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The latest movie theater news and updates
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July 20, 2016
Coney Island, Brooklyn, NY - Coney Island’s Shore Theater, a Weathered Landmark, Is Reimagined
From Curbed NY: In January this year, the landmarked Shore Theater on Coney Island was saved from total ruin when developer Pye Properties purchased the site for $20 million, and decided to restore it to its glory days. However the developer is still looking for tenants to lease the space, and with that they’ve unveiled a new rendering for the project, Brooklyn Daily reports, based on images first posted on the Coney Island Blog.
The developer wants to restore the building’s theater and likely use it as an entertainment venue, in addition to converting a part of it into a hotel. Plans so far are in the preliminary stages, but the developer has brought on Commercial Acquisitions to scope out other tenants for the building. Some of the big tenants targeted so far include TJ Maxx and Starbucks, but it’s not exactly clear yet how they’ll fit in with the other plans. They’ve also reached out to the local community board to lease a space in the building.
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July 19, 2016
Lexington, KY - Kentucky Theatre’s Mighty Wurlitzer organ will be saved, new group promises
From the Lexington Herald Leader: The remains of Kentucky’s Mighty Wurlitzer organ can’t be played at the moment — but there is hope that within the next decade they may again ring through its original home at Lexington’s Kentucky Theatre.
The sumptuous golden and ivory console is wrapped in plastic and sitting in a Jessamine County warehouse. The rest of the massive organ, which totals about 20,000 pounds, sits in pieces nearby. While parts of the organ have been restored during the last 20 years, there’s still a lot of work to do.
“It is a treasure,” said Bill Webber, whose group, the Bluegrass Chapter of The American Theatre Organ Society, is now overseeing fund raising for the restoration and resettlement of the organ. “We must save it. … There are only a few original organs like this intact.”
The organ that’s in the Kentucky Theatre is played by Webber on Wednesday nights during the Summer Classic Movie series.
The original Kentucky Theatre organ — the theater opened in 1922 — has seen a lot, and not just during the years between 1922 and 1934 when it provided the music and sound effects for silent movies at the theater.
Theater organs, with their distinctive horseshoe-shaped consoles and ornate decoration, once appeared all over the country. An estimated 7,000 of them were installed in movie houses from 1925 to 1933. Few of the instruments remain today, but both Cincinnati and Knoxville have restored Mighty Wurlitzers.
Organ performers in the early days of film provided a soundtrack during silent movies. The instrument could provide simulations for everything from horse hoof beats to train whistles. The siren and antique car horn — which makes the sound “oo-ga” — are Webber’s favorites, he said.
The Lexington organ was sold in 1977 to an organ broker, but later bought by Oscar Wilson, who put it in his home on Winchester Road and invited people to concerts.
Wilson later donated it to the University of Kentucky. Over the years such theater organs became increasingly rare, and getting the parts and expertise to restore them more difficult.
H. Steven Brown first came upon the organ in a “Lost Lexington” exhibit in The Central Library in 1993, and wanted to lead the charge to restore the massive instrument. For more than 20 years Brown’s group, Kentucky’s Mighty Wurlitzer, raised money toward that goal.
But ultimately, the organ was never approved for re-installation into the Kentucky Theatre, and a flood of occasionally contentious paperwork flew between Brown and leaders representing UK, the urban county government and the Kentucky Theatre. Last month, Brown dissolved his organization.
Brown said the problem his group faced wasn’t with raising money to restore the organ, but with raising money to complete the complex re-installation of the organ into its Kentucky Theatre home. Donors to the project over the years still need to be honored, he said.
Brown’s organization did some good work in fundraising and providing restoration for the organ, Webber said. Donors to Brown’s group “need to know that their donations were not for nothing. They have gone toward the renovations that have happened so far,” he said.
So far, Webber’s organization has two anonymous major donors for its organ restoration, he said. A Louisville restoration company is attached to the project and will soon start work, along with a group of volunteers.
Restoration of the organ will cost about $200,000, Webber said.
Like Brown’s group, Webber’s organization also wants to return the organ to the Kentucky but without altering the theater’s present structure.
“We are going to get this done,” Webber said. “I promise you, this is going to happen.”
Read more here (with photo gallery and video): http://www.kentucky.com/living/article90255362.html#storylink=cpy
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July 18, 2016
Ridgewood, Queens, NY: Historic former Ridgewood Theatre advertises new apartment rentals for insane prices
From qns.com: New apartments at blockbuster prices will soon be the feature presentation at the former Ridgewood Theatre.
The former moviehouse located at 55-27 Myrtle Ave. is being converted from a 2,500-seat, five-screen multiplex theater to a five-story, mixed-use building featuring a commercial space on the lower floor and 50 residential units on the upper floors.
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Coconut Grove, FL - Segregation-era movie theater in Coconut Grove wins national historic designation
From The Real Deal: A Coconut Grove theater steeped in history from Miami’s segregation era has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places, paving the way for redevelopment, sources told The Real Deal.
The ACE Theatre at 3664 Grand Avenue was added on June 13, according to the register’s website.
The historic designation means the owner, ACE Development Company, can now focus on its plans to renovate of the property into a multi-use entertainment venue, according to ACE attorney Mark Grafton.
“We are extremely excited about unlocking the development potential,” Grafton told TRD. “Being placed on the register allows us to sell transferable development rights, makes the ACE Theatre eligible for federal and some state grants, and it also unlocks a 20 percent federal tax credit which will make it more appealing to outside investors.”
Two years ago, ACE Development — which is owned by longtime Coconut Grove residents the Wallace Family — won approval for a local historic designation from the Miami Historic and Environmental Preservation Board. Built in 1930, the movie theater was the only film house serving the Grove’s black community in the 1950s. Today, the building is shuttered and in need of extensive repairs.
“The main goal was to get the historic designation,” ACE Development President Denise Wallace told TRD. “There are a lot of changes taking place in the Grove so we felt it was important to preserve the property.”
With a historic designation from the city of Miami, ACE Development was able to win the support of the Florida Division of Historic Resources, which nominates buildings to the National Register of Historic Places. Other local theaters on the list include the Lyric Theater in Overtown and Olympia Theater in downtown Miami.
Wallace said ACE Development is exploring the possibility of a public and private partnership with the city or Miami-Dade County to restore the theater and operate it as multi-use entertainment facility for Grove residents.
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Stanton, KY - Powell Co. drive-in movie theater damaged in Thursday’s storms
From WKYT-TV: The Mountain View Drive-In movie theater in Powell County has been open since 1957. For the first time in its history, the owners say part of the building suffered storm damage.
Around 5:30 Thursday night, strong wind gusts and heavy rain blew through Central Kentucky.
After the storm cleared, the owners of the drive-in found the wind had ripped off a portion of the projection room roof, as well as that of the concession stand.
Owners don’t yet know if the projector has been damaged because the building still did not have power as of Friday morning.
As for the concession stand, crews have been working since Thursday to get it fixed up and there’s still plenty of work to be done.
Keith Justice, owner of Justice Contracting said, “About a third of the roof was just folded back on top of the rest of it. The front corner post over there is laying over here now. Just a real bad gust of wind.”
Owners say the plan is to be open Friday evening on their secondary screen. They’re still not sure whether or not they’ll have movies on the main screen at least for the time being.
Full story, with video and photos, at: http://www.wkyt.com/content/news/A-Powell-Co-drive-in-theater—-386986781.html
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Austin, MN - Going back in time; New mural pays tribute to the theater’s history
From the Austin Daily Herald: After years of mere thoughts, ideas and a failed attempt, volunteer Jim Burroughs is happy to say a project to restore a mural on the side of Paramount Theatre is complete.
“It just stayed as a to-do project for many years,” Burroughs said.
Greg Wimmer, an artist based out of Rochester, completed work on the project two weeks ago.
He spent three days painting a revised version of the original mural, which appeared on the building when it first opened in September of 1929.
“It looks great,” Burroughs said. “Greg Wimmer does exquisite work.”
The mural is also a tribute to the history of the theater. The mural features two stars which say “Publix” inside of them. Publix was the company that originally owned Paramount Pictures and thereby Paramount Theater.
“[We added] it for historical purpose,” Burroughs said.
A mural grant, which matched donations received by the Paramount, helped make the restoration possible.
Story link and additional photo at: http://www.austindailyherald.com/2016/07/going-back-in-time-new-mural-pays-tribute-to-the-theaters-history/
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July 15, 2016
Calumet, MI - Historic theater could see modern feature
From ABC10up.com: The goal of a three-year fundraising effort for a historic theater in Calumet is within reach. Three years ago the Calumet Theater set out to raise money for a much-needed elevator to their second floor ballroom and balcony. The goal of the Lift Us Up project was $325,000 and the theater has raised over $300,000 already. Tickets for the Calumet Theater’s Grand Raffle are now on sale and should help them reach their goal.
Calumet Theater Executive Director Laura Miller said, “$34,000 worth of cash prizes and there’s ten cash prizes, and you can win two tickets for all 2017 stage events; and if we can sell this to the level that we’ve sold it in the past years, we are going to have enough money to break ground on our elevator in 2016.” The winning tickets will be drawn by Jake and Elwood July 23rd during the Blooze Brothers concert.
It’s just one of the hot shows during the theater’s busiest time of year. Miller said, “Biggest month ever in July with Vaudeville and the Movie Magic Films and, of course, the Blooze Brothers-and all these shows bring people in the door and, when people get in the door, they buy those Grand Raffle tickets.” Don’t miss out on the chance for a big payoff.
With raffle tickets becoming more difficult to sell and because they are so close to their goal, this will be the theater’s last Grand Raffle.
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Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Theater rehab project in Cuyahoga Falls receives historic state tax credit
From the Cuyahoga Falls News-Press: The Falls Theater rehabilitation project is getting state assistance.
On June 26, the Ohio Development Services Agency awarded $27.8 million in Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits to 26 applicants to rehabilitate 39 historic buildings, including the Falls Theater. Together, the projects are expected to leverage approximately $261.4 million in private investments in 14 communities.
“Preserving these historic buildings will help revitalize neighborhoods and downtowns,” said David Goodman, director of the Ohio Development Services Agency. “Historic rehabilitation transforms underutilized properties into assets for communities.”
The Falls Theater, at 2218-2220 Front St., was approved for a $249,999 tax credit. The total estimated cost of the project is $1.27 million.
The historic Falls Theater space has two storefronts and four apartments on the second floor that have been empty for more than a decade, according to a news release from the Ohio Development Services Agency. Tax credits will help transform the theater space into a microbrewery and restaurant. The commercial and apartment spaces will be renewed for their original intent. The project is part of a newly revitalized Front Street.
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July 14, 2016
Albany, NY - Albany’s Palace Theatre plans $65 million expansion
From the Times Union: The Palace Theatre is poised to undergo a $65 million transformation that if fully realized would include a new, smaller theater along North Pearl Street, an expansion of the historic original theater’s lobby and stage house, and a state-of-the-art video post-production facility. The vision for the project was introduced Wednesday at a news conference with theater, city and county officials. They lauded it as yet another major upgrade to the attractions in downtown Albany, alongside $16 million in improvements to the atrium of the Times Union Center and the new, $78 million Albany Capital Center convention facility due to open next year. Information about funding for the project was not provided, nor were details about prospective new programming. “This project is undoubtedly the most transformative arts and culture redevelopment venture in Albany in recent memory and will further invigorate the downtown area, spur economic development, create jobs and provide a more sustainable future for the arts in the Capital Region,” said Alan Goldberg, chairman of the board of directors for the Palace Performing Arts Center. The nonprofit entity operates the Palace Theatre and would, pending approval by the Albany Common Council, take over ownership of the building from the city. It previously had leased the venue. According to estimates supplied by the Palace, the project is expected to have a $125 million economic impact on the community and produce an estimated 225 full-time jobs during a three-year construction period. The downtown Albany area would see the Palace’s annual economic impact more than double, to $10 million, after the project’s completion. Estimates are for annual attendance of more than 500,000 annually, up from current audiences totaling 175,000 per year. “I think this is wonderful for Albany,” said Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill, producing artistic director of nearby Capital Repertory Theatre. “This kind of facility would be a huge draw. We’re a capital city that deserves a beautiful space that would attract people from across the region.” Philip Morris, the Proctors CEO who guided its expansion starting in 2003, said he was unaware of the scope of the Palace project which in cost eclipses the $42 million in renovations and expansion at Proctors in Schenectady that were completed nine years ago.
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Hillsboro, OH - Council hears hotel plan, talks Colony’s fate
From The Times-Gazette: A potential hotel development in uptown Hillsboro and the likely demolition of the Colony Theatre were discussed at Hillsboro City Council’s meeting Monday night.
Hillsboro Mayor Drew Hastings told council that a feasibility study commissioned on a potential hotel in the uptown area came back with positive results, indicating “a huge win-win” for the city.
Hastings said a hotel would be along the lines of a 50-room Hampton Inn providing a middle to upper-scale facility, a $4 million development that would provide 31 construction jobs, 28-30 jobs outside the hotel, and have a ripple effect amounting to $5.5 million a year for the city’s economy.