The Huntridge Theater has seen good times and bad times. It has been a first run movie theater, a second run house, and a concert venue. For many, they only know it as that empty building at the corner of East Charleston and Maryland Parkway.
Over the years, many have tried to help restore the building, renovate it, there have been many ideas over the years. Here at Classic Las Vegas, we were involved in the preservation efforts in 2006 and 2007. The Great Recession brought those efforts to a halt. Then, last year, Michael Cornthwaite and a group of investors, announced that they were going to revive the Huntridge. Hundreds showed up to help paint the facade and clean up the parking lot.
While there hasn't been much headlining making news on the venture lately, work has been going on. Joe Schoenmann, of the Las Vegas Sun, reports that the building has a new logo adorning it.
New Huntridge Logo being added- Photo Courtesy of the Las Vegas Sun
Until today, little new information has emerged about renovating the historic Huntridge Theater, plans of which so energized the community that an online fundraiser collected more than $200,000 to assist in the renovation.
After that money came in, several companies then vowed to donate time for lighting, design and more. In addition, hundreds of residents answered the call and showed up to whitewash the building, whose ancient paint job had flaked away.
Months passed. Some thought the theater revival plans had faded away. Others figured that a December deadline for Huntridge Revival LLC to raise $4 million to buy the 69-year-old building had been missed (another $11 million is needed for renovation).
Then late this morning, signs of life.
A crew with a hydraulic cherry picker began to erect a massive square banner on the building containing a new logo — an “H” inside a circle.
Chris Fahlman, hired as Huntridge general manager last year and on site to watch as the banner-crew worked, said the banner serves as a reminder that the project is moving forward. He also said that the $4 million deadline had been extended to June as “qualified investors” are sought.
“We’re at a phase where we’re raising additional investment to finalize the purchase,” he said. “The clock is ticking.”
For more on the article: http://lasvegassun.com/news/2014/feb/24/new-logo-graces-huntridge-signaling-projects-progr/
Share your memories of the Huntridge with us in the comments section!
Read about the history of the Huntridge and articles on the efforts to save her, here:
http://classiclasvegasblog.com/classic-las-vegas-blog/2008/3/11/more-huntridge-theater-history.html
http://classiclasvegasblog.com/classic-las-vegas-blog/2013/6/7/help-save-the-huntridge-theater.html