By Patrick Quinn When you think of icons that define Morgan
Hill, what comes to mind? El Toro, our lonely hill to the west, is
usually first; soon after, though, is our downtown theater, the
Granada. The Granada has been a mainstay in our downtown landscape
since it was built in its current location in 1951 as a single
theater.
By Patrick Quinn
When you think of icons that define Morgan Hill, what comes to mind?
El Toro, our lonely hill to the west, is usually first; soon after, though, is our downtown theater, the Granada.
The Granada has been a mainstay in our downtown landscape since it was built in its current location in 1951 as a single theater. It was split into two theaters in 1980 and remained open for movie business until about two years ago. Its signature red vertical sign can be seen from blocks away, and the theater’s façade was the center of Thomas Kinkade’s painting of downtown Morgan Hill. Needless to say, the Granada has been a major part of Morgan Hill’s past.
As a child, I remember going to the Granada to see movies, and it was always an enjoyable experience. My first time going to a movie there was with my parents to see “Forrest Gump.” I remember being impressed with the inside of the theater – the authentic feel of it – and I was excited to be there. Unfortunately, the Granada is not a good theater for business. It obviously didn’t make enough money before it closed, and with the newly re-opened Cinelux Theaters, it will be hard for the Granada to compete for first release movies. Meanwhile, the downtown area is growing up and evolving around it.
We cannot let the past get in the way of the future.
Thus, I believe it is time for the Granada theater to be torn down and replaced.
If we were to save the Granada’s façade, would anyone appreciate it? I think most people would think “oh, that’s nice,” but not really give it much thought. A few people would really care that it is there, but for the most part, it would just be taken for granted. Similarly, if it was gone, most people wouldn’t even miss a beat.
They would appreciate and likely patronize whatever was put in its place. If the Granada cannot be saved as a viable theater, it is time to move on and build something profitable.
As reported in the Times, the Granada cannot survive as a theater. With the Cinelux open and another multiplex being considered for the Cochrane area, the Granada would find survival more difficult now than when it first closed.
It has been suggested that the outside of the Granada theater be kept and refurbished; that the city should offer RDA funding to the owners to entice them to keep the Granada’s appearance the same while allowing them to do as they wish to the outside. While this sounds like an enticing option, I believe it to be more of a quick fix than a long-term solution.
The fact remains that Morgan Hill, just like any other city, needs to evolve and change with the times. It cannot do that if a prime piece of property in the middle of downtown is unusable because people want to protect the past.
Morgan Hill needs to think what is best economically for the town. With the downtown area struggling economically, it is paramount that we get something in there that will make money and attract more people.
I believe the land the Granada is on could serve as the centerpiece for a total downtown restoration. Morgan Hill’s downtown is slowly evolving and changing into a destination for people. The restaurants are good, the stores and shops add to the downtown’s vitality, it just needs something to tie it all together. A brand new complex in the heart of downtown, complete with food and shopping, could turn Morgan Hill from a nice town into a destination.
While it would be sad to see a piece of the past be torn down, it would make for an exciting and profitable future for Morgan Hill.
Patrick Quinn is a Morgan Hill resident attending college at UC Davis and a new columnist at the Morgan Hill Times. His column appears occasionally in the Morgan Hill Times.
