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Village Theatre: Sides take stands on terrazzo renovation

CORONADO — Coronado is wrestling with what to do about a badly damaged terrazzo in front of the 1947 Village Theater on Orange Avenue, which is slated for a major renovation this summer.

City staff members have recommended that a new terrazzo — polished flooring usually made of marble or stone chips set in mortar — be installed instead of repairing the old one. But preservationists say that if the terrazzo is removed, Coronado will lose a bit of its character and charm.

“It’s a piece of Coronado’s history, and we’d like to see it stay in its imperfect state,” said Rita Sarish of Coronado Main Street, a preservation group.

Read the entire Union Tribune article here.

Tags: city council, history, theatre

0 members like this

Comment by Katie's Mom Mary Grace on February 24, 2010 at 8:24am: The sign should be restored. Keep what's left of the "Coronado charm." It will be so nice to have our local theater back. Hope this happens. They have been talking about this for a long, long time. Is it actually going to happen? And when? Mary Grace

Comment by Kimberley T Scattergood on February 24, 2010 at 9:11am: I can't remember how bad the condition of the terrazzo is, but I would be in favor of restoring it, if possible. I agree with Mary Grace, that keeping the Coronado charm is important. Since I don't live there, I was wondering, what is the current situation with the theater? Who owns it? Is it being used for something? Is it in original condition inside? Hum.....always dreamt of living on Coronado....always thought it would be cool to own either a B&B or an old movie theater. Hum.......

Comment by Jeanette C Aguilar on February 24, 2010 at 12:39pm: I think the terrazo should be restored. I lived in Coronado from 1978 untill 2004 and when I first moved there through the early nineties the theater was still showing movies. I used to love to go even though it was quite run down but even in that state sitll it possesed a certain charm. I hope they will renovate it and bring movies back again. I'll come from La Mesa just to bathe in the old charm of the movie house if they get it going again.

Comment by eCoronado on February 24, 2010 at 12:55pm: We'll be adding behind the scene photos soon and giving you updates on the renovation progress. Here is a more detailed update: http://www.ecoronado.com/profiles/blogs/coronado-village-theatre

Comment by mary on February 24, 2010 at 2:25pm: Keep what you can salvage and...Get it done already.

Comment by Maureen (Rutherford) Nieland on February 24, 2010 at 3:40pm: Yes !!! Please salvage what you can. Can't wait to see the up dates. I heard it could begine as early as June 2010. Please preserve what you can!!!!!!! I have talked to my husband for quite a few years how it would be wonderful to restore this theater. I was born and raised in Corondao, (1946) so I had many Saturday matinee's to enjoy!!! Cherry bon bon's and a pop machine that you could twist and turn to get all mixed up flavors if you wanted and of course eat all the chocolate "necco's" first then the other flavors next and the black ones last!!!!!
We would get the news reel first and then the cartoon and then the movie!!! Wonderful times!!!!!

Comment by Sue Shirey on February 24, 2010 at 9:45pm: I'm sure it would be more cost effective to replace the terrazo than repair it - as long as it is a reasonable reproduction I don't mind. Whoever is restoring the theater is going to have quite an investment and I'd like to see that person turn a profit sooner than later. Just get the theater open! That will keep people in Coronado on a Friday or Saturday night and probably stimulate business at surrounding restaurants and night spots.