Cool video, glad you linked it. And, thanks to Adam for posting this story. Wouldn't have known about this otherwise. These 'hidden Boston' posts are a real gem, along with the 'when/where' photos from the Boston City Archives people.
It was my understanding that the fire department closed the theater due to insufficient egress and the cost of making it legal was prohibitively impossible.
Can't we just shoot people out of cannons and into the safety of the outdoors? I've seen it done in circus acts.
Seriously. Do you have a link or anything which has more info? I'm wondering how it is possible to have a safe way out of T stations, but not the theater. I'm interested in learning much more about this.
After the Cocoanut Grove fire the theater was closed, or at least that's what I was told by an elderly employee some time in the 1980s. I don't think the space has the right number of exits, stair width, and door width to meet the occupancy.
Kind of. There was a space called Tennis Up in the 80s; they would have impromptu concerts events. One that comes to mind was Ground Zero, Mission of Burma and some reggae band. Rough space then, but a great location.
One of the piano salesmen took me downstairs to see if many years ago. It's a ruin, but an elegant, atmospheric one. While it probably would never meet fire codes for a club or performance venue, it would be an ideal recording studio — no ambient noise when you're underground. Along with its good acoustics, the lack of street noise was an another advantage when it was a classical concert hall.
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A few years ago...
... some Emerson students did a video piece on the hall. It's on YouTube:
http://youtu.be/W254Z7cD1pM
I believe CHRONICLE did a piece on it too,
+1
Cool video, glad you linked it. And, thanks to Adam for posting this story. Wouldn't have known about this otherwise. These 'hidden Boston' posts are a real gem, along with the 'when/where' photos from the Boston City Archives people.
It was my understanding that
It was my understanding that the fire department closed the theater due to insufficient egress and the cost of making it legal was prohibitively impossible.
Hogwash!
Can't we just shoot people out of cannons and into the safety of the outdoors? I've seen it done in circus acts.
Seriously. Do you have a link or anything which has more info? I'm wondering how it is possible to have a safe way out of T stations, but not the theater. I'm interested in learning much more about this.
After the Cocoanut Grove fire
After the Cocoanut Grove fire the theater was closed, or at least that's what I was told by an elderly employee some time in the 1980s. I don't think the space has the right number of exits, stair width, and door width to meet the occupancy.
Tell me..
Tell me this wouldn't be an awesome nightclub or piano/cocktail bar space?
(Providing that you could get the Steinert folks to agree, and deal with the code/egress/construction issues, and get a liquor license)
Gosh if I ever win the lottery....
Nightclub planned for penthouse of the Tower Records building?
What happened to the nightclub planned for the penthouse of the Tower Records building?... corner of Newbury Street and Massachusetts Avenue.
Used to be.
Kind of. There was a space called Tennis Up in the 80s; they would have impromptu concerts events. One that comes to mind was Ground Zero, Mission of Burma and some reggae band. Rough space then, but a great location.
I think it's a residence now.
I think it's a residence now. I can see in there from my building and there's always the same people watching tv.
During the Breaking Bad finale they were high fiving each other.
I was there once....
One of the piano salesmen took me downstairs to see if many years ago. It's a ruin, but an elegant, atmospheric one. While it probably would never meet fire codes for a club or performance venue, it would be an ideal recording studio — no ambient noise when you're underground. Along with its good acoustics, the lack of street noise was an another advantage when it was a classical concert hall.
No subway rumbles?
I would have thought some Green Line noise and vibration would seep into that space.