Share This Page On Social Media

Comments? Corrections? Send us a message about this building

Nominate A Building

Marlowe Theater

  Lost  


http://u1.ipernity.com/30/51/01/20745101.a7e422c3.640.jpg
http://photos.cinematreasures.org/production/photos/65472/1359293700/large.jpg
http://www.buffaloah.com/h/movie/lapp/image/marlowe_257virginia.jpg
http://m2.i.pbase.com/u43/kjosker/upload/28216202.Marlowe.jpg
http://u1.ipernity.com/30/26/21/20702621.0f8071fe.640.jpg
http://u1.ipernity.com/30/55/83/20715583.c579642e.640.jpg
Photo credit: Mike Puma ViewsOfBuffalo,Cinema Treasures,BuffaloAH,Karl Josker

Location

257 Virginia Street, Buffalo, NY 14201
SBL: 111.29-1-2
Fillmore Council District
Google Bird's Eye View
Erie County Property Info
County Tax Map (loads GIS page)
City of Buffalo Parcel Viewer

Across from: 251 Virginia Street , 254 Virginia Street , 272 Virginia Street

Owner

  • Hispanics United of Buffalo

Physical Description

Two story brick, 998 (originally 650) seat theater

Current Condition

Demolished. Vacant lot.

History

  • March 25, 1913 - John R. Oishei, the founder of Trico, hires architect William Andrew Kidd for his new theater
  • 1915 - Theater construction completed
  • 1929 - The Marlowe was purchased by Matthew M. Konczakowski
  • 1941 - Konczakowski spent $70,000 dollars on a complete overhaul, doubling the original size, adding air-conditioning, and changing the facade.
    • The architect of the Art Deco remodel was William L. Spann
  • When Konczakowski died, the theater operation ended and it changed hands multiple times, being used as a church by various organizations.
  • 1979 - A feasibility study by the Community Planning Association Center of WNY to renovate the building as convention space for Hispanic cultural and social activities failed to generate any development activity.
History courtesy Views of Buffalo

Recent Events and Actions Taken

  • 2007 - Prince of Peace Church vacated the Marlowe
  • 2012 - Hispanics United purchased it and considered reuse, before settling on demolition instead. Demo contractors told Views of Buffalo that the deterioration of the exterior was mostly face bricks, not structural.
    • A three story, residential building was slated to take its place. The site remains a vacant lot years later.
  • April 2012 - Theater demolished

Other Pertinent Facts

  • The Marlowe was named after one of Oishei’s favorite actresses, Julia Marlowe.
  • Oishei owned and built a number of other theaters throughout Buffalo, including the Teck Theater.

Links


Newest Pages

■ Elevator Capacity And Cost ■ 270 William Street ■ 1865 Genesee Street ■ 1865 Genesee Street ■ Adam's Door Company ■ Stephen W. Howell House and Store ■ Sinclair Gas Station ■ 1349 East Ferry Street ■ 1345 East Ferry Street ■ 1343 East Ferry Street ■ Silo City ■ Perot Malting Elevator ■ Superior Elevator ■ Meyer Malting Elevator ■ Lake & Rail Elevator ■ Kreiner Malting Mill and Elevator ■ Marine A Elevator ■ Eastern States Elevator ■ Wheeler/GLF/Agway Elevator ■ American Elevator ■ Spencer Kellogg Elevator ■ Connecting Terminal Elevator ■ Washburn-Crosby/General Mills Elevator ■ Standard Elevator ■ Buffalo's Grain Elevators ■ Electric Elevator ■ 149 Fargo Avenue ■ 908 East Delavan Avenue ■ Westminster Community House ■ 389 Cornwall Avenue

Added 2014-06-26 • Last changed 2018-02-21

Buffalo | Buildings | Commercial Buildings | Lost Buildings | Theater Buildings | Vacant Lot | West Side