Movies

jwheckert on September 22, 2010 at 8:15 am

a film clip of the theater here http://www.vimeo.com/15182257

<iframe src=“http://player.vimeo.com/video/15182257” width=“400” height=“300” frameborder=“0”></iframe><p>“The Movies” theater Hellerttown PA from Winfield Heckert on Vimeo.</p>

TLSLOEWS on March 5, 2011 at 2:53 pm

Now that is streamline for sure,thanks for the photo.

LouRugani on August 29, 2012 at 5:15 pm

(The Morning Call, December 14, 2003) Historic Hellertown movie theater gets new owner at auction – CFO for prior owner vows not to tear down art deco-style building.

By Matt Assad Of The Morning Call

The Movies building in Hellertown sold for $117,000 at auction Saturday, but the sale didn’t move the Main Street landmark any closer to renovation.

Then again, it didn’t move it any closer to demolition either, because it was bought by Ramzi Haddad, the chief financial officer for the building’s owner, Abe Atiyeh.

Atiyeh, a Bethlehem developer and owner of several senior housing complexes, bought the 1940 theater last year for $160,000, and Haddad said he was simply protecting the investment.

“You can’t even buy a house for a $117,000.” Haddad said. “I have to think about what I want to do with it, but I know I’m not going to tear it down.”

That’s what Rosana Rao wanted to hear most. Rao is a Hellertown gallery owner who has been looking for civic-minded investors to revive the 500-seat, 8,000-square-foot theater.

“Well, at least this gives us more time to put together a group that can save it,” said Rao, who has organized a group to try to save it. “This is better than letting it fall into the hands of someone who wants to tear it down.”

People from around the region once flocked to what was then known as the Sauconia after it was built by John Kofler in 1940. The art deco-style theater remained open until Kofler’s daughter, Elle, died early last year.

But in recent years the theater, which seats almost 600, had trouble drawing crowds, with its leaky roof staining the ceiling and walls, and its inefficient heating system keeping the place at a temperature more suitable for hanging meat.

Atiyeh bought it last December, with plans to turn it into a community center where bingo and school plays could be held. He replaced the roof and made a few repairs, but he abandoned the planned renovation and decided to sell it at auction.

The noon auction drew more than 50 people, but only a few serious bidders.

Auctioneer Joe Setton starting the bids at $300,000, but it was clear the dilapidated building wouldn’t fetch that when the first bid didn’t come until Setton dropped the number to $50,000. For five minutes, Angel Bas of Hellertown and Ed Hill, a Hellertown paving and excavating company owner, outbid each other, driving the price up to $110,000.

That’s when Haddad jumped in with rapid-fire bids, each time upping Hill’s price, and sending a clear message that Hill was not getting the building unless he went much higher.

Hill wouldn’t do that.

He said if his bid had won, he would have explored all options, including demolition.

Bas said he planned to turn it into an upscale restaurant and dinner theater that could have opened as quickly as 30 days after closing the sale. Bas said he hopes in the coming months to find other partners and approach Atiyeh and Haddad with a new plan to buy it from them.

“I know we can save it,” Bas said. “We just need a chance.”

HowardBHaas on August 6, 2015 at 4:51 am

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/sauconvalley/mc-hellertown-theater-dental-office-20150415-story.html

rivest266 on April 29, 2017 at 9:30 am

Opening night:

Found on Newspapers.com