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Metro Theatre / Homegrown Theatre

The Art Deco Metro Theatre opened as the Midtown Theatre and has always been a film venue. In 1948, the theatre joined the Brandt circuit, showing foreign and art films. In the 1970's it joined the swelling ranks of porn theatres in the city. In 1982 the building was taken over by Dan Talbot, renamed the Metro and returned to duty as an art house. Cineplex Odeon took over the facility in 1987 and the Art Deco facade received landmark designation in 1989. Clearview Cinemas took over in 1998 before closing the facility in 2004. The building just to the north was razed in 2006 to make way for the Ariel Condos. Numerous plans to reopen the theatre have been rumored but as of this writing (Fall 2007) the facility remains dark.

I think the Homegrown Theatre space was in use in the late 90's or early 2000's. I remember walking past it and seeing the sign. However, it fell to the wrecking ball in 2005 to be replaced by yet another glass condo tower (arielcondos.com).

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