Westmont Theatre
49 Haddon Avenue,
Westmont,
NJ
08108
49 Haddon Avenue,
Westmont,
NJ
08108
17 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 75 of 89 comments
Some info in the Courier Post today regarding a parking lot to accomodate business in Westmont, and mention of the Westmont Theater.
View link
There is an election coming this May for Haddon Township. The opportunity to replace these “tools” is now! Offer to help a candidate slate who is opposing the current administration. There will be alot of different slates, all efforts should be coordinated behind one slate in order to maximize resources and votes. If there is to be change in Haddon Twp, then complete removal of the current administration is necessary. Backing any of the slates involving a incumbant will not help move this great town forward. I live in Haddon Twp and I stare at the Westmont theater on a daily basis. Instead of the eyesore that currently exists, there is the potential for something great to once again flourish within this building. The township should be looking to seize this opportunity instead of fighting and “taxing” the residents of this town with their own petty indifferences.
That’s really interesting Colleen. What’s your email?
Hi, I’m new to CT, but I have some interesting news to share. I met Haddon Twp. mayor Bill Park at a street fair last month and talked to him about the Westmont Theater and the two vacant buildings next door to it.
I am a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity in Camden, and we are discussing opening a “ReStore” in the Camden County area (see Habitat’s website for more info on this). I thought the Westmont Theater would be a great location for such a venture. Habitat could rehab the building and could keep the structure as much intact as possible. Of course, the seats would need to be removed, but at least this beautiful structure would not be torn down or turned into a drugstore.
Bill told me that Joanna Pang owned the theater, which of course, is not true. The township owns it and is responsible for its maintenance. He said that the Erdman roofing building and brown shingle house are slated for demolition, but he couldn’t say when.
Today at a meeting at HFH in Camden, I met the man who put the Joanna Pang deal together. He is a former board member of HFH.
He was at first offended when I mentioned the pipe dream that Joanna has sold the township on, then he admitted that she had a good idea at first but has “disappeared” and that the deal is basically dead. He didn’t seem to care, as he probably got his paycheck a long time ago.
I have e-mailed Bill Park several times over the past month, but have not heard anything back. He is getting slammed in editorials in the newspapers for failing to act on the Westmont.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to start a grass-roots campaign to get the township to do something with this property? Perhaps if there was enough negative publicity, the politicians would do something.
Great post Lumpie, from what I’m told Budweiser and doobies may have been the way to go when seeing the Exorcist for the first time. The Collingswood Theatre does have it’s own page , You may want to check it out BUT I will tell You, there is NO plans to restore the Collingswood back into a thaetre. Unfortunatly, the current administration was a little late getting in power…Do You remember the Eric that was over at the ACME Plaza?
JBon, what is the old Collingswood theatre used for? I moved out of the area in 1984 and I don’t get back there very often. I remember going to the Westmont jacked up on Budweisers and doobies with my frat brothers to see The Exorcist and I would love to see something happen with that magnificent theatre but it would appear from 600 miles away that Haddon Twp is not being properly managed. I guess true movie afficianados would have a better chance of someday seeing the Collingswood Theatre resurrected due in part to the overall superiority of the administration that currently governs that town.
Great stuff on the “young lads from Camden” during the showing of the Linda Blair film. Big surprise there!
Lumpy
Does anyone have any contact info for Joanna Pang?
Pro-preservation editorial from today’s Courier-Post:
View link
Hey Travis – interesting story. I’m shocked and angered that they ignored those calls. If I could, I’d like to contact your friend and talk to him or her about the letters. Thanks Travis.
TOOLS they are…
I drive by the westmont all the time wishing that I was rich enough to by it and make it a Performing Arts facility/Movie Theater. I have always dreamed of having a theater rich in history that had ALOT of character as well, and that venue would be perfect. The continuous troubles of the local government has proven that they are complete tools!!!!
A few years back a friend of mine wrote a few letters to Dreamworks Studios, addressed to Steven Speilberg regarding the fate of the old Westmont. He stated that he would like to gain control of the theater and restore it making it a Community Theater venue/ school. Knowing Speilberg’s history with the theater he was hoping Speilberg woulkd show some interest in saving it. The Westmont Mayor’s office received a few calls from Dreamworks but they never followed them up… They ignored calls from Steven Speilberg!!!! TOOLS!!!!
Travis
How much do you think it would sell for now?
The Township own’s it. They got it just before the realestate boon for like $250,000. It’s to long to get into here on this sight BUT based on what’s going on with this gov’t I would'nt be suprised to see this thing turn into a big name drug store…I’ll E you the guy’s name doing the doc. Pic’s were sent…
So who owns the theater now? The township? Also, two more things – I would love to see those pictures of yours from inside the theater. And secondly, can you give me the contact info for the director of the Westmont Theater doc? My email is Thanks JBon.
For now the town has put up a fence under the marquee to protect by-stander’s and passer-by’s from gettting hit with falling paint chip’s. Local gov’t is currently in a “text-book” state of disaray. On another note, an independant, local film producer is currently working on a small documentary about the theatre that’s due to be completed somtime around Sept. In it, he goes over the history of the theatre and does some candid interview’s with people such as Alan-don’t ask me about the Orowitz’s-Haas and some other’s who either worked at the theatre or like myself just have some memorie’s of going to the movie’s there. And no, I did NOT tell of my experience of seeing that classic epic The “Rise and Fall of Edie Amin” or “The Heratic” and how those “urban young” men just could not help but voice their opinion’s of how Linda Blair looked in Her night gown…
I did however get to go inside the theatre. It’s been over twenty year’s since I’ve been inside and I gotta tell ya T.G. it felt like I was in there last week. I was able to take a lot of pic’s. The place is built like a bank vault. The balconey has been covered since the late 1940’s with a drop ceiling and this wall run’s down the center put there in a last ditch effort to make it into a “twin”. Other then removing the ceiling, tearing down the wall putting new seat’s back in and giving it a good cleaning I see no reason to knock this thing down. The choice is to pick it up and move it to Collingswood or get new gov’t in place. I do think the angry lesbien (commisioner) could possibly be the one to may-be, just may-be get it going BUT don’t hold your breath…
Does anybody have an update on the plans for the theater?
Here is another photo:
http://tinyurl.com/kpfox
Listed as part of Milgrim Theatres, Inc. in the 1970 FDY & 1976 International Motion Picture Almanac.
Listed as a Budco Theatre in the 1985 International Motion Picture Almanac.
Listed as a Milgrim Theatre in the 1991 International Motion Picture Almanac.
Brent:
You should try and contact the Posell Company (the owners of the Ritz Theatres). The late R.L. Posell bought the Westmont in the mid-80s, after Budco/before AMC.
I grew up just around the corner from the Westmont and have lots of memories. One, in particular, is pretty funny and embarrassing. I’d be glad to share.
Contact me at
Hey Brent!
Email me at about your Westmont Theater film project!
Mark
Haddonfield, NJ
I almost forgot the website;
www.westmonttheatre.com
It looks like the developer has lauched a website. They are looking for pictures and stories from the history of the theatre to incorporate into the new proect. It doesn’t look like they have any pictures yet. I am told they are particularly interested in what the interior looked like so they can recreate it.
Brent, try “Dennis St.John” 856-854-0926 or 609-685-0978 He will steer You in the right direction.