Property Record
1921 CHARLES ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | GRANADA THEATRE |
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| Other Name: | |
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| Reference Number: | 10770 |
| Location (Address): | 1921 CHARLES ST |
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| County: | Racine |
| City: | Racine |
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| Year Built: | 1928 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 19752014 |
| Historic Use: | theater/opera house/concert hall |
| Architectural Style: | Spanish/Mediterranean Styles |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | J. Mandor Matson |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| National Register Listing Date: | |
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| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Historic Preservation-Public History. ENGAGED TWISTED COLUMNS. ORIELS W/BALCONIES ON FRONT. NUMEROUS HUMAN FIGURES IN CARVED FRIEZE. FINIALS AT ROOFLINE. Opened April 7, 1928; closed in 1961. This Mediterranean Revival movie theater building was constructed in 1928 following a design by J. Mandor Matson. It is rectangular in plan with red brick and plaster walls. The front elevation faces west and is symmetrical in plan with dominant, full-height, plaster-faced bays at the north and south ends. Twisted engaged columns with Corinthian capitals are located at each corner of both bays. Each end bay contains a rectangular poster box recess centered at the first story; each recess has a decorative plasterwork surround capped by an ornamental cartouche. The second story of each end bay contains a recessed, agee-arched, double-hung window with decorative leaded glass sashes capped by an ornamental cartouche. Twisted engaged columns are located on each side of both window recesses. Both windows also feature decorative balconettes faced with elaborate pargeting that features festoons, masks, and lyres. The end bays are capped by an elaborate plaster cornice comprised of four panels featuring low relief cartouches and twisted finials. The building facade between the end bays displays contrasting diamond patterned brickwork. A bank of shop windows (two sections of which have been boarded over) capped by a ribbon of six decorative leaded glass transoms is located across the first story between the two end bays. A pair of glass doors is located at the southern end of this window bank. These doors and the remaining shop windows were added in place of the originals in the 1960s. A decorative plaster band across the facade separates the first and second stories. Above this is an arcaded triptych consisting of decorative leaded-glass, agee-arched, double-hung windows at each end and a decorative plaster panel at the center. This center panel consists of an elongated urn in high relief and is flanked by twisted engaged columns. The cartouche motif is repeated below each arch in the triptych. Two small, bronze lion masks are mounted to the wall on each side of the center triptych; originally, metal cables projecting from the lions' mouths supported an illuminated marquee that projected from the wall above the theater entrance. Below the red tile awning, the wall between the two end bays displays an elaborate frieze featuring classical figures in high relief. A small retail building [228191] shares the theater's north wall. This building was built in 1928 as part of Matson's Granada Theatre construction. The Granada Theatre is significant for its association with the history of entertainment and recreation in the City of Racine. The theater was one of four that opened in Racine in 1928 and was a popular entertainment venue for the Douglas Avenue neighborhood through its closing in 1961. Because it still conveys this original association and represents a form of entertainment that has largely vanished from small neighborhood commercial districts, the Granada Theatre is considered potentially eligible for listing under Criterion A. The building is in good condition and retains a moderate degree of integrity. In addition to the Granada Theatre, three other extant theater buildings have been recorded in WHPD in the City of Racine. These include the Golden Rondelle (AHI# 10937) designed in a Wrightian style in 1966, the Uptown (Majestic) Theater (AHI# 11481) designed in an Art Deco style in 1928, and the Park (formerly, Capitol) Theater (AHI# 12091 0) designed in a Mediterranean Revival style c.1920. Of these, only the Uptown (Majestic) Theater is NRHP listed; as the exterior is noted as being "insignificant and altered," the building was listed primarily for its Neo-Gothic interior.1 As the only other Mediterranean Revival theater recorded in the city, the Park Theatre is the best comparable property to the Granada Theatre. In comparison, the Park Theatre is a far more restrained representative of the style. Although it retains what appears to be part of its original marquee, the Park Theatre auditorium was converted to a twin screen theater in the 1970s and is far less grand in its exterior design. Although it has not been recorded in WHPD due to its complete loss of integrity, the Douglas Theatre, located about 0.25 mile south of the Granada on Douglas Avenue, was designed by J. Mandor Matson in an Art Deco style within about two years of the Granada; however, the Douglas Theatre's interior and exterior have been heavily altered so that it is no longer recognizable as a theater building and is therefore, not a good representative of this property type or of Matson's work. Because the Granada Theatre is an excellent representative of a 1920s neighborhood movie palace, and possibly the finest remaining example in the City of Racine, the property is considered potentially eligible for listing under Criterion C: Architecture. The theater building was previously surveyed in 1975; subsequent changes include the restoration of the original transom windows across the facade, the in-fill of two first-story windows and the possible loss of two display windows. The AHI record was updated with the new survey date and changed appearance. The adjacent retail building has not been previously surveyed; a new AHI record was created. |
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| Bibliographic References: | Racine Journal Times 5/24/1963, p. 5. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |