Boston landmarks

A deteriorated roof and years of neglect left the interior of the Modern Theatre in ruins. Photo by Kindra Clineff

Holes in the Modern Theatre roof let in the elements, leading to deterioration of the fine detail inside the original building. Photo by Kindra Clineff

Eventually the major theaters fell out of use and deteriorated.

The Modern Theatre, Keith Memorial/Opera House, and Paramount Theatre were placed on the 1995 “11 Most Endangered List” of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and were designated as Boston Landmarks.

Boston’s historic Theatre District has experienced a renaissance since the turn of the 21st century.

The intervening years have seen a revival of Boston’s Theatre District.

The renovated Opera House, one of the nation’s grandest vaudeville houses when it was built in 1928, was reopened in 2004.
Emerson College has restored the Paramount, once an elaborate movie house in the Art Deco style, now combining theater and student residences.
Suffolk University built a new theater and residence hall on the site of the Modern Theatre and completely restored and rebuilt the historic facade.