River Oaks Theater At 2009 W. Gray St.

[FilioScotia]

PLEASE HELP SAVE THE RIVER OAKS SHOPPING CENTER AND THEATER --- SIGN HISTORIC HOUSTON'S ONLINE PETITION NOW

Historic Houston is very concerned about the plans to demolish the River Oaks Shopping Center and River Oaks Theater, as reported by Lisa Gray in the Houston Chronicle this past Saturday. At the request of the community, Historic Houston has started an online petition drive to collect names of those concerned about the loss of these importand landmark buildings for Houston.

River Oaks Shopping Center is the oldest shopping center in Texas and the second oldest shopping center in the nation (Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri is the nation's oldest).

Hugh Potter, the center's designer, began building the River Oaks Shopping Center in 1937. The River Oaks Shopping Center is one of Houston's premier examples of Modern architectural design. Its architecturally significant features include the paired curved wings that face Shepherd Drive along with the long horizontal buildings along either side of West Gray and are representative of its Modern design. The detailing of the buildings, including its rounded corners, "porthole" windows along with black glass and stucco exemplify the classic Art Deco styling of the '30's and '40's. The River Oaks Shopping Center remains as one of the few viable retail buildings of its age and style remaining in Houston.

The River Oaks Theater, built in 1939, is the oldest working movie theater in Houston.

In response to the outcry from the community Historic Houston is providing space on our website where signatures can be collected in an online petition drive to Save the River Oaks Shopping Center and Theater. Simply go to Historic Houston's website at www.historichouston.org and fill in the box that says "Join our email mailing list".

On the Interest Category page that opens, be sure to check the box next to Save the River Oaks Shopping Center and Theater. Historic Houston will provide those that have signed up through our website with the latest information and updates as they become available. All of the online petitions will be combined in hopes that the collective voice of the community can make a difference.

"All preservation is local....get local preservation vocal"

OTHER COMMUNITY INITIATED ONLINE PETITIONS CAN BE ACCESSED AND SIGNED AT

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/riveroaks/

Lynn Edmundson

Historic Houston

email: info@historichouston.org

phone: 713-522-0542

web: http://www.historichouston.org

[Gary]

Well the petition is sitting on almost 6,000 so things are moving along.

[dbigtex56]

With the recent closing of the Angelika Film Center, people are more concerned than ever that Houston may become the largest city without an indie/art movie theater.

Figured it was time this thread got a bump.

[Subdude]

I would guess that the River Oaks is safe until the economy improves, since it would be hard to develop the kind of condo tower that was proposed for the site. After that it's anyone's guess.

[sidegate]

Might be there another seventy years at this rate then....

[TheNiche]

With the recent closing of the Angelika Film Center, people are more concerned than ever that Houston may become the largest city without an indie/art movie theater.

Figured it was time this thread got a bump.

It's not that there isn't a market for indie films. The River Oaks might be able to cash in as a monopolist.

Secretly, though, I wish that the River Oaks would go under just to see what would replace it (not the structure, the market for indie films). If more places like Domy Books popped up, doing special screenings, that'd be cool.