Efforts fail to save historic Alaska theater from demolition

By MARK THIESSEN
Associated Press

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Demolition is scheduled to begin this week on a once-opulent downtown Anchorage movie theater designed by the architect of Hollywood’s famed Pantages Theater. The 4th Avenue Theatre, with nearly 1,000 seats, opened in 1947.  The art deco theater became the centerpiece of the downtown historic district. The building’s current owners say bringing the building back to a usable venue after sitting vacant for more than 15 years is too costly. Instead, building owners Derrick Chang and Terence Chang say they will attempt to salvage the artwork inside the building and the iconic 4th Avenue art deco neon sign and incorporate them into a new $200 redevelopment plan.