1924
City and County of San Francisco Designated Landmark No. 261
The Reid Brothers, Architect
Samuel H. Levin, Owner
1941
Otto A. Deichmann and Timothy L. Pflueger, Architect (Remodel)
The original design of the Metropolitan was rendered in the ornate Spanish Colonial Revival style, a popular and nostalgic style in 1920's California. The theater featured pilaster, scrolled pediments, medallions and finals on the primary facade. The interior was finished with painted plaster work and architectural details such as classical columns, ornate arches, beamed ceilings and decorative grilles.
In 1941 the theater name was shortened to "The Metro" along with a streamlined Art Moderne remodel which prominently featured the auditorium murals of Anthony B. Heinsbergen in building over the original architectural and decorative features, a mixed architectural style was created that included round wall corners, modernistic light features, a fluted proscenium surround and geometric railings around the terraced auditorium seating.
Amidst the ever declining patronage of single screen theaters, the Metro eventually closed in 2006. The building owners were able to re-open the doors of the Metro, but this time with the rich cinematic history of the building serving as a backdrop for a new
fitness center. Many of the remaining historic and defining architectural features of the original building and past remodels were preserved or recreated as part of the seismic retrofit and renovation completed and dedicated in 2014.
Project Team:
Owner: 2055 Metro, LLG
Developer: Beachmont Development
Architect: Kahn Design Associates
Structural Engineer: Holmes-Culley
Contractor: Fisher Inc. (Marker Number
261.)
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