Sanderson, Julia, Theater

History

The Paramount Theater (formerly known as Julia Sanderson Theater and The Hippodrome) is an historic theater located at 1676-1708 Main Street in Springfield, Massachusetts. Built in 1926 out of part of the grand Massasoit House hotel at a cost of over $1 million, the Paramount Theater was the most ornate picture palace in Western Massachusetts. As of 2011, The Paramount is in the midst of a $1.725 million renovation to once again become a theater after decades as a disco and concert hall, (the Hippodrome), when it was the center of Springfield's club scene. In 2018 the building's owners, the New England Farm Workers Council, announced plans to redevelop it in tandem with a new adjacent hotel building. In a push to renovate the Paramount along with Holyoke's Victory Theater, in October 2018, the administration of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced a $2.5 million grant to assist the project, on top of a $4 million federal loan guarantee. However, the New England Farm Workers Council would subsequently announce plans to sell the building on July 30, 2024. An auction was slated for August 20 of that year before being delayed to September 23. The winner, Mohan C. Sachdev, announced plans to start renovation work in March 2026.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. The official nomination form is linked under Sources.