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forward by the activists. The developer then put up the building up for sale. Later in 2008, a local theater preservation nonprofit was investigating ways to preserve the theater (which at this point had remained closed for several years) and turn it into "a showplace for indie movies, movie festivals and live performances."
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Available on San
Francisco Planning Department public computer, main floor 1650 Mission St., San Francisco, CA or calling the San Francisco Planning Department main number at (415) 558-6378. This information is likely available at the San Francisco Assessor/Record office, City Hall, 1st floor, 1 Dr.
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In 2015, after the theater had remained empty for a decade, a conditional-use permit hearing was held to convert the main space into an arcade bar, the fourth in the franchise from
Chicago-based Emporium Arcade Bar. The venue, which features 50 vintage arcade games, a full bar, and live music, opened
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arch, maintaining the existing auditorium and lobby and their extant detailing. Consideration for the removal and reconstruction of the raked theater floor and seating to allow for a new parking level below, addition of windows, and the upgrade of restrooms to conform with modern building codes were
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The request for an EIR was heard on
November 13, 2008, by the San Francisco Planning Commission. The Planning Commission unanimously approved the request of the Friends of 1800 for an EIR, so an EIR was required for the project. A feasible plan to pay for and preserve the entire theater was not put
223:
The
Planning Department's Mitigated Negative Declaration was appealed by Friends of 1800 and was heard on September 25, 2008. The Planning Department rescinded that Preliminary Negative Declaration and prepared a new one, which has also been appealed by the Friends of 1800.
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activists believed this plan was threatening the historical integrity of the building and limited its future uses. An appeal was filed against the San
Francisco Planning Department's "Negative Declaration" to the Environmental Impact Report under the
216:(CEQA). In 2005, a similar challenge was successfully made against the negative declaration to the developer's original plan to demolish the entire theater to build more condominiums. That appeal was heard by the
296:
San
Francisco Planning Department memorandum by Moses Corrette, Preservation Technical Specialist, to Tammy Chan, dated 10/23/06. Available as "Attachment 2" to the appeal available at the link below. See also
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As with other facilities built by the Reid
Brothers, it has a capacity of between 800 and 1200 people. The Harding was used as a movie theater from 1926 to 1970. The theatrical group
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From the mid-1970s to 2004, the theater was used as a church. In 2004 (approximate date), the building was purchased by developers for US$ 1.6 million.
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in
December, 2017. The tenants removed dilapidated aspects, such as seating, while renovating more historic items.
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played the theater on 6 and 7 November 1971 (with their first performance of "Hideaway" on the 7th).
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614:"DeRose & Applelbaum Lands Harding Theater Its Second Act: Arcade Bar San Francisco Emporium"
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The
Harding Theater was built in 1926 by local theater owner Samuel H. Levin who hired
745:"NoPa's Harding Theater Condos Return With a Vengeance" SFCurbed (September 1, 2009)
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640:"A Peek Inside The Harding Theater, Slated For Bar/Arcade Renovation | Hoodline"
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In
November 2010, laser cats were painted on the theater's boarded up entrance.
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192:) - so that a separate independent structure containing eight units of housing
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668:"Enter Emporium, an Arcade Bar and Venue in a Long-Vacant Divisadero Theater"
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440:"San Francisco Board of Supervisors - minutes of the 19 April 2005 meeting"
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132:, completed in 1926. In 2017, the Emporium Arcade Bar opened in the space.
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Carlton B. Goodlett Place, San Francisco. (415) 554-5516. See also
470:"Sfgov | San Francisco Planning Department: November 13, 2008"
700:"Developers, Activists Debate Theater's Worth" by Carolyn Jones,
505:"Show's over: Hard Knocks for Harding Theater : Curbed SF"
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The owner/developer had a "compromise" plan—to remove the back
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Harding Theater: No Vaudeville After All? (September 18, 2008)
205:'s "Standards for the Rehabilitation of Historic Structures".
326:"San Francisco Planning Commission - agenda for 17 July 2008"
530:"Stage fight | City Insider | an SFGate.com blog"
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Cinemas and movie theaters in the San Francisco Bay Area
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starring in the first movie version of the hit musical
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Reid Brothers at Western Neighborhood Project website
196:could be constructed while preserving the existing
262:article described the theater as having 800 seats.
144:architects. The theater opened April 8, 1926 with
161:performed at the facility from 1961 to 1968, The
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589:"The greatest laser cat mural in the universe"
412:"Appeal filed by the "Friends of 1800" group"
175:Boarded-up facade of Harding Theater in 2005
201:also reviewed in depth to conform with the
812:Music venues in the San Francisco Bay Area
357:"Save The Harding Theater - San Francisco"
564:"Nestling with the family by the hearth"
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254:lists capacity as 1250 seats, as did a
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301:, January 14, 2005, also cited below.
214:California Environmental Quality Act
128:located at 616 Divisadero Street in
16:Theater in California, United States
726:on EIR Decision (November 14, 2008)
718:on EIR Decision (November 14, 2008)
638:Nuala, Sawyer (29 September 2015).
382:"San Francisco Planning Department"
13:
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218:San Francisco Board of Supervisors
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822:1926 establishments in California
711:at the San Francisco Main Library
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709:Historical photos of the theater
315:, January 14, 2005, cited below.
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355:deSign, Ted Whipple / incite.
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666:Pershan, Caleb (2017-12-01).
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562:Garchik, Leah (2008-12-17).
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797:Theatres completed in 1926
792:Landmarks in San Francisco
159:Lamplighters Music Theatre
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827:Theatres in San Francisco
817:Churches in San Francisco
203:Secretary of the Interior
130:San Francisco, California
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802:History of San Francisco
736:Proposal for Theater in
738:San Francisco Chronicle
716:San Francisco Chronicle
702:San Francisco Chronicle
313:San Francisco Chronicle
299:San Francisco Chronicle
256:San Francisco Chronicle
96:Design and construction
768:37.77551°N 122.43767°W
724:San Francisco Examiner
260:San Francisco Examiner
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209:Historic preservation
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773:37.77551; -122.43767
258:article. However, a
33:The building in 2022
764: /
740:(December 17, 2008)
540:on 16 December 2012
273:"Untitled Document"
56:Architectural style
43:General information
704:, January 14, 2005
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620:. 9 December 2015
587:Newitz, Annalee.
419:Friendsof1800.org
361:Friendsof1800.org
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252:Cinema Treasures
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122:Harding Theater
114:Samuel H. Levin
111:Main contractor
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22:Harding Theater
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163:Grateful Dead
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142:Reid Brothers
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618:The Registry
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101:Architect(s)
771: /
759:122°26′16″W
444:Ci.sf.ca.us
786:Categories
756:37°46′32″N
677:2022-09-04
649:2022-09-04
624:2022-09-04
598:15 October
573:2022-09-04
544:2 February
515:2008-11-18
480:2008-11-12
454:15 October
424:15 October
396:15 October
366:15 October
340:15 October
283:2008-07-15
239:References
198:proscenium
194:condominia
188:(see also
186:fly system
180:Renovation
78:California
386:Sfgov.org
330:Sfgov.org
88:Completed
672:Eater SF
70:Location
593:Io9.com
136:History
64:Moorish
51:Theater
568:SFGATE
190:batten
60:Gothic
415:(PDF)
151:Irene
600:2017
546:2022
456:2017
426:2017
398:2017
368:2017
342:2017
120:The
91:1926
48:Type
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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