| Address | 121 S Florida Ave, |
|---|---|
| City | Lakeland, Florida |
| Coordinates | 28.0432°N 81.9572°W |
| Architect | J.E. Casale |
| Owner | Private |
| Capacity | 1,400 |
| Opened | 1928 |
| Website | http://www.polktheatre.org |
| Current use | Performance Theatre |
| Location | 121 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland, Florida |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 28°2′35″N 81°57′28″W |
| Locmapin | Florida#USA |
| Built | 1927 |
| Architect | James E. Casale, George A. Miller |
| Architecture | Italian Renaissance |
| Added | May 27, 1993 |
| Refnum | 93000446[1] |
The Polk Theatre in Lakeland, Florida is a historic theater located at 121 South Florida Avenue.
The 1,400-seat theatre was built in 1928 after the local business "boom" of the town had ended and despite the fact that the population was only 15,000 inhabitants. In 1982, a group of concerned people banded together to save the theatre from being razed due to low attendance. Local citizens formed a non-profit group, borrowed money, secured a grant from the state, and purchased the theatre for $300,000.[2] The theatre has a mezzanine, a high balcony, a permanent backdrop of a "Venetian piazza," an orchestra pit, a ceiling against which images of twinkling stars are projected, and terrazzo flooring. The air-conditioning system, which was the first in the county,[clarification needed] was a pump that used artesian well water to chill the building.[3]
Under the name Polk Theatre and Office Building, the building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1993.[1]
See also
References
- ^
- ^ "Polk Theatre - History of the Theatre". Archived from the original on June 4, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "Polk Theatre in Lakeland, FL". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs
- Lakeland Historical Trail at Historic Hiking Trails
- History of the Polk Theater