Tampa Theatre
Encyclopedia
The Tampa Theatre and Office Building is a historic U.S.
theater
and city landmark in the Uptown District
of downtown Tampa
, Florida
. On January 3, 1978, it was added to the U.S.
National Register of Historic Places
.
The Theatre features a wide range of independent, foreign, and documentary films on a daily basis. It is Tampa's only non-profit theater and operating costs are largely covered by its membership program, various corporate sponsors as well as ticket sales. It has periodically been used as a backdrop for movies, MTV videos and local programming.
style movie palace
by architect John Eberson
, the Tampa Theatre opened on October 15, 1926. Besides being architecturally stunning both inside and out, the theatre was the first commercial building in Tampa to offer air conditioning
. This fact gave the theater even more appeal during Florida's sweltering summer months.
The Tampa Theatre has undergone many restoration projects to maintain its original splendor as well as equipment upgrades to provide a modern movie-going experience. The most recent restoration project was the replacement of the marquee which includes the vertical blade sign and the canopy. The completion of this major facelift was marked by the Marquee Lighting Ceremony which took place on January 16, 2004.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
theater
Theater (structure)
A theater or theatre is a structure where theatrical works or plays are performed or other performances such as musical concerts may be produced. While a theater is not required for performance , a theater serves to define the performance and audience spaces...
and city landmark in the Uptown District
Uptown Tampa
right|thumb|200px|The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center located in the Uptown district.Uptown Tampa is a subdistrict located at the western end of Downtown Tampa. Notable attractions include the Tampa Theatre,the Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and the John F...
of downtown Tampa
Downtown Tampa
Image:Tampa_Skyline.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Downtown Tampa looking from the Hillsborough Riverpoly 2403 537 2441 500 2488 483 2516 455 2566 439 2597 410 2649 390 2682 358 2803 315 2949 342 2956 362 3068 383 3074 406 3202 431 3204 447 3332 473 3350 484 3485 1616 2446 1587 Wachovia Centerpoly 1745 1216...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. On January 3, 1978, it was added to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
The Theatre features a wide range of independent, foreign, and documentary films on a daily basis. It is Tampa's only non-profit theater and operating costs are largely covered by its membership program, various corporate sponsors as well as ticket sales. It has periodically been used as a backdrop for movies, MTV videos and local programming.
History
Designed as a atmospheric theatreAtmospheric theatre
An atmospheric theatre is a type of movie palace which has an auditorium ceiling that is intended to give the illusion of an open sky as its defining feature...
style movie palace
Movie palace
A movie palace is a term used to refer to the large, elaborately decorated movie theaters built between the 1910s and the 1940s. The late 1920s saw the peak of the movie palace, with hundreds opened every year between 1925 and 1930.There are three building types in particular which can be subsumed...
by architect John Eberson
John Eberson
John Eberson was an American architect best known for his movie palace designs in the atmospheric theatre fashion.Born in Czernowitz, Austro-Hungarian Empire , Eberson went to highschool in Dresden and studied electrical engineering in Vienna. He arrived in the United States in 1901 and at first...
, the Tampa Theatre opened on October 15, 1926. Besides being architecturally stunning both inside and out, the theatre was the first commercial building in Tampa to offer air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
. This fact gave the theater even more appeal during Florida's sweltering summer months.
The Tampa Theatre has undergone many restoration projects to maintain its original splendor as well as equipment upgrades to provide a modern movie-going experience. The most recent restoration project was the replacement of the marquee which includes the vertical blade sign and the canopy. The completion of this major facelift was marked by the Marquee Lighting Ceremony which took place on January 16, 2004.
External links
- Tampa Theatre
- Maps and Aerial Photos on Google Maps
- 360° Virtual Tour of the Tampa Theatre from TBO.com