L.A. to reconsider landmark status for vaudeville-era Granada Theater

The 1,000-seat performing arts center opened in 1926 for old-time stars

The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to reconsider designating the vaudevillian Granada Theater in Wilmington as an L.A. Historic-Cultural Monument.

The 1,000-seat theater, at 632 N. Avalon Blvd., opened in 1926 to host vaudeville performers as part of the West Coast Theaters chain. It has switched operators several times since and has been used as a performance arts center, filming location, movie house, Spanish cinema theater, church and special event venue, according to the Wilmington Granada Friends organization.

The Wilmington Granada Friends organization has been working to raise money and reopen the theater as an independent movie house and performance center.

“Reopening the Wilmington Granada theater will not only create jobs,” the organization says on its website, “but will stimulate the economy by offering performances and films.

“Wilmington Granada Friends is currently searching for local vendors and community programs interested in becoming part of our mission,” it adds. “We look forward to working closely with Wilmington’s residents and commerce.”

The theater was under consideration to be listed as a Historic-Cultural Monument but the time for consideration expired. The motion to reactivate consideration was introduced by Councilman Joe Buscaino.

“We have an incredible opportunity to historically designate a vital part of Wilmington’s history,” Buscaino said. “Every Wilmington native will share stories of their childhood memories of this theater. The Granada Theater has the potential to help revitalize the downtown corridor, so we’re moving today on a motion to designate it as a historically protected monument.”