Paramount Theatre
Why it's listed
Located at 2025 Broadway in downtown Oakland, the Paramount Theatre is a movie palace that opened on December 16, 1931. Publix Theatres, the exhibition arm of Paramount Pictures, began construction, but financial trouble forced a sale to Fox-West Coast Theatres, which finished and ran it until it closed in September 1970. Instead of the usual Rapp & Rapp of Chicago, Publix chose the San Francisco firm Miller & Pflueger, led by Timothy L. Pflueger. The design is in a Moderne or Art Deco manner, drawing on natural forms such as foliage and figures, with a few Mayan-inspired details. The Broadway facade has a terra-cotta panel and a tall vertical sign, and the interior has a grand lobby, gold-finished auditorium and colored lighting. It is the largest theatre ever built in Oakland. The Oakland Symphony Orchestra Association bought it in 1972 and began a restoration aimed at recreating its 1931 appearance.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the theatre is significant for the quality of its design and its place in Bay Area architectural history, rather than for its size or date. It is the largest theatre ever built in Oakland and the last Publix-started house, and it represents the largest and most ambitious theatre design by Timothy L. Pflueger. Its unified style draws on natural forms rather than abstract geometry.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 73000395, listed August 14, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2025 Broadway, Oakland |
|---|---|
| County | Alameda County |
| Listed | August 14, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73000395 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 20th Century (opening date December 16, 1931) |
| Architect / builder | Miller & Pflueger (Timothy L. Pflueger); sculptural work by Robert B. Howard and Ralph Stackpole |
| Architectural style | Moderne / Art Deco |
| Areas of significance | Art, Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated May 5, 1977 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Purchased in October 1972 by the Oakland Symphony Orchestra Association; a $1 million restoration began December 27, 1972, for reopening as a concert facility in September 1973. Condition listed as good. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.80980, -122.26868 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 73000395.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14683611
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.