[Update: We have more on the history of this building, which was the Natatorium Building before it became a theater.]
This once-splendid movie house on Forbes Avenue was designed by Harry S. Bair, a specialist in neighborhood movie palaces who also designed the Regent in East Liberty. According to comments on Cinematreasures.org, it was built with the screen at the street end: you had to walk up a long hall to come in at the rear of the theater. Thus it took advantage of the hillside location to make a naturally sloped auditorium. The building ceased to be a theater about four decades ago; it is now retail stores and apartments.
The picture above is a composite of four photographs.
Penn Avenue in the Cultural District, Pittsburgh, from the corner of Sixth Street. The view includes the O’Reilly Theater and Theater Square (architect Michael Graves) and the Penn Avenue bikeway.
This movie house was newly built in 1915, when this picture was published. It was open until the late 1960s; it was torn down in the 1970s.
Opened in 1914, this splendid little movie palace, renamed for two of East Liberty’s biggest stars, is now a venue for live performances. The architect was Harry S. Bair, who designed several theaters in the area and also designed the old Dormont Municipal Building, which is now the home of the Anne Gregory bridal shop.
