Roxy Theatre

Chris1982 on August 3, 2015 at 8:00 am

From the Gazette: Clendenin’s historic Roxy Theater — once a hub of downtown life — has been shuttered for the past 15 years or so. But a community organization is trying to breathe new life into the old downtown theater.

“When it was donated to us, the roof was falling in,” said Dave Knight of the community revitalization group 25045 — A New Clendenin. “It was in horrible shape.”

Built around 1930, the old Roxy was once a proud small-town movie theater, like thousands of other community theaters around the country. Vacant for years, the building was not much more than a facade when A New Clendenin took possession about five years ago.

Set up in 2005 to help breathe new life into downtown Clendenin, the nonprofit 25045 — A New Clendenin was instrumental in getting federal funding to renovate the old Clendenin High School building, which now houses a health clinic, day care facility and 18-unit apartment complex. Knight said the group took on saving the old Roxy as one of its projects.

A New Clendenin recently got a $75,000 grant to begin restoration of the old theater’s interior, which has been gutted to bare concrete floors and cinder block walls. Wright said A New Clendenin has already spent about $200,000 on the exterior, completely replacing the roof and a crumbling back wall.

“Once we get the lobby and the bathrooms done, we can start hosting little events,” Wright said. The group plans on holding fundraising events until restoration can be finished.

Eventually, A New Clendenin hopes to reopen the theater for movies, plays, musical performances and other community events, he said.

All of that, however, is still down the road. Wright said A New Clendenin will need to raise considerably more money to put in a stage, projection equipment and seating.

“We’ll have to apply for another grant to fix up the auditorium,” Wright said.

“One more $150,000 grant should finish it,” he said.

WolfDreamer on February 20, 2010 at 9:49 pm

Heard rumors from an architect in Charleston that his firm will be restoring the Roxy soon. Never been there, but it sounds promising.