California Theatre Lobby Organ

The First Street Lobby is home to a second organ with 10 pipe ranks and several percussion instruments in two pipe chambers located behind the draped arches on either side of its console. This organ made its public debut September 20, 2008 as guests arrived for Opera San Jose's 25th Anniversary Gala.

Right:  Two manual Wurlitzer 216 console originally installed in the Riverside Fox Theatre. Click on image at right to view more.
 Lobby organ console
Below:  Organ Console, Pipe Chambers, Swell Shutters and Lobby Views
  Click on images below to view more:
Lobby organ console and shutter arches Lobby organ console and shutter arches First Street Lobby
In the shop - console rebuilding Lobby organ console Organ console and lobby with audience
Reconstructing the Wurlitzer console
In the pipe chambers:
in lobby organ pipe chamber in lobby organ pipe chambe in lobby organ pipe chambe
in lobby organ pipe chamber in lobby organ pipe chamber in lobby organ pipe chamber
inside lobby organ pipe chamber 1 inside lobby organ pipe chamber 2
Below left: Pipe chamber access is up ladder from basement below chambers.
Below right: Blower room in basement, also the organ builders' shop.
lobby organ pipe chamber access lobby organ shop and blower space
inside lobby organ pipe chamber 3
Above: Looking up in chamber showing swell shutters part way open to lobby
Below Left: Uncurtained pipe chamber shutters from the lobby side
Below Right: Looking into pipe chamber through open shutters
lobby organ pipe chamber shutters lobby organ pipe chamber shutters
Copyright © 2011 Bob Shomler.
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