By KENNEDY ZAK Staff Reporter
James Reynolds, a former actor on “Days of Our Lives,” along with his wife Lissa Reynolds, sold The Fremont Centre Theatre & Office Building in South Pasadena for $4.3 million.
Located at 1000 Fremont Ave., The Fremont Centre Theatre has been a South Pasadena staple for years, which was first opened by the Reynolds 28 years ago. Throughout the years, they have served as the co-artistic directors.
Andrew Berk, a principal at Avison Young, represented the Reynolds in the sale of the 12,000 square-foot, two-story property first built in 1925.
According to Berk, who is a member of the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, four “strong” offers were thrown his way before ultimately selecting local buyers: David Chung, Rex Chan and John Hoan. The space was first put on the market in 2024.
“The Fremont Centre Theatre & Office Building is a century-old, unique pride of ownership asset that has consistently experienced extremely high occupancy for more than 28 years,” Berk said in a statement. “This is an absolute irreplaceable trophy asset in the heart of historic South Pasadena that is beloved by all, and the new ownership plans to carry on what the sellers have created here.”
Local history
The space was first built as a mortuary before entering the art and theater space. Back in the day, it served as the stomping grounds for author and playwright Ray Bradbury – whose life in South Pasadena is additionally chronicled via stained glass window at the local public library – and his Pandemonium Theatre Company.
Comprised of 22 tenants across office, retail and service, The Fremont is fully occupied and includes restaurant tenant Piccadilly Grace and an interior courtyard.
In more recent years, the theatre has hosted several productions including “Little Women,” “Sweeney Todd,” “Suessical Jr.,” “A Christmas Carol” and “Disney’s Cinderella Jr.”
“Authentic, well-located buildings in urban cores like this one are rare to come on the market and investors feel confident about the immediate and long-term, intrinsic value,” Berk said.
That section of South Pasadena, with proximity to its downtown, has long been earmarked for revitalization. Several blocks east, the South Pasadena Unified School District offloaded its historic headquarters in 2021 for about $12.5 million to a development team that intends to revamp the property into a mixed-use development. The city adopted a Downtown Specific Plan in 2023 that preserves The Fremont Theatre as a civic space.
Acting Editor Zane Hill contributed to this report.
