.Best Commercial Renovation

The golden age of Art Deco movie palaces has returned to the East Bay through the splendid and highly anticipated $38 million renovation and rehabilitation of the historic Alameda Theatre. The fastidious restoration of this iconic downtown landmark and much-loved cinema — down to the gilded walls, coffered ceilings, rich carpets, chandeliers, and light fixtures envisioned by original architect Timothy L. Pflueger in 1932 — has returned the cinema to its former grandeur and erased all hints of the structure’s decrepit past as a roller rink, dance hall, and gymnastics school. No longer a single-screen movie house, the opulent and luxurious main theater sports arresting period detail and serves as an enticing state-of-the-art centerpiece of a modern multi-screen cineplex with an adjoining multistory parking garage. An undertaking of the city of Alameda and developer Kyle Conner, the theater debuted to rave reviews this spring at a sold-out, $100-per-ticket black tie gala, the hottest event of the season where entrepreneurs were reportedly scalping tickets for twice the price. With a movie house this special, it’s easy to understand why.