Update: You can see the Virginia Theater from earlier in the week, and later in 2013. See the theater’s interior from 2014 that were published in 2019.
I had always heard about this theater, but had never been by. In fact, Virginia Avenue is really amazing along this stretch, featuring some great architecture.
Originally built by Anheuser-Busch, it was bought by Wehrenberg and operated as a theater for years. Supposedly several churches occupied the space as well, but I saw no evidence of occupation when I drove by in early February. Read about the theater here.
If you look closely, you can see the back stage rising above the rest of the building.
I think the last "church" left the building round about a year ago. That, at least, was the first time I had noticed no signage indicating the presence of an occupant.
So I am from there literally lived a few blocks down the street and I can say I was part of everything sense I was a kid I watched as the theater signs came down and helped to do the basement work with my dad and constant plumbing problems but I thing the best thing was the little house attached by passage under everything. We completely remodeled and prepared it and actually that’s where the pastors would live with there family. But a total of three churches where there and the can say because I was always a part of the meeting frowning up and got first hand info they failed because angriest bush wanted to much to rent the building. The original ice room was fully intact still but boarded up and under the stage if you walk down into the main area there was an area before it was moved to the back of the stage where everyone was baptized the pair is blue in there. But I have all the records and historical documents to this building and pictures most people have never seen and would change what people really know about the build I even know all three names and pastors of the churches that took over one after another.
Josh, I would love to see what you have! Please contact me via e-mail.
This is the first theater I remember when I was a kid. We lived on Walsh street very near there from 1949-1954.
What was it like inside? I only saw it once it had been abandoned.