What Would You Say To Landmark Theatres?

It’s official. that Landmark Theatres is working with the City to hire a qualified company to remove the historic sign from the front of the theater.

“The offered to store the sign temporarily until a plan is made for its restoration and reinstallation,” President Scott Feldmann told Patch. 

The decision to take down the sign was due to safety hazards—particularly structural damage it sustained in the recent windstorm. The attached photo, for example, shows the sign's snapped tension wire that causes it to flap in heavy winds. 

While Landmark (the Rialto's current lessee) is working to resolve the sign situation “quickly and appropriately,” Senior Vice President of Real Estate & Development Michael Fant told Patch, he also confirmed "Landmark Theatres has no plans to reopen the theater at this point.”

When news broke about the fate of this historic sign, fans of the theater weren’t shy in expressing how they felt via and our social media sites.

Patch columnist took to her blog, writing, “I just feel like this is yet another nail in the Rialto's coffin.”

She also offered up a touching letter to Landmark. Here's an excerpt: 

We film geeks and art lovers and fans of architecture and history buffs realize that landmarks like the Rialto are our country's very own great pyramids and palaces of Versailles. They might not be listed as wonders of the world, but they create wonder in our world. We care because we don't want to see yet another part of art and history carted off, piece by piece, until nothing remains but the memory.

Take a look at Allee's full letter HERE.

And tell us: What do you want to say to Landmark? Why do you want to see the Rialto reopen? What are your fondest memories? Why would you be distraught if the theater were left to decay?

Patch will share your thoughts with the theater company. 

See Laurie's Other Inpiring Articles Here:

The Rialto: A Landmark of Cinema History