Good morning stephenh-ga and thank you for your question. As I found
out during my search, there is not a lot of ?historical? information
on the Flower Theatre on the internet and the few things I did find
consisted of a lot of digging :) I hope what I am providing you with
answers your question:
The Flower Theatre, originally named the Flower Avenue Playhouse is
located in Silver Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland. It was built
in 1950, opening on February 15, 1950. The theatre had 926 seats and
two screens.
A brief description of the theatre was given via ?William?, a member
of Cinema Treasures, an organization devoted to theater preservation
and awareness.
"...An impressive facade of light brick, limestone, and marble
dominates the theatre front with display cases mounted on either side.
An enclosed box office is centered between two pairs of glass entrance
doors. Composition walnut paneling covers the walls of the lobby,
which have been adorned with mirrors and poster cases. Terrazzo strips
make up the floor and indirect lighting is set in a plaster ceiling.
Solid pale Dubonnet carpeting has been used in the foyer and
throughout the rest of the house, including the second floor. On the
second floor they have added a private room for parties as well as a
nursery for children..."
Source: Cinema Treasures
( http://www.cinematreasures.org/theater/767/ )
This theatre was designed by John Jacob Zink, who designed theaters
from the 1920s into the 1950s. He was a major competitor to John
Eberson. Among his theaters are the National Register listed "The
Senator" in Baltimore, "The Uptown Theater" in Wash., D.C., on Conn.
Ave., the 1924 Takoma Theater, Takoma, D.C.
The Flower Theatre closed its doors to the theatre community in 1996.
"...This area (and, of course, other areas too) is faced with
challenges. Some are physical, including the somewhat unappealing
stip-mall look of the corridor, the pedestrian-unfriendly design of
crossings, and its lack of a central identifying place. Other
challenges are social or cultural, having to do with the way people
behave in the corridor or others think people behave. Thus crime and
the image of crime are drags on area business development. Among other
problems are the high turnover of residents and the soft real estate
market. Such problems contributed to the closing of the Flower
Theater.?
Source: Land's International Corridor Preliminary Working Papers
( http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:P1n_eEwKEDQJ:www.lasc.umd.edu/Projects/LangleyPark/workingp.htm+%22flower+theater%22+Maryland&hl=en
)
The building still stands today but is used as a church by the Iglesia
Restaracion Elim (also referred to as Retoration Elim)
Source: Silver Spring Churches
( http://silverspring.areaconnect.com/churches.htm )
"...Salvadoran President Tony Saca was cheered yesterday by hundreds
of immigrants in a Silver Spring church as he launched a campaign to
remind Salvadorans to re-register for a program granting them
temporary U.S. work permits.
Saca was greeted by at least 400 Salvadorans at Iglesia Restaracion
Elim, a converted movie theater on Flower Avenue..."
Article: Salvadoran President Hails U.S. Work Plan - Immigrants Urged
To Renew Benefits, By Mary Beth Sheridan, Washington Post Staff
Writer, Sunday, January 9, 2005
( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59873-2005Jan8.html )
= = = = = = = = = =
Photos:
( http://martinmc.home.mindspring.com/MiscTheatres/md.html )
( http://www.sha.state.md.us/keepingcurrent/maintainRoadsBridges/bridges/oppe/suburbs/D-3.pdf
)
= = = = = = = = = =
Miscellaneous information:
The Flower Theatre last filed taxes in June 1993 with the Maryland
Department of Assessments and Taxation.
( http://sdatcert3.resiusa.org/ucc-charter/UCC_HistoryAckList.asp?Account=0000000131727268&EntityName=FLOWER+THEATRE&blnCurrentOnly=False
)
The Montgomery County, Maryland Land Records Department keeps
documents including land, financing statements, corporation,
condominium plats, sub-division plats, liens, and judgments, recording
of deeds, deeds of trust, leases, assignments, powers of attorney,
etc. You might be able to contact their office for more information
on who owned the property in the 1950?s etc. You can contact them at:
50 Maryland Avenue
Rockville, Maryland 20850
(240) 777-9477
I hope this information sufficiently answers your question. If you
need anything further or you request clarification, please let me
know.
Nenna-GA
Google Researcher
Search Terms
Flower Theater Maryland
Flower Theatre Maryland
8725 Flower Avenue, Silver Spring
Iglesia Restaracion Elim |
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