• Early silent film cinema
• Interior has suffered extensive water infiltration, of upper floors aswell as of theater
• Could benefit from development of surrounding properties
Historic Boston Incorporated 1999 Preservation Revolving Fund Casebook : Property
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| Modern Theater | Central Business District |
| • Eclectic combination
of late-19th c. commercial architecture and early 20th century theater design • Early silent film cinema • Interior has suffered extensive water infiltration, of upper floors aswell as of theater • Could benefit from development of surrounding properties |
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| Name: Modern Theater | Bldg SqFt: 16,840 | Lot SqFt: 4,266 | |
| Address: 523-525 Washington Street | Ward: 3 | Parcel: 4828 | |
| Neighborhood: Central Business District | Zoning: Midtown Cultural District | ||
| Year Built: 1876, 1913 | Use: Vacant | ||
| Style: Ruskinian Gothic; Florentine Renaissance | Condition: Poor | ||
| Architect(s): Levi Newcomb and Son (1876 warehouse); C. H. Blackall (1913 theater) | Owner: Henry H. Levin Trust 99 Chauncy Street, Box 459 Boston, MA 02111 |
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| Historic Certification: Washington Street Theater District National Register Historic District | |||
| FY99 Building Assessment: $190,500 FY02 Building Assessment: $234,800 |
FY99 Tax: $23,057 FY02 Tax: $21,947 |
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| FY99 Land Assessment: $432,000 FY02 Land Assessment: $488,800 |
Tax Status: Current | ||
Preservation Strategy:
Deterioration of the interior suggests that its rehabilitation may not be feasible. However, the preservation of the facade would add value to Washington Street and preserve the City's heritage. Studies carried out by the Architectural Conservation Trust (ACT) for Massachusetts and the results of the Boston Preservation Alliance's theater charrette may suggest effective initiatives.
Significance:
Blackall was one of America’s leading theater architects during the early 20th century, and the conversion of this fine late Victorian Gothic commercial building into an early cinema stands as one of his most eclectic works. The Dobson Building, as it was originally known, housed a carpet warehouse in the 1870s. George R. White, Boston entrepreneur and philanthropist, later hired Blackall to insert a theater expressly for the showing of "high class photo plays" into the lower floors of the building. Blackall designed a marble-faced arched entry and created a three-story 800-seat auditorium inside. It was the first theater in Boston built without a stage, ensuring optimal projection arrangement. The architect worked closely with Harvard engineer Wallace Sabine to provide the finest acoustical quality for the live organ music that accompanied the films. The Modern presented the Boston premier of The Jazz Singer in 1928.
Preservation Challenges:
The Modern Theater building is completely vacant and the entire interior is reported to be in a substantial state of deterioration, mainly due to water infiltration. Rehabilitation of the cinema may still be possible, however, and its reuse as a space for showing art films has been suggested. Otherwise, total reconstruction of the interior may be necessary to preserve the unusual facade as part of the streetscape and to find a viable reuse for the building.
Neighborhood Context:
As with the nearby Adams House Annex, the Modern Theater is located in an area currently undergoing intense development, including the Millennium Project and Lafayette Place. Plans are also in discussion for the rehabilitation of the nearby Paramount Theater and Opera House. Retail activity is brisk on Washington Street and in nearby Chinatown, but many commercial buildings in the area continue to exhibit vacant upper floors.
Other Sources of Information:
Washington Street Theater District National Register Historic District nomination form
Entry Completed: 05/28/1999
| In February 2002, the Inspectional Services Department required the owner to provide immediate protective scaffolding on the Washington Street façade and to have a structural engineer report on the safety of the structure. The owner's engineer subsequently recommended demolition as the only reasonable long-term solution. After the owner applied to the Boston Landmarks Commission for permission to remove the gable pediment atop the building, Historic Boston engaged an outside engineer to examine the pediment's condition and to make recommendations for its removal. Following HBI's advice, in April the BLC allowed the owner to disassemble the pediment provided it be stored for future reuse and declared the Modern a Boston Landmark pending completion of a study report. The BLC subsequently approved the Landmark designation, which protects the Washington Street façade and corresponding façade returns. |
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The owner is now petitioning the BLC to allow for the demolition of the building provided the entire façade is documented and stored for future use. HBI has assembled a team, including a structural engineer and architect, to study the means, methods, and estimated costs necessary to make the building ready for redevelopment. HBI will present the study's findings to the BLC in early September.
Update Entry Completed: 08/22/2002
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