Fine Arts Theater
84 Federal Road,
Brookfield,
CT
06804
84 Federal Road,
Brookfield,
CT
06804
5 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 47 of 47 comments
Went there today first time in the plaza for me in a long time. I can’t believe the condition of the buildings. The old Johns best restaurant is covered in mold, the adjacent stores “Mediterranean Specialties†and “Express Photo of Brookfield†are also in similar condition. I have no idea when the last time Mediterranean Specialties or Express Photo were open. The other notable thing is the parking lot is completely destroyed. Talk about pothole heaven.
There is evidence of people trying to break in on the north side double doors. They managed to make a gap of about 4 inches permantally bending the doors. You can see in but not far. I’m sure Mr. & Mrs. Raccoon have made a nice home inside. Doors still won’t budge. Not sure how long the damage has been there. Whoever sealed that place up did a good job.
I did a quick walk around I was unable to see any doors or windows above.
Are you suggesting I gain access via the roof? I’m not a rock climber….
Perhaps correspondence via email is more appropriate?
I was there in August of 2008, but have wandered the outside since then, and there seemed no evidence of recent break-ins. To get in you will need a friend, and it can be done w/a little wit. In my opinion it isn’t worth the risk of getting arrested, but still is a neat experience. It really was a shame to see everything smashed and spray-painted. I got a laugh out of the projection room because someone set up a TV and chairs and seemed to get high in there. Lights in the lot go out at around 12am but cops patrol regularly by car.
ClothCanopy……
When was the last time you were in?
Is this “easy way in” accessible with one person? Or should I bring a friend. Is it even worth going in? Based on yours and others descriptions what could be left there other than the presence of vandals. Any Police trouble?
Why can’t people leave anything the way they found it?
FYI, the fire sprinklers did some damage to Johns Best last winter and the other southern adjacent stores. The plaza at this point is destroyed. Time to tear down the place, sorry to say.
@historybuff614
I am most likely the most recent uninvited guest at this location. The reason for this is that all of the doors are boarded and/or chained shut, making it essentially impossible to get in from a conventional entrance. Though there WERE people living inside, they were probably there before the place was properly sealed. It wouldn’t be practical for someone to be living in there now. But there still is a relatively easy way in, so long as you aren’t afraid of heights ;)
Anybody been in recently?
I live in the area and have always been curious about that place.
I’m not interested in breaking or destroying anything just to look around.
I am worried about police of course, but more worried about possible residents?
Any input here?
The September 14, 1970, issue of Boxoffice said that the Fine Arts had opened in July. It was run by Nutmeg Theatres. The August 1 issue of Boxoffice gave the seating capacity as 800.
There was a quote at a candidates debate in the News-Times that mentioned the Fine Arts. It was way off base and context, but one thing remains; the landlord is an idiot.
http://www.newstimes.com/latestnews/ci_13509559
“The theater next to Kohl’s has been empty a long time,” Tinsley said. “It’s probably that way because we can’t provide the services as simple as water to entice builders.”
Water lines will be built to that area of Federal Road, Davidson said, but the problem lies in the fact that the owner is asking for $22 million for the property.
“I think it’s worth $22 million and he deserves every penny,” Tinsley said.
I was in the theater in August of 2008. The place is worse now than in previous descriptions. My father managed this place when I was a child, so I knew a way in(hint: don’t bother trying the doors, they’re sealed). The walls are covered with graffiti, beer cans lay all over(Red Dog, specifically), all the glass is broken and it is obvious someone was living there…miserably. A light still eerily flickered in the lobby and the bathrooms were notably clean, though someone w/the runs used the waterless toilets.
Under the headline “Brookfield Theatre Unveiled by Nutmeg,” the August 31, 1970, issue of Boxoffice Magazine published the following item: “The independent Nutmeg Theatre Circuit has opened the newly constructed, 800-seat Fine Arts Theatre, Brookfield (suburban Danbury). Derek Hilton is resident manager. Robert Smerling and Norman Bialek head the circuit.”
The shopping center looks more desolate than ever. JoAnn’s fabrics remains as the lone “major” tenant, other than a laundromat, and it appears to no longer be restocking its shelves and has cut back its hours. It’s amazing it’s been nearly two years since my last comment above, and nothing has happened. I did read somewhere that there had been a plan to demolish the whole place and build a Lowe’s home center here, but they wound up building Lowe’s over by the (ironically) AMC Loew’s multiplex a short distance away — the same theater that made this one close.
Yeah, I noticed that John’s Best was gone, and AutoZone moved to a new location up the road a few months ago. JoAnn’s Fabrics and possibly a laundromat and hair salon appear to be the only places left, other than the company that has its office in the corner space of the old John’s Best building. JoAnn’s has obviously been in a state of limbo for years; the ceiling has multiple leaks, the floors have been allowed to deteriorate and have never been cleaned, but when I asked people who worked there if there were any plans to move, they just reply that they don’t know. Meanwhile, just up the road, a brand-new building is being constructed for a Goodwill Super Store! I’ll never understand real estate…
This was in the News-Times the other day. The Fine Arts was mentioned, it was closed in 1994. The article reflects what has been discussed here – being sold to redevelopers, except the article dealt with the present company screwing over current and past businesses who had spaces here and now it’s only Kohl’s and a few places. Even the 20 year old pizza place (shares alley with Fine Arts) left. They aren’t telling the businesses anything, there are no comments from the higher-ups and they aren’t renewing or offering any more leases, short or long.
I note that Kevin51 above said the management company will not lease this out because the whole plaza is being sold to redevelopers? I was wondering what was going on, because most of this plaza has been sitting empty for years — not just the theater. In fact, the only stores that remain, unless I’m forgetting one, are I think possibly a hair salon, Jo-Ann Fabric, AutoZone and John’s Best Pizza. The “plaza” actually consists of three separate buildings; the theater is part of the end building in which the only active business is John’s Best. (A corner store in that building appears to be rented as some kind of office or warehouse space.) It’s part of the continually mystifying process whereby existing viable retail space sits empty, while new comparable space is constructed nearby. Years ago, when I worked for Caldor (not in this location) I was aware that Caldor, or at least Carl Bennett who founded the company, owned this shopping center. It was my understanding that he retained the real estate holdings even after he sold the company back in ‘81, but I don’t know for sure if that’s the case or if he still does. Another odd thing is that between the bank and Burger King on Federal Road, there’s a “driveway” that appears to be an unfinished road ending in the high weeds; it looks like if that road were ever completed, it would lead right to this theater. Does anybody know if there was a problem at some point with building a new access road, or if that’s part of the reason this plaza has been in limbo for so long?
Loews closed this theatre shortly after the opening of their Danbury 10 just down the road. The Fine Arts was originally part of the Nutmeg/CinemaNational/USA Cinemas group, which also included in CT: Greenwich Twin (now Clearview Greenwich Twin-closing in December), Norwalk 1 & 2 (now Garden Cinema 4), Norwalk Theatre (last used as a nightclub), Wilton Cinema (now part of TJ Maxx), Fine Arts 1 & 2 Westport (now Restoration Hardware), Fine Arts 3 Westport (behind 1 & 2-now a restaurant), Fine Arts 4 Westport (now retail), the Post Cinema Westport (furniture store), Community 1 & 2 Fairfield (open as non-profit Community Theatre Foundation), and the County Cinema in Fairfield (now a cabinet maker’s shop). Loews also had the Moviehouse 1 & 2 in Middletown, and the Colony 5 in Wallingford.
i wonder when they’ll tear it down. it’s still in great shape in there. i mean come on, they have a lighting system still in there. my friend lives there now.
the theater has been closed for about ten years now. Dennis is the property manager for the plaza. They will not lease out this building because the entire plaza is being sold to redevelopers .the management company phone no. is 203 846 9095 .
i went by the address of the largest retailer in the mall presently. so whatever the address you have is, was probably the former.
Isn’t the address for this actually 106 Federal Road?
The Fine Arts is still listed in the 1990 City of Danbury Directory with an address and phone number as well as in the 1991-1992, 1992-1993 and 1993-1994 Directory.
well, how we visited was illegal. we pried open a semi-ajar door and then used bolt cutters to break the thin chain and when opening the door, two 2 x 4’s fell out. upon leaving, we took our own padlock and locked the chains together and closed the door. the other door had more barricades than that. we each took a reel of film, but what i have is old and was really heavy to bring in my backpack on my bike. it’s fwded to the end. there probably won’t be any new owners.
if you go visit this place roger, please email me so we can show you around as we now have the key. we’re thinking about bringing folks from the lost film festival (a diy outlet) and bringing others there to show it in an abandoned theater but we’ll videotape it. here’s my email:
Wow! I definitely need to go visit this place sometime!