Parting with 'The Palace': Price tag of progress in Lansford

There’s a bit of sadness in Lansford right now, but it’s tempered by a good dose of optimism.

A landmark, “The Palace Theatre,” is coming down after 94 years.

A developer will demolish the abandoned movie house, later used as a bar, restaurant and dining hall.

For many, the destruction of the Palace is the end of an era.

Built in 1922 for a sky-high cost of $100,000, The Palace dominated downtown physically and culturally.

According to the July 1, 1922, issue of The American Contractor magazine, The Palace Theatre was built as movie house and hall building, a place for the community to meet.

Measuring 50 by 100 feet, the Art Deco building was constructed to stretch along one block of Coal Street from Patterson to Bertsch.

The architect was John T. Simpson of Newark and general contracting, including masonry and carpentry, was done by King Lumber Co. of Charlottesville, Virginia.

The place was owned by Panther Valley Amusement Company with Vincent Quinn of Lansford its president.

It became a prominent venue for entertainment in the valley.

In 1934 The Palace was totally renovated. Sadly, a fire broke out two months later and caused some $40,000 in damage, according to the Lansford Historical Society.

Another fire reportedly hit the building in the 1970s.

Clearly, time hasn’t been a friend of the facility.

Over the past few days, local historians visited the building and salvaged items significant to Lansford history.

But due to fires and repairs, much of the building’s historical integrity has been lost. So The Palace will disappear.

But the future is bright for the site itself.

The Palace will give way to a medical complex.

Exact details are unclear as the developer is keeping mum.

Still, Lansford borough council members are seeing a silver lining in the cloud of destruction, and rightfully so.

The developer says he’ll be the owner of the facility and it will not be tax-exempt.

If that’s the case, the new building will benefit the community not only through medical services, but also through employment opportunities and additional, much-needed tax revenue.

On top of that, new construction will send a message that Lansford is open for business.

And why not?

Our population centers are still viable opportunities for the right kind of enterprise.

Plus, many groups and individuals — for example, the volunteers of Lansford Alive — spend countless hours to not only make Lansford look more attractive, but to improve the quality of life for area residents.

Nobody likes to see a landmark like The Palace turned into a pile of rubbish.

But if it breathes new life into a town taking steps toward renewal, it might just be a blessing.

By Donald R. Serfass | dserfass@tnonline.com