Historic Port Theater cancels curtain call

The owner of the historic Port Theater will preserve its iconic faded-blue sign over East Coast Highway and the building’s original use as a movie house, city officials said Tuesday.

Newport Beach approved a permit Tuesday to renovate the nearly 60-year-old shuttered theater, which was slated to be bulldozed at one point.

“We were happy because there was certainly some elements of the population that wanted to preserve the theater,” said Newport Beach Planning Director David Lepo. “I think this will improve its appearance and preserve it.”

The building’s peeling blue signage featuring a sailing motif has termite damage, but the owner has made plans to restore it, Lepo said.

Approved plans for the theater include sofa seating in the mezzanine area, as well as theater-type seating for the lower level, said Newport Beach Building Department Director Jay Elbettar. The plans also show a small stage area and a movie screen, he said.

The building was going to be demolished at one point to make way for an office structure, but a new facility on the spot would have faced difficulty meeting city parking requirements, Elbettar said.

“I think that was a little of a challenge to the building owner, so he chose to remodel it and get a viable use out of it,” he said.

The Art Deco-style theater opened its doors in 1950 and once hosted the Newport Beach Film Festival.

It was an art house theater for nearly a decade before closing its doors in 1998.

The theater has since fallen into disrepair, and the building’s powder-blue facade is peeling.

Ownership of the theater has changed hands several times over the years.

The current owner, Iranian businessman and Newport Beach resident Fariborz Maseeh, could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Maseeh is a noted philanthropist.

He donated $2 million to UCI in 2005 to found the Dr. Samuel M. Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture, according to the center’s website.

City officials did not have any information Tuesday on a timeline for theater renovations.

Craig Schultz from the Corona del Mar firm Laidlaw Schultz Architects is listed in city records as the architect for the renovation project. Schultz did not return a phone call to his office Tuesday.

BRIANNA BAILEY may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or at [email protected].