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 |