Melba through the years
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- 1941 – Grand Avenue
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- Fliers like this one were used to advertise movies. Employees would head to the country and place them in gates and screen doors. This handbill dates to 1932 before the Melba opened, and movies were shown further north on Grand Avenue.
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- Phyllis Masters bought popcorn at the Melba Theatre around 1952. These political candidates were featured on the popcorn carton.
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- Pat Hutsell poses in front of the Piney Inn in the 1950s. The hotel was directly across from the Melba Theatre on Grand Avenue.
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- The Melba Theatre in Houston opened on Grand Avenue in 1938. That year, “You Can’t Take It With You,” won the academy award for best picture
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- An ad for the just-opened Melba Theatre that appeared in the Houston Herald in 1938.
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- A look at yesteryear at the Melba.
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- A look at the logo of the original Melba.
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- The year was 1938. The winner of the Oscar that year was “You Can’t Take It With You.”
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- The Melba Theatre in downtown Houston during its early years.
Past projects
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- The former Haney Market was transformed into the Houston VIsitors Center. Below, the interior of the building.
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- The Houston Visitors Center opens. It houses the Houston Area Chamber of Commerce
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- A complete renovation was completed at the former Haney Market, which now is the Houston Visitors Center.
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- The ribbon is cut at the Houston Visitors Center, a project of Downtown Houston, Inc.
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- The Houston Visitors Center opens. It houses the Houston Area Chamber of Commerce
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- Through a project under taken by Downtown Houston Inc. in partnership with the City of Houston, a copper canopy is added to the plaza. It is used by the Houston Farmers Market.
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- City of Houston electrical department employees set a new light pole Friday on First Street. Four new poles, which match those installed earlier on Grand Avenue, were installed. Houston’s main throughfare — Grand Avenue — will see a new asphalt overlay next month.
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- A rendering of the proposed Melba Theatre renovation.
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- Space destroyed by a 1999 fire was transformed into a green space, The Lone Star Plaza, at Pine Street and Grand Avenue.
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- Gov. Matt Blunt with Houston’s Elaine Campbell during a Kansas City conference that saw Downtown Houston, Inc.., win the governor’s award for economic development.
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- Fresh produce is available at the Houston Farmers Market, which is situated at the Lone Star Plaza.
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- An organization meeting aimed at expanding the Houston Farmers Market is held in February 2014.
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- Through the efforts of Downtown Houston, Inc., the Houston Farmers Market has expanded to two days and features a variety of produce.
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- Downtown Houston Inc. won a Community Development Block Grant for new sidewalks downtown.
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- Work was performed in 2005 on rock posts and a wrought iron fence that surrounds the Lone Star Plaza, a project of Downtown Houston Inc.
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- Workers perform demolition work in 2015 at the Lone Star Annex, which now houses University Extension, a community kitchen, space for ag and business glasses and the Great Hall, a meeting space that is available for rental.
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- The renovation of the Lone Star Annex after extensive work in 2015.
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- Interior renovation under way at the Lone Star Annex in 2015.
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- Extensive renovations were created at the Lone Star Annex in 2015. Here, the Great Hall.
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- The exterior of the Lone Star Annex as work was completed in 2015. The building is north of the Lone Star Plaza.
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- A sketch of the Lone Star Plaza annex, which is situated north of the Lone Star Plaza. The space would be used for community meetings, University Extension and the Houston Farmers Market, which needs a community kitchen. The effort is part of the Melba Theatre project.
Melba Performing Arts construction
A look at the construction progress at the Melba Performing Arts Center.
Construction under way in the Melba in downtown Houston.
The inside of the Melba was gutted as renovations began by Gentry Construction Co. Inc.
Seats are installed at the Melba Performing Arts Center.
Curtains are installed at the Melba Performing Arts Center on Grand Avenue in Houston.
Newly installed neon lights up downtown Houston
Work on the neon on the Melba. A new marquee also was installed.
A look inside the Melba before seating is installed.
Construction begins on the Melba Performing Arts Center.