The idea of a Spanish influenced theater was conceived by Louis R. Golding, an executive of Stanley-Fabian.

Golding hired local architect Frank Grad, builder Warren MacEvoy, and supervised the construction himself.

The choice of the Spanish influence for theater design was a reflection of the tastes of the times, when luxury and elegance in movie palace architecture were necessities."

[7][8] As of November 2024, it's reported that after years of abandonment, "the owners of the building want to restore the 97-year-old theater’s lobby along with its historic marquee...The proposal, which came before Newark’s Landmarks Commission, was approved last month.

The theater’s restored lobby will eventually become the entrance into a new five-story mixed-use building with 16 residential units on the top stories.