Granada Centre

Were you aware that the Granada Centre we see today isn’t the original structure? This unassuming building stands on the grounds of a magnificent lost landmark: the Granada Theatre. Imagine a time before Netflix, before even television, when grand movie palaces offered an escape into a world of glamour and fantasy. The Granada Theatre, built in 1926, embodied this era. It boasted a Spanish Baroque style, a design that transported Chicagoans to a faraway land of ornate arches and intricate details. With seating for over 3,400 people, the Granada hosted not just movies, but also live stage shows. It was a place where stars like Jack Haskell graced the stage and even the legendary Jack Nicholson attended the premiere of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”. Owned and operated by entertainment giants like the Marks Brothers and later Balaban and Katz, the Granada thrived for decades. Sadly, its story mirrors that of many grand old theatres. By the late 1970s, it faced dwindling audiences and changing tastes. It hosted occasional rock concerts and even midnight showings of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”, but its glory days had passed. Despite attempts to save it, the Granada Theatre was demolished in 1989. In its place rose the 16-story structure we know as the Granada Centre. Today, it houses a mix of student apartments, retail spaces, and university offices, a far cry from its glamorous past. Though the grand theatre may be gone its memory lives on.