Ace Theatre

Ace Theatre was constructed in 1930 in Coconut Grove, a historic neighborhood of Miami, Florida. The building was designed and used as a cinema during a period when movie theaters were important neighborhood gathering places and commercial anchors. Its Art Deco character connects it with Miami's wider architectural heritage, particularly the modern decorative style that shaped many entertainment and retail buildings in South Florida during the early twentieth century. From its opening in 1930, the property was owned by the Wolfson-Meyer Theater Company. That company later became Wometco Enterprises, a major regional entertainment and media business. The same ownership continued for nearly five decades, until 1979, when Harvey Wallace purchased the building. Following the purchase, the Wallace family founded Ace Development Co., which became the property's current owner according to the available historical account. The theater also has an important social history. During the 1950s, Ace Theatre was described as the only film venue serving Coconut Grove's Black community. This role made the cinema more than a commercial entertainment site: it functioned as an important local cultural institution during an era in which access to public entertainment was shaped by racial segregation and exclusion. Its history therefore contributes to the documentation of Black life and neighborhood commerce in Miami. The building's later history has centered on preservation and recognition. Miami designated Ace Theatre as a local historic resource on July 1, 2014. On June 13, 2016, the property was added to the National Register of Historic Places. These recognitions reflect the combined architectural, local, and social importance of the site. The available sources identify Ace Theatre as a former cinema and do not provide enough information to confirm whether it continues to operate as a theater, what uses it currently accommodates, or whether its ownership has changed since the Wallace family's Ace Development Co. acquired it.

• 2016

  National Register listing

  [1]Ace Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Ace Theatre was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 13.

• 2014

  Local historic designation

  [1]Ace Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The City of Miami designated Ace Theatre as a local historic resource on July 1.

• 1979

  Ownership transferred to Harvey Wallace

  [1]Ace Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Harvey Wallace purchased the building after ownership by the Wolfson-Meyer Theater Company and its successor, Wometco Enterprises.

• 1950

  Role as a Black community cinema

  [1]Ace Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  During the 1950s, Ace Theatre was the only movie venue serving Coconut Grove's Black community.

• 1930

  Ace Theatre constructed

  [1]Ace Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  An Art Deco commercial building and cinema was constructed in Miami's Coconut Grove neighborhood.

A locally significant historic cinema and Art Deco commercial property whose cultural importance includes its service to Coconut Grove's Black community during the 1950s.

• Film exhibition venue · 1930

  Ace Theatre cinema

  The theater's original and defining offering was motion-picture exhibition for the Coconut Grove community. In the 1950s, it held particular importance for Black residents because it was identified as the area's only film venue serving that community. The available sources do not document specific film programs, screen counts, or operating details.

• Historic commercial property · 1930

  Ace Theatre building

  The surviving Art Deco building is the principal heritage asset associated with the Ace Theatre name. Its significance derives from its architecture, long association with neighborhood entertainment, and role in Coconut Grove's Black community history. It received local historic-resource designation in 2014 and National Register recognition in 2016.

1. 1Ace Theatreen.wikipedia.org