Saturday, August 30, 2008

Royal Theatre (West Tampa)

El Centro Espanol de Tampa in West Tampa (The West Tampa Palace) is one of two Spanish mutual aid society buildings in Tampa (the other is located in Ybor City). The building opened on January 11, 1913 and contained a theatre, ballrooms, and a social hall. The theatre (originally known as the Spanish Casino Theatre) became the Royal Theatre in 1931. The building still stands at 2306 Howard Avenue and is currently occupied by Centro Espanol de Tampa and the Hillsborough Education Foundation.



Photo from 1979 Royal Theatre Feasibility Study by Centro Espanol de Tampa

December 2018

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Listed in the 1950 Film Daily Yearbook...475 seats.

Anonymous said...

Wasn't this Theater on North Blvd. at the end of Main Street in West Tampa, Tampa,Florida

Kelly said...

Actually, this theatre was (and still is) located inside of the El Centro Espanol of West Tampa. The theatre desperately needs to be renovated, however the cost to renovate just the theatre is over one million dollars (the rest of the building needs to be renovated, as well).

The building is located at 2306 North Howard Avenue, and is currently the temporary home of the Tampa Museum of Art. The building was added to the US National Register of Historic Places on July 30, 1974 and was originally built in 1912. Architect: Fred J. James

Unknown said...

Does anyone know of any interior photographs that exist of the original sweeping staircase at the Centro Espanol de West Tampa?

Eugene Fernandez said...

The entrance to the theater itself was on Cherry Street.

Unknown said...

Hi, anyone know if this building is occupied, if so for what?

(kudos to whoever operates this site, great collection of info on historic theater's in Tampa)