• About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Submit Story Ideas
Subscribe
The Coastal
  • Development
    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Beach Bowl making a comeback

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Rooms To Go coming to Town Center area

    Dochi, Jacksonville, FL

    Japanese Donut Pop-Up Shop Dochi Coming to Town Center

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Concert venue, rooftop bar proposed downtown

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Margaritaville Hotel opens in Jax Beach

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Berkman Plaza II (finally) coming down for redevelopment

    New Renderings Show Bright Future for Laura Street Trio

    New Renderings Show Bright Future for Laura Street Trio

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: JWB Real Estate Capital eyes two adaptive reuse projects downtown

    Lot J Live District rendering Jacksonville FL

    Downtown Jacksonville Will Be Fine Without Lot J

  • History
    • All
    • Jax Evolved
    Stanton High School Jacksonville FL

    Remembering the Old Stanton Normal School

    Snyder Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church, Jacksonville, FL

    Story of a Building: Snyder Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church

    Levy's department store, Jacksonville, FL

    Levy’s Department Store Once Dressed Jacksonville’s Elite

    Skinners' Dairy milk retail huts, Jacksonville, FL

    Remembering Hardwick & Lee’s Distinctive Skinners’ Dairy Huts

    VyStar Tower, Jacksonville, FL

    Story of a Building: VyStar Tower

    Joseph E. Lee Jacksonville's first black attorney

    Joseph E. Lee Was Jacksonville’s First Black Lawyer – and He Didn’t Stop There

    Jacksonville Public Library

    Story of a Building: Jacksonville Main Library

    Riverplace Tower, Jacksonville FL

    Story of a Building: Riverplace Tower

    Jacksonville Zoo

    A Brief History of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

  • Culture
    • All
    • Art
    • Hidden Gems
    • Local Quirks
    • Music
    • Shopping
    “Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

    Sugar Ray, Quad City DJ’s Highlight Jax River Jams Lineup

    Art Notes - Jacksonville, FL

    ART NOTES: Jazz Discovery Series 2021 Kicks off Friday Night

    “Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

    “Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

    Joseph E. Lee Jacksonville's first black attorney

    Joseph E. Lee Was Jacksonville’s First Black Lawyer – and He Didn’t Stop There

    Confederate monument removed in Jacksonville, FL

    5 Biggest Local Stories of 2020

    Jacksonville Zoo

    A Brief History of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

    MOSH Genesis rendering

    MOSH Releases Conceptual Renderings for Proposed Northbank Museum

    LaRose Women's Footwear, Jacksonville, FL

    Remembering LaRose, Jacksonville’s Famous Women’s Shoe Store

    The Homestead Restaurant, Jacksonville Beach, FL

    Long Before Taco Lu, There Was The Homestead Restaurant

  • Community
    Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

    Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

    Cowford Chophouse Partners with JAMS for 2021 MOO-VE IT 5K

    Cowford Chophouse Partners with JAMS for 2021 MOO-VE IT 5K

    Taverna Meals for Medical Workers Jacksonville Baptist Health

    Taverna Gives Back to First Responders with “Meals for Medical Workers”

    Local Companies Anact, SurfearNEGRA Join Forces to Address Aquatic Inequality

    Local Companies Anact, SurfearNEGRA Join Forces to Address Aquatic Inequality

    The Pitman Sisters, TikTok video stars from Jacksonville, FL

    How “The Pitman Sisters” Became TikTok Famous During COVID-19

    Local Women in Cannabis, Jacksonville, FL

    Breaking the “Grass Ceiling”: Local Women in Cannabis

    Urban Mining Jacksonville FL

    How Urban Mining Utilizes Donations to Provide Computers for Local Kids

    Cowford Chophouse Teams Up with Jacksonville Arts & Music School for 4th Annual MOO-VE IT 5K

    Cowford Chophouse Raises Over $18,000 for Jacksonville Arts & Music School

    COVID-19 Testing homeless population in Jacksonville, FL

    Entire Jacksonville Homeless Shelter Population Tests Negative for COVID-19

  • Food + Drink
    • All
    • Beer
    • Reviews
    Dochi, Jacksonville, FL

    Japanese Donut Pop-Up Shop Dochi Coming to Town Center

    Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

    Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

    Taverna Meals for Medical Workers Jacksonville Baptist Health

    Taverna Gives Back to First Responders with “Meals for Medical Workers”

    The Homestead Restaurant, Jacksonville Beach, FL

    Long Before Taco Lu, There Was The Homestead Restaurant

    Norikase Jacksonville

    BENTO Group to Debut Norikase Concept in Jacksonville

    Chef Tom Gray Introduces Line of Grocery Store Culinary Products

    Chef Tom Gray Introduces Line of Grocery Store Culinary Products

    Palace Saloon, Fernandina Beach, FL

    Florida’s Oldest Bar, the Palace Saloon, Can Be Found on Amelia Island

    Farms in Jacksonville, FL

    5 Great Local Farms in Jacksonville

    The Volstead, Jacksonville, FL

    HIDDEN GEMS: The Volstead, Downtown Jacksonville’s Speakeasy

  • More
    • Hidden Gems
    • Local Quirks
    • Lists
    • Sports
    • 904VIEWS
    • Seven Bridges
    • Music
No Result
View All Result
The Coastal
  • Development
    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Beach Bowl making a comeback

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Rooms To Go coming to Town Center area

    Dochi, Jacksonville, FL

    Japanese Donut Pop-Up Shop Dochi Coming to Town Center

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Concert venue, rooftop bar proposed downtown

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Margaritaville Hotel opens in Jax Beach

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: Berkman Plaza II (finally) coming down for redevelopment

    New Renderings Show Bright Future for Laura Street Trio

    New Renderings Show Bright Future for Laura Street Trio

    Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

    Building Up Jax: JWB Real Estate Capital eyes two adaptive reuse projects downtown

    Lot J Live District rendering Jacksonville FL

    Downtown Jacksonville Will Be Fine Without Lot J

  • History
    • All
    • Jax Evolved
    Stanton High School Jacksonville FL

    Remembering the Old Stanton Normal School

    Snyder Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church, Jacksonville, FL

    Story of a Building: Snyder Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church

    Levy's department store, Jacksonville, FL

    Levy’s Department Store Once Dressed Jacksonville’s Elite

    Skinners' Dairy milk retail huts, Jacksonville, FL

    Remembering Hardwick & Lee’s Distinctive Skinners’ Dairy Huts

    VyStar Tower, Jacksonville, FL

    Story of a Building: VyStar Tower

    Joseph E. Lee Jacksonville's first black attorney

    Joseph E. Lee Was Jacksonville’s First Black Lawyer – and He Didn’t Stop There

    Jacksonville Public Library

    Story of a Building: Jacksonville Main Library

    Riverplace Tower, Jacksonville FL

    Story of a Building: Riverplace Tower

    Jacksonville Zoo

    A Brief History of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

  • Culture
    • All
    • Art
    • Hidden Gems
    • Local Quirks
    • Music
    • Shopping
    “Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

    Sugar Ray, Quad City DJ’s Highlight Jax River Jams Lineup

    Art Notes - Jacksonville, FL

    ART NOTES: Jazz Discovery Series 2021 Kicks off Friday Night

    “Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

    “Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

    Joseph E. Lee Jacksonville's first black attorney

    Joseph E. Lee Was Jacksonville’s First Black Lawyer – and He Didn’t Stop There

    Confederate monument removed in Jacksonville, FL

    5 Biggest Local Stories of 2020

    Jacksonville Zoo

    A Brief History of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

    MOSH Genesis rendering

    MOSH Releases Conceptual Renderings for Proposed Northbank Museum

    LaRose Women's Footwear, Jacksonville, FL

    Remembering LaRose, Jacksonville’s Famous Women’s Shoe Store

    The Homestead Restaurant, Jacksonville Beach, FL

    Long Before Taco Lu, There Was The Homestead Restaurant

  • Community
    Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

    Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

    Cowford Chophouse Partners with JAMS for 2021 MOO-VE IT 5K

    Cowford Chophouse Partners with JAMS for 2021 MOO-VE IT 5K

    Taverna Meals for Medical Workers Jacksonville Baptist Health

    Taverna Gives Back to First Responders with “Meals for Medical Workers”

    Local Companies Anact, SurfearNEGRA Join Forces to Address Aquatic Inequality

    Local Companies Anact, SurfearNEGRA Join Forces to Address Aquatic Inequality

    The Pitman Sisters, TikTok video stars from Jacksonville, FL

    How “The Pitman Sisters” Became TikTok Famous During COVID-19

    Local Women in Cannabis, Jacksonville, FL

    Breaking the “Grass Ceiling”: Local Women in Cannabis

    Urban Mining Jacksonville FL

    How Urban Mining Utilizes Donations to Provide Computers for Local Kids

    Cowford Chophouse Teams Up with Jacksonville Arts & Music School for 4th Annual MOO-VE IT 5K

    Cowford Chophouse Raises Over $18,000 for Jacksonville Arts & Music School

    COVID-19 Testing homeless population in Jacksonville, FL

    Entire Jacksonville Homeless Shelter Population Tests Negative for COVID-19

  • Food + Drink
    • All
    • Beer
    • Reviews
    Dochi, Jacksonville, FL

    Japanese Donut Pop-Up Shop Dochi Coming to Town Center

    Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

    Jax-Based SipClean Debuts New Canned, Non-Alcoholic Rosé

    Taverna Meals for Medical Workers Jacksonville Baptist Health

    Taverna Gives Back to First Responders with “Meals for Medical Workers”

    The Homestead Restaurant, Jacksonville Beach, FL

    Long Before Taco Lu, There Was The Homestead Restaurant

    Norikase Jacksonville

    BENTO Group to Debut Norikase Concept in Jacksonville

    Chef Tom Gray Introduces Line of Grocery Store Culinary Products

    Chef Tom Gray Introduces Line of Grocery Store Culinary Products

    Palace Saloon, Fernandina Beach, FL

    Florida’s Oldest Bar, the Palace Saloon, Can Be Found on Amelia Island

    Farms in Jacksonville, FL

    5 Great Local Farms in Jacksonville

    The Volstead, Jacksonville, FL

    HIDDEN GEMS: The Volstead, Downtown Jacksonville’s Speakeasy

  • More
    • Hidden Gems
    • Local Quirks
    • Lists
    • Sports
    • 904VIEWS
    • Seven Bridges
    • Music
No Result
View All Result
The Coastal
No Result
View All Result

A Brief History of the Florida Theatre

by The Coastal
June 25, 2020
in Culture, History
Florida Theatre, Jacksonville, FL
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

For nearly a century, the Florida Theatre has been a staple of downtown Jacksonville – a reminder of a foregone era when grand theaters lined Forsyth Street.

The Florida Theatre opened its doors to the public in April 1927. Its building, designed by R.E. Hall of New York and Roy A. Benjamin of Jacksonville, was built on the site of a former city jail and police building. The seven-story, Mediterranean Revival-style structure featured a rooftop garden with a dance floor, a marquee, and ground-floor retail units in addition to the theater and its lobby. Its interior was designed by Michael Angello of Chicago.

The 1,900-seat theater was operated by Publix Theatres, which would later become Plitt Theatres, as a motion picture house and performing arts theater. It thrived amidst a then-bustling downtown district lined with department stores, shops, and other theaters.

Archival photo of the theater

Demand for office space within the theater’s building was stronger than expected, leading to the rooftop garden being enclosed in 1938 to create a true seventh floor that would accommodate offices.

The building would undergo another round of renovations in the early ‘50s, adding a concession stand, a new marquee, and orchestra space. It was also during this decade that Elvis Presley chose the venue for one of his first indoor performances.

The theater, like most of downtown Jax, entered a decline in the 1970s. Its owner, Plitt Theatres, decided to close it down permanently in 1980.

You MightAlso Like

“Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

Sugar Ray, Quad City DJ’s Highlight Jax River Jams Lineup

Stanton High School Jacksonville FL

Remembering the Old Stanton Normal School

Art Notes - Jacksonville, FL

ART NOTES: Jazz Discovery Series 2021 Kicks off Friday Night

“Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

“Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

The theater’s facade as it looked in the ’60s (Photo via Florida state archives)

Luckily, the Arts Assembly of Jacksonville – now known as the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville – stepped in and purchased the building from Plitt a year later. The organization was able to get the building added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 and, through private and public funding, it began a $4 million renovation project that included the restoration of the theater’s original balcony seating as well as its marquee. The project was handled by KBJ Architects which, interestingly enough, evolved from Roy Benjamin’s firm.

The Florida Theatre reopened in the summer of 1983. Four years later, the nonprofit group Florida Theatre Performing Arts Center, Inc. was formed to oversee the theater.

Today, the Florida Theatre continues to operate as the only remaining historic theater within the core of downtown Jax. It recently launched a five-year, $10 million renovation project to upgrade its lighting, sound, and projection systems as well as seating and the lobby area.

The renovation efforts should be finished in time for the theater’s 100th anniversary in 2027 – and will hopefully allow the theater to remain open and successful for decades to come.

Share709TweetSendShareShare
Previous Post

HIDDEN GEMS: The Volstead, Downtown Jacksonville’s Speakeasy

Next Post

“The Link” Neighborhood Hub Breaks Ground in Nocatee

The Coastal

The Coastal is a local magazine in Jacksonville, FL, founded in 2015 to bring you stories about the past, present, and future of the First Coast.

Related Posts

“Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

Sugar Ray, Quad City DJ’s Highlight Jax River Jams Lineup

Stanton High School Jacksonville FL

Remembering the Old Stanton Normal School

Art Notes - Jacksonville, FL

ART NOTES: Jazz Discovery Series 2021 Kicks off Friday Night

“Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

“Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April

Snyder Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church, Jacksonville, FL

Story of a Building: Snyder Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church

Levy's department store, Jacksonville, FL

Levy’s Department Store Once Dressed Jacksonville’s Elite

Next Post
The Link, Nocatee, FL

“The Link” Neighborhood Hub Breaks Ground in Nocatee

Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Development and Construction News Every Saturday - The Coastal

Building Up Jax: Lofts in Springfield, Murray Hill moving forward

Devin Wilson, WR for the NAL's Jacksonville Sharks

Sharks Star Devin Wilson Joins Jackson HS Coaching Staff During NAL Break

Comments 1

  1. Georgia pribanic says:
    8 months ago

    How to subscribe to this post? Is there a print edition? Thank you. Georgia

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

LATEST POSTS

“Jax River Jams” Concert Series Coming to Riverfront Plaza in April
Culture

Sugar Ray, Quad City DJ’s Highlight Jax River Jams Lineup

Just under two weeks after it was first announced, Downtown Vision has revealed the lineup for its upcoming Jax River...

Read more
Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

Building Up Jax: Beach Bowl making a comeback

Stanton High School Jacksonville FL

Remembering the Old Stanton Normal School

Art Notes - Jacksonville, FL

ART NOTES: Jazz Discovery Series 2021 Kicks off Friday Night

Building Up Jax - Jacksonville Construction and Development Updates Each Saturday

Building Up Jax: Rooms To Go coming to Town Center area

The Coastal

© 2015-2020 Cowford Media / The Coastal Jacksonville LLC. All rights reserved.

Browse by Section

  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Submit Story Ideas

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Development
  • Culture
  • History
    • Jax Evolved
  • In the Community
  • Food + Drink
  • Sports
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • Submit Your Story
    • Advertise

© 2015-2020 Cowford Media / The Coastal Jacksonville LLC. All rights reserved.