Peek Inside This Abandoned Theatre In Buffalo, New York

Western New York is one of the country's regions with a rich and bountiful architectural history.

You can see it every day as you travel through the area that was lived in and designed by the likes of Frederick Law Olmsted, Calvert Vaux, Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, Louise Blanchard Bethune, H.H. Richardson, Eliel and Eero Saarinen, Elbert Hubbard, and more.

Many famous examples of this architecture still survive today, and we're better off as a region because of it. Unfortunately, some parts of our history have been lost to time and neglect, while others are falling apart around us.

One such gem, the former Sattler Theatre on Broadway, is in pretty bad shape, and a local urban explorer got a peek inside. Luckily, plans are to fix it and bring it back to its old glory.

What Is The Sattler Theatre?

Sporting some fantastic terra-cotta on the facade, the Sattler Theatre on Broadway was constructed in 1914 and designed by architect Henry L. Spann with help from his younger brother, William.

Built in the Beaux Arts Classicism style, this 928-seat movie house and theatre was built for John G. Sattler and featured a Marr & Colton 2-manual organ. John Sattler is the same person who owned the famed Sattler's Department Store a few blocks away at 998 Broadway.

Over the years, the theatre changed hands and names a few times, going from Sattler's Theatre to the Broadway Theatre, Basil's Broadway, Muhammad's Mosque #23, God’s Holy Temple, and the Joy Temple Church.

The theatre was finally vacated in 1996 when the Joy Temple Church moved out. It sat abandoned until Western New York Minority Media Professionals purchased the building to restore it to its former glory.

Peek Inside The Theatre

The Facebook page Abandoned Buffalo, NY, has a knack for exploring areas all around Western and Central New York that are worthy of taking a look at. One of their recent explorations brought them across the inside of the theatre in Buffalo.

I can only imagine how unique this theatre was in its heyday before it fell into disrepair like it is today, and I can't wait to check it out once it's been restored.

Check out all of the photos that were taken below:

Warning

The information shared here is meant for entertainment and educational purposes only. Under no circumstances should you enter this property. Doing so risks bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you do not attempt to investigate the inside of abandoned buildings without proper knowledge, experience, and legal authorization.