Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Dome Cinerama Century 21/Century 22 San JoseCA

This is topic Dome Cinerama Century 21/Century 22 San JoseCA in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Terry Monohan (Member # 8285) on 06-03-2018, 12:50 PM:

Was in San Jose CA yesterday and It was great to walk up and still see the nice 3 Syufy dome theatres still standing. The marquee on the street is still up. To my shock I looked into the lobby of the Century 22 cinemas A B & C and they still had the red circle ceiling and blue glass block neon still turned on. The place has been closed now many years. It looks like they are putting new ceiling tiles in around the candy counter. I did not go over to the 3rd dome Century 23 next door. They use the theatre parking lot for Santana Row shopping car parking now. Does anyone know what is going on inside this great curved screen dome in San Jose? Time for the city of San Jose to step in and save these one of a kind entertainment palaces from the past. Open them up again show movies, live music events and comedy shows.

Posted by Sean Weitzel (Member # 244) on 06-03-2018, 03:44 PM:

The short version is all auditoriums in all three domes are stripped bare. All equipment was stripped and scrapped. The community worked to get the 21 dome successfully recognized as a historic building by the state. After a long period of inactivity, the developer recently submitted their plan for the new development. It's going through the review process by the city and county. Preliminary drawings have the 21 dome as part of the development but the 22 and 23 buildings will be demolished as expected. What the 21 dome will be used for is still undetermined.

Posted by Terry Monohan (Member # 8285) on 06-03-2018, 08:26 PM:

It's very strange Sean If you go look in the window of the lobby of C#22 they have box's of new ceiling tiles going up and why would the neon still be on and being working on in the lobby if It is about to torn down.

Posted by Sean Weitzel (Member # 244) on 06-04-2018, 12:08 AM:

That is indeed very strange. It will be hard to find out what's going on since as far as I know Cinemark who were operating the domes until March 30 2014 no longer seem to have any control or interest. The Winchester estate own the land the domes sit on and Federal Realty are the leasees. Whatever is going on with the buildings are their responsibility.
Also for what it's worth based on my own observations over the past couple years as well as the observations of others the lobby lights at the 22 have remained on since the last day of operation March 30 2014.