The Endangered 8:
San José's Most Threatened Architectural and Cultural Landmarks of 2022
Burbank Theater
Location:
560 S. Bascom Avenue
Date:
Built 1949
Architect:
Cantin & Cantin
Threat:
Neglect, Redevelopment
An Art Moderne classic from the golden age of cinema, the Burbank Theater stands ready and waiting for a new lease on life. The former theater’s soaring, three-sided sign tower and angular marquee are beloved beacons for the surrounding Burbank neighborhood, but following a recent foreclosure, the now-vacant property has suffered greatly under absentee bank ownership.
The theater was sold at auction on December 15th, 2021, for $1.6 million to an unidentified buyer. PAC*SJ is working closely with community stakeholders to identify potential reuses and we stand ready and eager to assist the new owner, once identified. Because the building is listed on the County's Historic Resources Inventory but is not yet designated a County Landmark, legal protections against its demolition are limited.
Learn More and Take Action!
Learn more about the theater's history: Historic Resources Report (Brunzell Historical, 2018)
Contact Santa Clara County District 4 Supervisor Susan Ellenberg and San Jose City Council District 6 Councilperson Dev Davis to express your support for the preservation and adaptive reuse of the Burbank Theater.