Garden Theater Block

The Garden Theater Block is a historic commercial block and theater at 353-367 Main Street in Greenfield, Massachusetts. The Colonial Revival block was completed in 1929, and is home to the city's largest theatrical performance venue. The theater is a unique example of an "atmospheric" garden theater, with artwork and mechanical systems designed to give its interior an outside appearance. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983,[1] and included in the Main Street Historic District in 1988.[2] The theater is now known as the Greenfield Garden Cinemas.

Garden Theater Block
Location353-367 Main St., Greenfield, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°35′15″N 72°36′1″W
Arealess than one acre
Built1928 (1928)
Built byGeorge H. Reed
ArchitectMowll & Rand
Architectural styleColonial Revival
Part ofMain Street Historic District (ID88001908)
NRHP reference No.83000591[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPSeptember 1, 1983
Designated CPOctober 13, 1988

Description and history

The Garden Theater Block is located on the south side of Main Street in downtown Greenfield, just east of Bank Row. It is a steel-framed structure, with a two-story front section finished in brick and stone with Colonial Revival styling. The facade is divided into seven sections, articulated by stone pilasters. The outer sections are all commercial storefronts, with recessed entrances flanked by display windows on the ground floor, and two sash windows on the upper level. The central bay houses the theater entrance, which is deeply recessed and sheltered by a large marquee. The windows above the marquee are topped by rounded blinds, and the bay is capped by a gable. The interior of the theater is richly decorated with garden-themed carpeting and murals of New England scenes by noted theater muralist Frederick Marshall. The ceiling includes lighting panels designed to simulate stars, some of which twinkle, and there is machinery for simulating the movement of clouds across the ceiling.[2]

The theater was built in 1928-29 to a design by Mowll & Rand of Boston for the Goldman family who owned a theater chain across western Massachusetts. It was at the time the third theater in Greenfield, and its largest. Although it was designed for both film and live performance, it only sporadically showed vaudeville productions before being dedicated entirely to films.[2] The theater was operated by the Goldman family for 70 years, closing in 1999. The city thereafter took the property in a tax proceeding, but the Goldmans were able to recover it through further legal action. The theater was then divided into seven smaller theaters, and its murals were covered over. The Goldmans leased the theater operation out, and the lessees acquired the property in 2008, with further plans for rehabilitation.[3]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. "NRHP nomination for Garden Theater Block". National Archive. Retrieved 2018-07-11.
  3. "New owners of Greenfield Garden Cinemas plan to invest $250,000 into renovations". The Republic. October 23, 2008. Retrieved 2013-12-21.
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