"When the Hollywood Theater opened on October 26, 1935, the marquee pronounced it “The Incomparable Showcase of the Northwest.” Built during the peak of the Art Deco period, with a budget that allowed for generous use of decorative elements, the Hollywood is an excellent example of the Deco style and the trend to small, yet elegant, neighborhood theaters. Architects Liebenberg and Kaplan, famous for their Minneapolis theater designs, used a coordinated color scheme and intricate detailing to design the Hollywood, a theater some have called 'the most original and daring scheme for their time.' "
"The Hollywood Theater operated as a movie theater from its opening in 1935 until it closed in 1987, standing vacant since then. In 1990, the Theater was designated a local historic landmark. In 1993, the City of Minneapolis purchased the building and pursued several attempts at redevelopment over the years that were unsuccessful."
"In November 2008, the City of Minneapolis bought the property adjacent to the Theater, 2819 Johnson, and cleared the site to support redevelopment of the Theater by providing parking, service access, or space for related development." Source: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/cped/hollywood_theater.asp
Site Facts • The Site consists of two parcels, 2815 and 2819 Johnson Street NE, totaling approximately 16,000 square feet • The Hollywood Theater building sits on the 2815 Johnson parcel, which is approximately 10,700 square feet • The 2819 Johnson parcel, which is approximately 5,300 square feet, is currently vacant • The total gross square footage of the theater building is approximately 12,000, which includes approximately 10,000 square feet above grade and an approximately 2,000 square foot basement. • The parcel ID numbers are 1202924120224 and 1202924120062 • The Site is zoned C-1, Neighborhood Commercial District • The Site is located in the Audubon Park neighborhood of northeast Minneapolis. Source: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/cped/docs/Hollywood_Theater_RFP_2009_Document.pdf