I recently attended a meeting at UPenn wherein it was pointed out that the University Health System will be taking it down for construction of new hospital buildings. It was stated that they consulted hundreds of preservationists, historians, etc. about the building, and it was determined that any cost of saving it was unacceptable. I think they may be keeping the facade, but I don't recall for certain.
It will be replaced in several years time. john On Fri, 12 Nov 2004 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > >Is it really too late to save the Civic Center Auditorium? > > > >In a message dated 11/11/2004 8:13:05 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL > >PROTECTED] writes: > > > >>When I organized the Committee to Save the Sameric in 2002, I was afraid > >>that Philadelphia would lose our 3 great, surviving Art Deco auditoriums: > >>the Boyd (Sameric), the Civic Center Auditorium, and the Uptown Theatre. > >>Today's Philadelphia Inquirer article spells out the frantic rush to > >>salvage the Civic Center Auditorium for demolition. The auditorium that was > >>important for the nation's political conventions, for sports, and many > >>other events, will shortly be ripped down, along with its wonderful 2nd > >>floor ballroom. Most of its Art Deco ornamentation, its terra cotta, and > >>other historic elements will be shipped to cities far away from > >>Philadelphia! The fate of its enormous organ is unknown. No "last tour" or > >>chance to say goodbye will be held. > >> > >>A nonprofit is fighting very long odds to save the Uptown,in its day an Art > >>Deco showplace of a movie palace and later a famous African American > >>concert hall. Frankly speaking, I've not seen a viable plan to save the > >>Uptown. "Location, location, location" does not spell a future for the > >>Uptown. > >> > >>That leaves only the Boyd Theatre, the only premiere movie palace ever > >>built in the Art Deco style in Philadelphia, and the last intact movie > >>palace in the City. Do not take for granted that it will be saved. The > >>theater owner still maintains his option of demolishing the Boyd (Sameric), > >> and no deal is final yet to reopen the landmark movie palace. Only with > >>our hard work, only with so many volunteers. activists, and donors like > >>yourself, will it be saved. > >> > >>You can't effectively advocate for our cause, or know why it would be so > >>terrible to lose our great Art Deco theater, unless you tour the theater. > >>Access to the closed Boyd is very limited. Do take my December 1 tour. I > >>will show you the "public" areas that have been closed for more than 25 > >>years, and areas never seen by the public. > >> > >>And, do support our cause. Please donate, so that we can be effective in > >>saving and restoring the Boyd, and ensuring it has a program that includes > >>films, exhibits of its history, and public tours. And, please consider > >>attending our December 10 event. > >> > >>I am heartbroken about the loss of the Civic Center Auditorium, but I > >>always knew I could not save it. Nor can I save the Uptown. And, for that > >>matter, acting alone, I could not save the Boyd. But with YOUR help, with > >>your support, and with your advocacy, we can save the Boyd. The Boyd is > >>central to our region, central to our movie palace heritage, and can play a > >>role in the future of our great city. We must not see it, too, salvaged, > >>and demolished. Thank you for your support. > >> > >>Howard > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >---- > >You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the > >list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see > ><http://www.purple.com/list.html>. > > ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
