Michael
Shea .........................
Tim Bohen, Michael Shea,
The Improbable Entertainer
Shea's Seneca Theater / The Show
at Shea's Seneca
2188 Seneca Street, Buffalo NY
| Architect: |
William T. Spann |
| Built: |
1929; opening
night: 1930 |
| Style: |
Adamesque |
| Theatre
portion demolished: |
1970s. Auditorium became a
parking lot.; lobby spared |
| "The
Show" derivation: |
A nod to when movie
theaters were referred to as going to "the show" |
| Skyroom
Lofts: |
23 high-end market rate
apartments in current building |
| Building
square footage: |
48,000 sq. feet |
| Status: |
Listed on the National Register olf
Historic Places |
 Historic photo courtesy of Buffalo Stories (online Sept. 2025) Reprint Cinema Treasures (online September 2025) By Ken Roe Shea’s Seneca Theatre opened on 11th January 1930 screening “The Mighty” starring George Bancroft and Vera Ralston. The 3 Manual 15 Rank Wurltzer theatre organ was played by Nelson Selby. It was the last, the largest and the most magnificent of the three neighborhood theatres which were part of Michael Shea’s dream that every neighborhood should have a theatre of first magnitude, this one located in the district of West Seneca. It was designed by local Buffalo architect Willliam T. Spann in an Adam style and all seating was on one floor. The auditorium of the Seneca Theatre was demolished in 1970 and became car parking space, but the front of the building and lobby were retained. They were restored and converted into a banquet hall in January 2019. The theatre’s retail spaces have been restored and are back in retail use, and other parts of the building have been converted into 23 apartments. |
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See also:
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Exterior Photos Taken September 18, 2025   Seven details below:  Exterior photos - Detail #1 Terra cotta  Exterior photos - Detail #2 Terra cotta Facing S-scrolls  Exterior photos - Detail #3 Cartouche Ribbon and swags Urn  Exterior photos - Detail #4 S scroll  Exterior photos - Detail #5 Three rosettes  Exterior photos - Detail #6  Exterior photos - Detail #7 |
Interior
Photos  Photo by Katie Schneider Photo courtesy of Buffalo Rising (online September 2025)  Photo by Katie Schneider Photo courtesy of Buffalo Rising (online September 2025) |
