Shea's North Park Theater - Table of Contents  ..................   North Park Neighborhood - Table of Contents

a
Lobby
- Shea's North Park Theatre
1428 Hertel Avenue, Buffalo NY

Shea's North Park Theatre  - Official Web Site
  (online July 2018)

On this page, below:
Lobby in July 2018

Original  "Hidden Lobby" in July 2018

Restored lobby in June 2019

July 2018 photos, unless indicated otherwise

Outer Ticket lobby


Looking through the front doors at the lights underneath the marquee



2008 photo.
Contrast to the 2018 photo below:


Looking through the front doors out onto Hertel Avenue






Series of stained glass  medallions not original



False ceiling and dome not original   ...   Photos in the second half of this page below illustrate what the section above the false ceiling looks like in July of 2018






2008 photo   ...   Original ticket machine



Friezes (painted blue), fluted  plaster  pilasters, and wainscoting ornament the walls  (five details below:)



Wainscoting



All original:  Gouged dentil molding  ...   Blue frieze   ...   Fluted  pilaster   ...   Shoulders



Gouged dentil molding



Columns
flank original wooden frame and original painted plaster surround with shoulders



Note original mirror (detailed below:)


Original mirror and frame, including
shoulders




Original lobby

"At some point, in order to ease the burden of heavy heating bills, a dropped ceiling in the lobby was installed, covering up the original ceiling above the ticket booth.

"The front façade was blocked off as well, masking large stained glass windows facing the street, which finished off the magnificent portico entrance. The center window read 'Shea’s North Park' across the face, and was flanked, appropriately, by the tragedy and comedy masks on either side.

" 'Are you afraid of heights?' asked Alice Eoannou, landlord of the North Park for the last two years along with her husband, while ascending the stairs to get a glimpse of the other side of the façade. On delicate beams, in between wires holding up the newer ceiling, the stained glass windows can be seen still intact, and are amazing in size alone, even viewed in reverse."   - Joseph DiDomizio, "The North Park: Uncovering Neoclassicism in a Buffalo Theatre"




Original lobby ceiling still has plaster ornamentation  in July of 2018  ...    The wires support the dropped ceiling



Left front corner.
Plaster ornamentation, from the top:   Acanthus leaves (gold)   ...   Fluting (blue)  ...  
Leaf-and-dart  (gold)     ...   Scrolling acanthus leaves (red background)   ...   Leaf-and-dart (gold)    ...   Two rows of bead-and-reel molding.
Damaged plaster




Right front corner    ...   Note ceiling ornamentation which is detailed below:


From a different angle:


C scrolls are on the ceiling (detailed below:)



C scrolls


Acanthus leaves (gold)   ...   Fluting (blue)



Acanthus leaves  (gold)     ...   Scrolling acanthus leaves (red background)   ...   Leaf-and-dart (gold)    ...    Bead-and-reel molding





Top of the ticket lobby dome    ...   Sunlight washes out the stained glass windows which are shown below:





At front of the original lobby is the stained glass window (note "Shea's") which was plastered over in 1948 when the name was changed to Loew's North Park Theatre, but uncovered in 2014 when Thomas Eoannou bought the theatre



Greek comedy mask















Greek tragedy mask






Back of the original lobby ceiling and wall   ...   Note damaged plaster under the opening at left    ...
Wall details below:


Far left:  Damaged reinforced plaster



Center: Plaster balustrade  (detailed below:)



Center: Acanthus panel decoration on left support   ...   Double vase balusters



Right: Damaged reinforced plaster






False dropped ceiling dome




2019 Restored lobby
June 2019 Photos














Leaf-and-dart molding at top   ...   Flutes   ...   Leaf-and-dart molding   ...   Scrolling acanthus leaves   ...   Bead-and-reel molding



Note cove lighting



Three balconets












Balconet      ...   Acanthus leaves in side panels   and underneath ancones   ...   Double vase balusters


Special thanks to owners Thomas Eoannou and Michael Christiano, and to Program Director Ray Barker, for their cooperation in 2018
Photos and their arrangement © 2018 Chuck LaChiusa
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