214:
427:
189:
239:
264:
34:
461:
271:
246:
221:
196:
410:
The Balboa was built by businessman Robert E. Hicks, architect
William H. Wheeler, by the Wurster Construction Company for $ 800,000 in 1924. A grand vaudeville/movie palace combining Moorish and Spanish Revival styles, the single-balcony theatre originally had a seating capacity of 1,513; waterfalls
448:
In 1985, a small group of advocates led by Steve Karo formed the Save Our Balboa
Organization to lobby against destruction of the theatre and to support its restoration. The Save Our Balboa group garnered public support and eventually prevailed in a long and hard-fought effort to stop destruction of
422:
was the finest he had ever played. It had an echo organ over the balcony. He “played the features while the small orchestra did the vaudeville segments. Sometimes Ed also played the organ or piano with the orchestra and his playing time lengthened to 10 or 12 hours a day.” In 1930 the theatre was
439:
Redevelopment Plan called for complete restoration of the building as a theatre, the City of San Diego instead condemned it; the Centre City
Development Corporation (CCDC) made plans to gut the theatre for commercial space, intending to strip the interior and build four floors of retail space.
468:
In 2009, after extensive renovation, the Balboa
Theatre Foundation rededicated a 1929 Wonder Morton organ, one of only four such organs in the world. The Foundation purchased, restored and relocated the 4-manual, 23-rank organ from Pennsylvania to the Balboa Theatre after a five-year-long
453:. After twenty years, CCDC did a turnaround and decided to fund a complete restoration which began in 2005. They not only funded, at a cost of $ 26.5 million, but superbly managed the project, working with restoration architects Westlake Reed Leskosky, now
423:
upgraded for sound pictures and a new neon marquee was added. In 1934, it was remodeled, reopening as Teatro Balboa, featuring
Spanish-language films. The theatre's office space was converted to housing for the U.S. Navy during World War II.
450:
852:
434:
After the war, Balboa languished as a movie house and in 1959 was purchased by the Russo family. Because of its rich history and splendid architecture the Balboa was designated as a local historic site in 1972. Although the 1973
862:
213:
449:
the theatre. The Save Our Balboa
Organization developed into the Balboa Theatre Foundation which continued lobbying for restoration and in 1996, succeeded in listing the Balboa Theatre on the
842:
837:
847:
827:
822:
485:, special events, and touring companies of Broadway productions. The city of San Diego holds the annual "State of the City" address at the theatre.
779:
293:
188:
560:
Toward Human
Emergence: A Human Resource Philosophy for the Future : Reflections on Accelerating Change, Making Human Choices, and Destiny
414:
As part of the Fox West Coast circuit, the Balboa featured live vaudeville and movies, accompanied by orchestra and organ. An article from the
238:
567:
263:
684:
399:
165:
156:
857:
426:
415:
832:
419:
418:
states that Edward Swan was the organist at the Balboa
Theatre in 1925-26 and he claims that the original 426 pipe
662:
482:
436:
402:
in 1996, the Balboa was refurbished (beginning in 2005) and reopened as a performing arts venue in 2008.
689:
637:
395:
470:
609:
584:
469:
restoration. The original Robert Morton organ was moved to the Fox
Theatre in 1929, which is now
392:
33:
563:
457:. The theatre re-opened in 2008 and is now an excellent venue for live theatre and concerts.
81:
460:
20:
502:
339:
816:
724:
526:
388:
54:
663:"Historical Landmarks Designated by the San Diego Historical Resources Board"
308:
295:
454:
66:
50:
807:
703:
853:
Theatres on the
National Register of Historic Places in California
459:
425:
679:
134:
753:
704:"Balboa Theatre Restoration Recognized with Multiple Awards"
411:
on either side of the proscenium arch provided air cooling.
863:
Cinemas and movie theaters in San Diego County, California
464:
Interior of the Balboa Theatre before a concert in 2022
123:
Wheeler, William H.; Wurster Construction Co. et al.
780:"Balboa Theatre's restored organ returns to action"
369:
361:
356:
345:
332:
324:
287:
127:
119:
111:
103:
98:
90:
80:
72:
62:
44:
843:National Register of Historic Places in San Diego
19:For the historic theater in Newport Beach, see
16:Historic movie theater in San Diego, California
725:"San Diego's Historic Places: Balboa Theatre"
527:"San Diego's Historic Places: Balboa Theatre"
503:"Balboa Theatre History | San Diego Theatres"
8:
26:
562:. Human Resource Development. p. 217.
838:Mission Revival architecture in California
398:, US. It was built in 1924. Listed on the
32:
25:
157:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
553:
551:
228:Show map of San Diego County, California
494:
680:"National Register Information System"
270:
245:
220:
195:
848:Performing arts centers in California
828:Buildings and structures in San Diego
758:ATOS - American Theatre Organ Society
632:
630:
614:SOHO - Save Our Heritage Organization
7:
685:National Register of Historic Places
451:National Register of Historic Places
400:National Register of Historic Places
808:Balboa Theatre at Cinema Treasures
14:
823:1924 establishments in California
610:"An 18-year Redevelopment Battle"
481:The Balboa Theatre now hosts the
778:Hebert, James (August 2, 2009).
269:
262:
244:
237:
219:
212:
194:
187:
416:American Theatre Organ Society
347:
334:
169:
27:Balboa Theatre - San Diego, CA
1:
278:Show map of the United States
166:San Diego Historic Landmark
879:
858:Theatres completed in 1924
713:(59): 8. Summer–Fall 2008.
18:
638:"Historic Balboa Theatre"
377:
333:NRHP reference
181:
177:
163:
154:
147:
143:
132:
40:
31:
589:San Diego History Center
387:is a historic movie and
325:Architectural style
784:San Diego Union Tribune
328:Mission/Spanish Revival
483:Mainly Mozart Festival
465:
431:
309:32.71389°N 117.16056°W
253:Show map of California
690:National Park Service
558:Harris, Phil (2009).
463:
429:
396:San Diego, California
203:Show map of San Diego
94:performing arts venue
833:Culture of San Diego
668:. City of San Diego.
585:"The Balboa Theatre"
507:sandiegotheatres.org
370:Designated SDHL
314:32.71389; -117.16056
692:. January 23, 2007.
471:Jacobs Music Center
430:The theater in 1979
420:Robert Morton organ
305: /
28:
466:
432:
76:San Diego Theatres
569:978-1-59996-167-5
381:
380:
357:Significant dates
67:City of San Diego
48:868 Fourth Avenue
870:
795:
794:
792:
790:
775:
769:
768:
766:
764:
754:"Balboa Theatre"
750:
744:
743:
741:
739:
729:
721:
715:
714:
708:
700:
694:
693:
676:
670:
669:
667:
659:
653:
652:
650:
648:
634:
625:
624:
622:
620:
606:
600:
599:
597:
595:
580:
574:
573:
555:
546:
545:
543:
541:
531:
523:
517:
516:
514:
513:
499:
365:October 24, 1996
349:
336:
320:
319:
317:
316:
315:
310:
306:
303:
302:
301:
298:
279:
273:
272:
266:
254:
248:
247:
241:
229:
223:
222:
216:
204:
198:
197:
191:
171:
139:
136:
135:sandiegotheatres
36:
29:
878:
877:
873:
872:
871:
869:
868:
867:
813:
812:
804:
799:
798:
788:
786:
777:
776:
772:
762:
760:
752:
751:
747:
737:
735:
727:
723:
722:
718:
706:
702:
701:
697:
678:
677:
673:
665:
661:
660:
656:
646:
644:
636:
635:
628:
618:
616:
608:
607:
603:
593:
591:
583:Jones, Welton.
582:
581:
577:
570:
557:
556:
549:
539:
537:
529:
525:
524:
520:
511:
509:
501:
500:
496:
491:
479:
446:
408:
313:
311:
307:
304:
299:
296:
294:
292:
291:
283:
282:
281:
280:
277:
276:
275:
274:
257:
256:
255:
252:
251:
250:
249:
232:
231:
230:
227:
226:
225:
224:
207:
206:
205:
202:
201:
200:
199:
173:
159:
150:
133:
57:
49:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
876:
874:
866:
865:
860:
855:
850:
845:
840:
835:
830:
825:
815:
814:
811:
810:
803:
802:External links
800:
797:
796:
770:
745:
716:
711:Downtown Today
695:
671:
654:
626:
601:
575:
568:
547:
518:
493:
492:
490:
487:
478:
475:
445:
442:
407:
404:
385:Balboa Theatre
379:
378:
375:
374:
373:August 4, 1972
371:
367:
366:
363:
359:
358:
354:
353:
350:
343:
342:
337:
330:
329:
326:
322:
321:
289:
285:
284:
268:
267:
261:
260:
259:
258:
243:
242:
236:
235:
234:
233:
218:
217:
211:
210:
209:
208:
193:
192:
186:
185:
184:
183:
182:
179:
178:
175:
174:
164:
161:
160:
155:
152:
151:
149:Balboa Theatre
148:
145:
144:
141:
140:
130:
129:
125:
124:
121:
117:
116:
113:
109:
108:
105:
101:
100:
96:
95:
92:
88:
87:
84:
78:
77:
74:
70:
69:
64:
60:
59:
46:
42:
41:
38:
37:
21:Balboa Theater
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
875:
864:
861:
859:
856:
854:
851:
849:
846:
844:
841:
839:
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
820:
818:
809:
806:
805:
801:
785:
781:
774:
771:
759:
755:
749:
746:
733:
726:
720:
717:
712:
705:
699:
696:
691:
687:
686:
681:
675:
672:
664:
658:
655:
643:
639:
633:
631:
627:
615:
611:
605:
602:
590:
586:
579:
576:
571:
565:
561:
554:
552:
548:
535:
528:
522:
519:
508:
504:
498:
495:
488:
486:
484:
476:
474:
472:
462:
458:
456:
452:
443:
441:
438:
428:
424:
421:
417:
412:
405:
403:
401:
397:
394:
390:
386:
376:
372:
368:
364:
362:Added to NRHP
360:
355:
351:
344:
341:
338:
331:
327:
323:
318:
290:
286:
265:
240:
215:
190:
180:
176:
167:
162:
158:
153:
146:
142:
138:
131:
126:
122:
118:
114:
110:
106:
102:
97:
93:
89:
85:
83:
79:
75:
71:
68:
65:
61:
58:United States
56:
52:
47:
43:
39:
35:
30:
22:
787:. Retrieved
783:
773:
761:. Retrieved
757:
748:
736:. Retrieved
734:. 2009-08-28
731:
719:
710:
698:
683:
674:
657:
645:. Retrieved
642:SanDiego.org
641:
617:. Retrieved
613:
604:
592:. Retrieved
588:
578:
559:
538:. Retrieved
536:. 2008-09-01
533:
521:
510:. Retrieved
506:
497:
480:
467:
447:
437:Horton Plaza
433:
413:
409:
384:
382:
99:Construction
732:SDpostcards
534:SDpostcards
477:Current use
444:Restoration
391:theatre in
312: /
288:Coordinates
91:Current use
817:Categories
763:4 November
738:4 November
647:4 November
619:4 November
594:4 November
540:4 November
512:2022-05-18
489:References
389:vaudeville
346:SDHL
300:117°9′38″W
297:32°42′50″N
55:California
455:DLR Group
120:Architect
51:San Diego
789:23 March
393:downtown
340:96001177
172: 77
112:Reopened
82:Capacity
73:Operator
728:(Video)
530:(Video)
406:History
128:Website
45:Address
566:
168:
104:Opened
707:(PDF)
666:(PDF)
86:1,339
63:Owner
791:2013
765:2016
740:2016
649:2016
621:2016
596:2016
564:ISBN
542:2016
383:The
137:.org
115:2008
107:1924
348:No.
335:No.
170:No.
819::
782:.
756:.
730:.
709:.
688:.
682:.
640:.
629:^
612:.
587:.
550:^
532:.
505:.
473:.
352:77
53:,
793:.
767:.
742:.
651:.
623:.
598:.
572:.
544:.
515:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
