The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is expected to review plans for establishing a new Special Use District to allow housing to rise behind a preserved facade of the Alexandria Theater at 5400 Geary Boulevard in the Richmond District. TimeSpace Group is responsible for the application as the property owner.
The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to review plans today, May 6th, starting at 2 PM. The event will occur in person at City Hall. Alexandria Theater is listed as item 26. For more information about how to attend and participate, visit the meeting agenda here.
Alexandria Theater existing condition, image from Timespace Group
Alexandria Theater aerial overview, illustration by G7A
If approved, the adaptive reuse will result in an 80-foot-tall apartment complex with 75 apartments, of which 12% will be deed-restricted as affordable housing. The dwellings will all offer either two or three bedrooms, according to reporting by Aldo Toledo for the San Francisco Chronicle.
Illustrations published alongside the hearing provide a glimpse at the overall scale of the housing, to be designed by Gonzales Architects, i.e., G7A. While the drawings are shared only to provide a sense of scale, some sense of the future design can be gleaned from the architecture studio’s portfolio. The firm’s residential work includes a mix of familiar regional vernacular, boxy articulated facades, and lap siding, alongside a few collaborations with David Baker Architects, such as with Five88 in Mission Bay, or BAR Architects with the affordable educator project in the Sunset District.
Alexandria Theater historic elements that will be preserved, illustration by G7A
Alexandria Theater side elevation, illustration by G7A
Plans show that the iconic blade sign, the original of which was demolished in early 2023, will be rebuilt. The developer states that the development will retain the marquee, original murals from the main auditorium, and a distinctive original chandelier.
The Egyptian Revivalist building was designed by the Reid Brothers, though little of the golden-age cinema glamour remains visible to the community. The theater has been standing on the corner of Geary and 18th Avenue for 102 years, having opened in 1923. However, after closing in 2004, it has remained vacant for over a fifth of a century. TimeSpace Group has been overseeing the site since its purchase in 2006.
The property is located at the corner of Geary Boulevard and 18th Avenue, three blocks from the Presidio and four blocks away from Golden Gate Park. The estimated cost and timeline for construction have yet to be established.
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The poor Alexandria Theater has been crying out for a savior for decades. It’s a shame how poorly this country has mistreated its grand old movie palaces. Exceptions include the beautiful restorations of the Paramount Theater in Oakland and the California Theater in San José. The plan to expand the theater to include much needed housing is a wise decision. Please restore the marquee and the theater lobby to their former grandeur. I was last in the Alexandria Theater on New Year’s Eve of 1981 to see “Chariots of Fire” (people joked that the film was a documentary on Ford Pintos.)
Well if you hadn’t been there since 1981, no wonder it went out of business!
It’s a shame it couldn’t be transformed into a music/performance venue like the Castro (though it sounds like that one is way over budget, and was also controversial). There was a documentary on old SF theaters, and I was struck by how popular they were – they really brought out the crowds, which spilled over into all the neighboring businesses. Movie theaters aren’t that anymore, but live music and performance might be.
Oh well. Sounds like they’re keeping the auditorium in some capacity. And housing is always good.
I think the last movie I saw there might have been Mulan…
don’t forget the Grand Lake in Oakland!
“a fifth of a century”? I was told there would be no math.
I very much hope the auditorium can be retained in addition to the decorations, so that the housing will be built above the landmark of the golden age of hollywood.