ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – Demolition is scheduled to begin this week on a once-opulent downtown Anchorage movie theater designed by the architect of Hollywood’s famed Pantages Theater.
Anchorage entrepreneur Austin “Cap” Lathrop opened the 4th Avenue Theatre, with nearly 1,000 seats, on May 31, 1947, with a showing of “The Jolson Story.” The art deco theater became the centerpiece of the downtown historic district. But the last movie was shown over 40 years ago, and the building has sat vacant for nearly half that time.
The building’s current owners say bringing the building back to a usable venue after sitting vacant for more than 15 years is too costly, among other problems, and its use as a single screen movie theater is an outmoded business model.
Instead, building owners Derrick Chang and Terence Chang said in statement earlier this year that they will attempt to salvage the impressive artwork inside the building and the iconic 4th Avenue art deco neon sign and incorporate them in a new $200 million redevelopment plan for the block that will include housing, office space, a hotel, retail and entertainment venues.
The Changs did not respond to messages from The Associated Press.