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Originally Posted by hkskyline
"Discover the State Theatre in All of Us”, reliving the 50s and 60s
The Standard Excerpt
Apr 1, 2021
The 68-year-old State Theatre, located on 277-291 King’s Road in North Point, will once again welcome guests to an immersive event “Discover the State Theatre in All of Us,” to play a part in the history of the Grade I historic building back in the days.
New World Development earlier announced a meticulous conservation project to restore the Grade I historic site, after consolidating ownership of the 68-year-old State Theatre.
Before launching a complete architectural conservation of the theatre in May, Culture for Tomorrow, a non-profit organization under the New World Group, has staged an immersive event for visitors to take part in and explore the exclusive story of one of the city’s iconic theatres.
Adrian Cheng, CEO of New World Development and the founder of Culture for Tomorrow, said he hopes members of the public will experience firsthand the glorious past of the State Theatre through this immersive event.
“With our conservation project, the State Theatre will return once again as a culture and arts landmark with more riveting stories to tell. The theatre’s history may have faded through time, but its story is far from over,” said Cheng.
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The 1400-seat Empire Theatre opened in 1952 and was later renamed State Theatre in 1959. It hosted top international musicians but a rising middle class in the 1970s prompted other forms of entertainment to rise. The theatre suffered a fire in 1995 and closed for good in 1997, only to reopen 2 years later as a snooker parlour. Since then, it has been featured on the news repeatedly under fears of demolition, only to become a Grade 1 historic building in 2016.
Local property developer New World Development has purchased the site, which includes the theatre, shopping mall, and residential tower, and has pledged to preserve its history.
With dark abandoned corridors and empty shopfronts, the site has attracted explorers and historians who recalled far better days when this shopping mall was the place to be seen.
Only 1 of the south tower's 2 elevators are operational to access the residential floors above. Strangely, the 4th floor is always selected and the elevator will always stop there on the way up or down. Most residents have already moved out and their units barricaded. I went up to the 9th floor to see the theatre's unique roof arches.
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North Point's State Theatre