Frankford's Historic Circle Theatre Poised for Preservation

The former movie palace, once home to a 3,000-seat auditorium, is set to be designated a historic landmark by the Philadelphia Historical Commission.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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The Circle Theatre in the Frankford neighborhood of Philadelphia, a former movie palace built in the late 1920s that once seated nearly 3,000 people, is poised to be added to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. The ornate terra-cotta facade of the building remains, even as the first floor is now occupied by several storefronts. The theater, designed by the renowned architectural firm Hoffman-Henon, closed in 1953 after decades of operation.

Why it matters

The Circle Theatre is one of the relatively few surviving movie palaces in Philadelphia that retains significant architectural integrity, providing a glimpse into the city's rich cinema history. Its designation as a historic landmark will help preserve this iconic building and the character of the Frankford neighborhood.

The details

The Circle Theatre was built in the late 1920s on Frankford Avenue, near the Arrott Transit Center. Designed by the acclaimed architectural firm Hoffman-Henon, which was known for its work on cinemas across the country, the theater featured an ornate terra-cotta facade and a nearly 3,000-seat auditorium. The theater closed in 1953 after decades of operation, but the building's distinctive exterior remains, with several storefronts now occupying the first floor.

  • The Circle Theatre was built in the late 1920s.
  • The theater closed in 1953 after decades of operation.
  • The Philadelphia Historical Commission is set to designate the Circle Theatre as a historic landmark in 2026.

The players

Hoffman-Henon

A Philadelphia-based architectural firm that was renowned for designing cinemas across the country and beyond, appearing in prominent trade publications for the motion picture industry.

William Hoffman

One of the founding partners of Hoffman-Henon, who was already an acclaimed movie theater architect before the firm's partnership.

Paul Henon

One of the founding partners of Hoffman-Henon, who was already an acclaimed movie theater architect before the firm's partnership.

Ted Maust

A preservation planner at the Philadelphia Historical Commission.

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What they’re saying

“While most neighborhood theaters probably had a pretty small geographic radius that people were coming from, the Circle was designed in this more flashy, elaborate style … and it was probably at least an attempt to get people to come from a little further away.”

— Ted Maust, Preservation Planner, Philadelphia Historical Commission (whyy.org)

What’s next

The Philadelphia Historical Commission is set to officially designate the Circle Theatre as a historic landmark in 2026, which will help preserve the building's distinctive architecture and character.

The takeaway

The preservation of the Circle Theatre highlights the importance of protecting Philadelphia's remaining historic movie palaces, which provide a tangible connection to the city's rich cinema history and the architectural legacy of firms like Hoffman-Henon. This designation will help ensure the Circle Theatre remains a beloved landmark in the Frankford neighborhood for years to come.