Exterior as it appeared in 1943   - Photo by Jack Tillmany

The historic Alameda Theatre is arguably the most prominent building in the Park Street Historic District. When first opened in 1932, the Theater had one of the largest screens in the Bay Area and was the most opulent of the movie theaters within the City of Alameda. It was a project on a grand scale for the Alameda community, and Alameda soon became well known as a "theatre destination." Designed by the prominent San Francisco architect Timothy L. Pflueger, the Theater opened shortly after another one of Pfueger’s theaters, the Paramount in Oakland. The two theaters share many of the same finishes and details.

The building was in continuous operation as a cinema until 1979; however, it underwent a number of changes to its interior finishes during that time. Various redecorating campaigns resulted in the overpainting of original leaf finishes, the removal of the original carpeting, and the installation of acoustical treatments over original painted surfaces. In the mid 1970s, two small theaters were constructed in the upper balcony. The building was remodeled for use as a roller skating rink in 1980. As part of that conversion, the balconies were closed, all of the seating was removed, and a level floor and buffer walls were installed.

Currently, the Alameda Theatre sits vacant and is in a state of deterioration.

The City of Alameda proposes spending $9.6 million in rehabilitating and restoring the historic Alameda Theatre, spending roughly 70 percent of its hard construction costs for structural, mechanical, electrical, and code requirements.

The exterior of the building will be rehabilitated, with the marquee and storefronts returned to their original configurations. The retail spaces will remain. The lobby is the gateway to the entire complex, and as such, its finishes will be restored, based on extensive research and microscopic analysis.
	The auditorium will once again house a single screen theater with 484 seats, which will be among the largest screens in the Bay Area. The rehabilitation of the auditorium will include the following work: the level floor will be removed the finishes preserved and stabilized chandelier relamped original curtain repaired and fire-treated orchestra pit and stage stairs repaired and repainted light fixtures cleaned, relamped, and replaced stadium seating installed, among other work
Several modifications will be required to accommodate the programmatic needs of a modern cinema. An expanded ticket booth will be installed in the entry foyer, a new concession stand will be installed under the existing balcony, and stadium seating will be installed in the auditorium. In addition, the project includes disabled access improvements, structural improvements, new mechanical and electrical systems, and improved acoustical treatments. At the current time, there is no immediate plan to reoccupy the balcony. Alameda Entertainment Associates, the theater operator and cineplex developer has the right to do so at anytime provided it is done at its sole cost.