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WHEREAS, in a neighborhood that prides itself on owner operated businesses and the support of its merchants, the Manor Theater on Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill is the oldest operating movie house in Pittsburgh and one of the longest continuously running businesses in the area; and,
WHEREAS, when James B. Clark of Rowland and Clark Theaters opened the Manor Theater in May 1922, its auditorium accommodated 1,500 moviegoers and was located in a grand building designed by H.S. Blair as a blend of Elizabethan and Tudor styles; and,
WHEREAS, Rick Stern, the current owner of the Manor Theater, describes growing up in the theater business as his grandfather, Norbert Stern, a real estate owner and drive -in pioneer, opened one of the first drive-in theaters in the country in 1939, the South Park Drive-In in Bethel Park. Stern's father, Ernest, and his cousin, George, bought theaters from owners who thought TV would kill the film business, building a theater circuit of 90 screens known as Associated Theaters which grew to 200 screens and went in and out of Stern ownership; and,
WHEREAS, today, with the closing of the Squirrel Hill Theater, the Manor Theater, under Rick Stern's stewardship, remains one of the three last independent theaters in the area and, on the occasion of its 90th anniversary, Rick and his daughter, Alexa, have embarked on a renovation that will convert the screens to digital cinema which represents the biggest technological change in the theater industry since the advent of sound; and,
WHEREAS, in addition, the interior renovation will be designed by award winning architect Jen Bee of Jen Bee Design and will include a transformation of the concession area to a comfortable lounge and bar and an investment in blue, ergonomic, 40 inch high backed leatherette seating as well as other architectural and interior restorations
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby recognizes and c...
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