State Representative, will speak on why the community deserves a reopened Boyd Theatre. Adrian Fine of the National Trust for Historic Preservation will speak on the national plight of movie palaces.


NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION NAMES
BOYD THEATRE IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, TO ITS
2008 LIST OF AMERICA’S 11 MOST ENDANGERED HISTORIC PLACES

 City’s Only Motion Picture Palace
Faces Uncertain Future

Washington, D.C. (May 20, 2008) – Today, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named Boyd Theatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to its 2008 list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.  Since 1988, this annual list has been one of the most effective tools in the fight to save the nation’s architectural, cultural and natural heritage.

The Boyd Theatre is no stranger to controversy.  Since 2002, downtown (“Center City”) Philadelphia’s last surviving major motion picture palace has sat vacant, faced demolition permits and endured multiple changes in ownership—all of which has placed its future in serious doubt.  The Boyd is a masterpiece of Art Deco design and although a growing outcry of local support has sounded the alarm for its preservation, this significant landmark continues to deteriorate and remains vulnerable to demolition.

Renamed the “Sam Eric” when it was sold to the Sameric Corporation in 1971, the theatre has changed hands four times since then. The Boyd Theatre is not protected through local designation.

In response to the theatre’s closing in 2002, a local group, Friends of the Boyd, Inc. was formed.  Since then, they have waged a highly visible citywide advocacy campaign to prevent the demolition of the theatre.  Friends of the Boyd, Inc. has a website, and uses other advocacy tools in collaboration with local advocates, including the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, which this year has included the Boyd on its most  endangered places list.  The nonprofit organization of community volunteers have built support for saving the Boyd through letters to the city government, public testimony, rallies, editorials to key media outlets and petition drives.  The Boyd is eligible for use of Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credits by developers.

In 2005, Clear Channel, Inc. purchased the Boyd and planned to embark on a $31 million restoration of the theatre as a live performance art venue.  After Clear Channel underwent a re-organization, however, the Boyd was transferred to Live Nation.  Restoration plans were halted in early 2006 when Live Nation decided to refocus itself as a concert presentation company. Subsequently, the Boyd was placed on the market. 

As the Boyd remains vacant, awaiting a new use and owner, it enjoys no protection as a designated historic landmark.  Without local designation or a preservation easement in place, a potential buyer could demolish the Boyd Theatre.  Nor is preservation of the stunning interior required.   

Currently, there is no sales agreement in place for the Boyd Theatre. The National Trust for Historic Preservation is working with Live Nation and the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia to attract purchasers who will restore and use the historic theater.  The National Trust for Historic Preservation works nationally with the League of Historic American Theatres to promote the restorations of movie palaces. The National Trust Community Investment Corporation has provided equity investments for restoration of a number of historic theaters.  In 2001, the National Trust for Historic Preservation listed “Historic American Movie Theaters” among the 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in the country.

“This listing focuses a critical spotlight on historic theatres as a highly threatened cultural resource,” says Dick Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  “Restoring the Boyd to its original grandeur promises to breathe new life into the Philadelphia community and serve as a real catalyst for economic revitalization.” 

The Boyd Theatre first opened on Christmas Day in 1928 and was considered the most elegant theater in Philadelphia's premier shopping area, Chestnut Street.  Designed by the architectural firm Hoffman-Henon, the Boyd was the only first-run Art Deco movie theatre ever erected in Philadelphia. The rich beauty of its interior was characterized by luxurious ornamentation such as an exquisite, etched glass-mirrored lobby, an enormous auditorium with a seating capacity eclipsing 2,500 and stunning chandeliers.  The Art Deco decorative motif was carried out in full force with stained glass insets, a huge mural by acclaimed artist Alfred Tulk and gold and black metal silhouettes celebrating the progress of women throughout the history of the world. The decoration inside the Boyd Theatre has survived and should be preserved. 

The 2008 list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places are:

Boyd Theatre, Philadelphia, Pa. - Philadelphia’s last surviving downtown movie palace—a masterpiece of Art Deco design—faces an uncertain future as it sits vacant and remains vulnerable to demolition, awaiting a preservation-minded buyer to return the vintage venue to its original grandeur.
 
California’s State Parks

Charity Hospital and the adjacent neighborhood, New Orleans, La.

Great Falls Portage, Great Falls, Mont.

Hangar One, Moffet Field, Santa Clara County, Calif.

Heart of the Lower East Side, New York City

Michigan Avenue Streetwall, Chicago, Ill.

Peace Bridge Neighborhood, Buffalo, N.Y.

Sumner Elementary School, Topeka, Kan.

The Statler Hilton Hotel, Dallas, Texas

Vizcaya and The Bonnet House, Florida

America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places has identified 200 threatened one-of-a-kind historic treasures since 1988. While a listing does not ensure the protection of a site or guarantee funding, the designation has been a powerful tool for raising awareness and rallying resources to save endangered sites from every region of the country. Whether these sites are urban districts or rural landscapes, Native American landmarks or 20th-century sports arenas, entire communities or single buildings, the list spotlights historic places across America that are threatened by neglect, insufficient funds, inappropriate development or insensitive public policy.  At times, that attention has garnered public support to quickly rescue a treasured landmark; while in other instances, it has been the impetus of a long battle to save an important piece of our history.

To download high resolution images of this year’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places, please visit http://press.nationaltrust.org
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a non-profit membership organization bringing people together to protect, enhance and enjoy the places that matter to them. By saving the places where great moments from history – and the important moments of everyday life – took place, the National Trust for Historic Preservation helps revitalize neighborhoods and communities, spark economic development and promote environmental sustainability. With headquarters in Washington, DC, 9 regional and field offices, 29 historic sites, and partner organizations in all 50 states, the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides leadership, education, advocacy and resources to a national network of people, organizations and local communities committed to saving places, connecting us to our history and collectively shaping the future of America’s stories. For more information, visit www.PreservationNation.org.
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