Stanley Performing Arts Center

Thomas W. Lamb called the style Mexican Baroque, and in Utica he meant it — terracotta and tiled mosaic outside; Habsburg lions, cherubs and gold leaf within; twisted columns flanking the stage and a ceiling scattered with stars. The theatre opened on 10 September 1928 with the silent film Ramona and 2,963 seats. Urban renewal came close to demolishing it; in 1974 the Central New York Community Arts Council bought the building for 135,000 dollars, and it entered the National Register of Historic Places two years later, with a major renovation following in 2007. It now serves as the working hall of the Utica Symphony and of the region's Broadway and ballet series, and Puccini's La bohème has been sung on its stage.