Alabama Theatre Wins Grant To Restore Marquee Sign

BIRMINGHAM, AL - The historic Alabama Theatre will finally get its 18th Street marquee sign, thanks to funding through a grant from American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation as part of the Partners in Preservation: Main Streets campaign. The theater will receive $120,000 through the program, which was part of a promotion that began in September.

The contest the theater won involved some stiff competition, as Patch reported back in September. The 42-foot replica of the sign that once appeared on the 18th Street side of the theater finished in the top 10 among 25 historic sites on American main streets. During this campaign, the public was invited and encouraged to vote once a day until Oct. 31 for up to five Main Street projects at the organization's website, and share on social media. The Alabama Theatre received more than 54,000 votes on Facebook.

“We are honored to partner with Birmingham Landmarks on leveraging this opportunity to bring national grant funding to a project that will quite literally shine a new light in Birmingham,” said David Fleming, CEO of REV Birmingham, the organization that nominated the theater for the grant. “The volume of local votes and, of course, local donations show strong support for historic preservation in our beautiful city with no shortage of historic charm in need of preserving. The Alabama Theatre has been a pillar of the city center throughout its seasons of change, and we look forward to seeing its exterior restoration projects return the theater to its fully original splendor.”

The Alabama Theatre was built in 1927 by Paramount Studios as an Alabama showcase for Paramount films. It was used primarily as a movie palace for 55 years, with the exception of the annual Miss Alabama pageant and the weekly Mickey Mouse Club. In 1987, the owners of the facility declared bankruptcy and the theatre was purchased by Birmingham Landmarks Inc., a non-profit corporation.

The new Alabama Theatre for the Performing Arts hosts many live events, as well as films. Each year the Theatre hosts more than 300 events attended by a half million Birmingham area citizens. In 1998, the Theatre underwent a complete front door to back door restoration. The work was done by EverGreene Studios from New York City. In 8 months, the theatre went from its look of faded grandeur to a sparkling 1927 look with all the gold leaf paint either replaced or cleaned. In addition to the restoration, new carpet was installed in the ladies lounge and new drapes were installed on the stage and organ chambers.

Photo from the Alabama Theatre