In May 2004 the Villa Theatre was purchased by Dr. Hamid
Adib, who owns Adib's
Rug Gallery just south of the Villa. Adib plans
to restore the Villa building to its former splendor and
use it as a new showroom for his gallery of Persian and Oriental
rugs.
While selecting a team of local professionals to help him
restore the Villa Theatre, one of Adib's main requirements
was that they have a passion for this historical landmark. Every
single person who will be involved with the project, from
the architect and the contractor to the roofer and the electrician,
is a member of the community and has been raised with the
Villa.
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The pink paint has been
removed from the Villa Theatre in preparation for
a makeover of the exterior of the theater. The
crumbling white concrete pillars on the north side
of the building will be reinforced and rebuilt
as art deco columns.
Photo by Grant Smith, 26
October 2004
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The utility pole and
transformers on the north side of the Villa Theatre
have been removed. When this photo was taken
the power to the building had already been disconnected
in preparation for their removal.
Photo by Grant Smith, 30 September 2004
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The north side of the Villa Theatre with
the utility poles removed.
Photo by Grant Smith, 26 October
2004 |
The stubs of the two utility poles can
be seen sticking out of the concrete walk. Two
cut-off pipes project from the side of the building
where the the utility lines entered the building.
Photo by Grant Smith, 26 October
2004 |
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The original ticket
window of the Villa Theatre on 9 December 1949.
Used by permission, Utah State Historical Society, all rights reserved.
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In 1996 Carmike Cinemas
removed the Villa's old ticket window and built
and an expanded ticket booth underneath the entrance
canopy.
Photo by Grant Smith, 14
January 2003
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The ticket booth of
the Villa Theatre has been removed as part of the
renovation to turn the building into Adib's Rug
Gallery. The outline of the 1996 ticket booth
can still be seen on the ceiling.
Photo by Grant Smith, 25
September 2004
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The ticket booth doorway
has been boarded up. The outline of the original
ticket window, which was removed in 1996, can still
be seen on the floor.
Photo by Grant Smith, 25
September 2004
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The concession stand
has been removed from the lobby of the Villa Theatre. The
concession stand was not original to the theater
and was most recently remodeled by Carmike Cinemas
in 1996.
Photo by Grant Smith, 30 September
2004
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Owners Joseph L. Lawrence
and David K. Edwards stand by a planter box
in the lobby of the Villa Theatre in 1949. The
planter box was removed when a concession stand
was added to the theater lobby.
Photo from the Deseret News, 21
December 1949, page A8 |
The curved screen of the
Villa Theatre used by Carmike Cinemas from
1996 to 2003. The
Villa's original Cinerama screen was probably 89
feet wide and 29 feet high.
Photo by Grant Smith, 13 February 2003 |
The curtains and frame for the Villa
Theatre's Cinerama screen have been removed. The
original stage curtains have also been taken down
and lying on the floor in the back corner of the stage.
Photo by Grant Smith, 30 September
2004 |
Three partitions have been removed
from along the back of the front seating section
of the Villa Theatre.
Photo by Grant Smith, 30 September
2004 |
The partitions at the
back of lower seating
section in 2003. The wood on the top of each
wall has been saved.
Photo by Grant Smith, 27 January 2003 |
The wood
from the top of the partitions at the back of the
front seating section of the Villa Theatre.
Photo by Grant Smith, 30 September
2004
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Acoustical tiles are being removed
from the back wall of the Villa Theatre.
Photo by Grant Smith, 30 September
2004
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Behind the screen frame,
in the center, is a short hallway that
connects the edge of the screen curtains to the original
exit hall. The original entrance to the exit
hall is on the right.
Photo by Grant Smith, 21 February 2003 |
The same area as the photo on the left,
but with the Cinerama frame and the short hallway
removed.
Photo by Grant Smith, 30 September
2004 |
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The stairway has been
removed that connected the Villa Theatre parking
lot from the two-level parking structure for the
office building next door.
Photo by Grant Smith, 30
September 2004
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Concrete rubble in a
dumpster outside the Villa Theatre.
Photo by Grant Smith, 20
September 2004
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