Harding Theatre

The Harding Theater was a historic entertainment venue at 616 Divisadero Street in San Francisco, California. Built in 1926 for local theater owner Samuel H. Levin, the building was designed by the Reid Brothers, architects associated with several prominent San Francisco theaters. It opened on April 8, 1926, with Colleen Moore appearing in the first film adaptation of the musical Irene. The theater was designed for an audience capacity estimated at roughly 800 to 1,200 people and served as a conventional movie theater for most of its first several decades. Although primarily a cinema, the building also supported live performance. Lamplighters Music Theatre used the venue from 1961 through 1968, adding an operatic and theatrical dimension to its cultural role. In November 1971, the Grateful Dead performed two concerts at the Harding, on November 6 and 7. The November 7 performance is associated with the group's first performance of the song Hideaway. These events contributed to the theater's place in San Francisco's broader music and performance history. The Harding ceased regular movie-theater operation in 1970. From the mid-1970s until approximately 2004, the building was used as a church. Its later vacancy and changing uses made the property the subject of a prolonged dispute over historic preservation, development rights, and the economic feasibility of retaining an aging theater interior. Around 2004, developers acquired the property for approximately $1.6 million, according to the cited historical account. An initial proposal reportedly contemplated demolishing the theater and replacing it with condominiums. Preservation advocates challenged that approach through San Francisco planning and environmental-review processes. A subsequent compromise concept sought to retain important portions of the theater, including the proscenium arch, auditorium, lobby, and surviving decorative details, while removing the rear fly system and constructing a separate residential structure containing eight condominium units. The proposal also considered reconstructing the sloped theater floor and seating to create parking below, adding windows, and upgrading restrooms to meet contemporary codes. Preservation groups argued that these changes could compromise the building's historic integrity and restrict its future cultural uses. Appeals under the California Environmental Quality Act led to further review. In November 2008, the San Francisco Planning Commission unanimously approved a request for a full Environmental Impact Report after earlier negative declarations were challenged. No workable financing plan to preserve and operate the entire theater was established through the preservation campaign, and the developer subsequently placed the property on the market. A local theater-preservation nonprofit later explored the possibility of converting the building into a venue for independent films, festivals, and live performances, but that plan did not become the building's eventual use. In 2015, a conditional-use hearing considered conversion of the main space into an arcade bar operated by Chicago-based Emporium Arcade Bar. The venue ultimately opened in December 2017 with approximately 50 vintage arcade games, a bar, and live music. The conversion removed deteriorated elements, including much of the seating, while retaining selected historic architectural features. The Harding Theater therefore survives as a historic building and former venue, but its original cinema brand and operating identity are defunct.

The Harding Theater was completed in 1926 at 616 Divisadero Street in San Francisco. Local theater owner Samuel H. Levin commissioned the Reid Brothers to design the building. The theater opened on April 8, 1926, presenting a film adaptation of Irene starring Colleen Moore. Its auditorium was reported to accommodate between approximately 800 and 1,200 patrons, consistent with the scale of neighborhood theaters built for mass film exhibition during the period. The building operated as a movie theater from its opening until 1970. It also hosted non-cinematic programming: Lamplighters Music Theatre performed there between 1961 and 1968, and the Grateful Dead played two November 1971 concerts at the venue. The second of those performances is noted for the group's first known performance of Hideaway. From the mid-1970s through roughly 2004, the former theater was used as a church. Around 2004, developers purchased the property for approximately $1.6 million. Plans to demolish the structure and replace it with condominiums provoked opposition from historic-preservation advocates. A later proposal attempted to balance redevelopment with partial retention of the theater. It contemplated preserving the proscenium arch, auditorium, lobby, and remaining architectural details while removing the rear fly system and adding an independent residential structure with eight condominium units. Other proposed interventions included modifying the theater floor and seating to create parking below, installing windows, and modernizing restrooms. The development proposals prompted appeals to San Francisco planning authorities under the California Environmental Quality Act. A 2005 challenge addressed the original demolition-oriented plan. Further appeals followed after the Planning Department issued negative declarations for revised proposals. In November 2008, the San Francisco Planning Commission unanimously required preparation of a full Environmental Impact Report. Preservation advocates continued to seek a cultural use, including a possible independent-film, festival, and live-performance venue, but a financially feasible plan for preserving and operating the entire theater was not identified. The developer later offered the property for sale. The building remained vacant for approximately a decade. In 2015, authorities considered a conditional-use application for Emporium Arcade Bar, a Chicago-based arcade-bar operator. Emporium opened in December 2017 with around 50 vintage arcade games, a bar, and live music. The conversion removed deteriorated features such as seating while retaining selected historic elements. The Harding Theater's original cinema operation has not resumed; the site now functions as a later entertainment venue within the historic structure.

• 2017

  Emporium opens

  [1]Harding Theateren.wikipedia.org

  Emporium Arcade Bar opened in the former theater space in December, introducing arcade games, food and beverage service, and live music.

• 2008

  Environmental Impact Report required

  [1]Harding Theateren.wikipedia.org

  The San Francisco Planning Commission unanimously approved a preservation activists' request for a full Environmental Impact Report.

• 2004

  Property enters redevelopment discussions

  [1]Harding Theateren.wikipedia.org

  After years of church use, the building was acquired by developers for approximately $1.6 million and became the focus of redevelopment and preservation negotiations.

• 1971

  Grateful Dead concerts

  [1]Harding Theateren.wikipedia.org

  The Grateful Dead performed at the theater on November 6 and 7; the latter concert included the band's first performance of Hideaway.

• 1970

  Movie-theater operation ends

  [1]Harding Theateren.wikipedia.org

  The Harding ceased operating as a regular movie theater after approximately 44 years of cinema use.

• 1961

  Lamplighters Music Theatre begins performances

  [1]Harding Theateren.wikipedia.org

  Lamplighters Music Theatre used the theater for performances from 1961 through 1968.

• 1926

  The Harding Theater opens

  [1]Harding Theateren.wikipedia.org

  The theater opened on April 8, 1926, at 616 Divisadero Street with a screening of Irene, starring Colleen Moore.

A neighborhood movie palace and multi-use performance venue with significance in San Francisco's cinema, theater, and live-music history.

• Movie theater · 1926

  Harding Theater cinema

  The venue's principal original offering was motion-picture exhibition. From its opening in 1926 through 1970, the Harding provided neighborhood cinema in a large auditorium designed by the Reid Brothers. Its scale, lobby, proscenium, and decorative interior made it a significant example of San Francisco's historic theater architecture.

• Theater and music venue · 1961

  Live performance venue

  Beyond film screenings, the building accommodated theatrical, operatic, and musical events. Lamplighters Music Theatre used it during the 1960s, and the Grateful Dead appeared there in 1971. These uses helped establish the Harding as a broader performance venue rather than a cinema-only property.

• 2008Harding Theater preservation campaign

  San Francisco, California, United States

  Preservation activists, including Friends of 1800, challenged redevelopment approvals and sought stronger environmental and historic review. The campaign emphasized retaining the auditorium, lobby, proscenium arch, and architectural details.

  Outcome. The Planning Commission required a full Environmental Impact Report, but no financially feasible plan to preserve and operate the entire theater was established.

  Source

• 2015

  Arcade-bar conversion approved for considerationStrategy

  Background

  After the building had remained vacant for approximately a decade, a new entertainment use was proposed for the principal interior.

  Action taken

  A conditional-use hearing considered conversion into the fourth Emporium Arcade Bar location.

  Aftermath

  Emporium opened in the space in December 2017 after removing deteriorated elements and adapting the interior for games, bar service, and live music.

  Source

• 2008

  Full environmental review orderedStrategy

  Background

  Repeated appeals argued that a proposed mixed preservation and condominium project could affect the building's historic integrity.

  Action taken

  The San Francisco Planning Commission unanimously required preparation of a full Environmental Impact Report.

  Aftermath

  The developer later placed the building on the market, while preservation advocates continued exploring cultural reuse.

  Source

• 2005

  Redevelopment plan challengedStrategy

  Background

  Developers initially proposed demolishing the former theater and constructing condominiums, prompting a preservation appeal.

  Action taken

  The challenge was brought before San Francisco planning authorities and the Board of Supervisors through the environmental-review process.

  Aftermath

  The original demolition-oriented proposal did not proceed in its initial form, and revised preservation-and-development concepts were subsequently evaluated.

  Source

1. 1Harding Theateren.wikipedia.org