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Renovations
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December 22, 2010
Irvine Co. revamps Fashion Island movie theater
NEWPORT BEACH, CA — Along with renovations to the entire mall, the Island 7 at Fashion Island is about to undergo a year-long renovation to modernize the 20-plus year old theater.
The next segment of the revamp will focus on transforming the theater into an upscale venue complete with a lobby designed to reflect the retail center’s Italian-style architecture. Updates include adding stadium seating in all auditoriums and wider aisles. The theater will close Jan. 12 and reopen by the 2011 holiday season, according to the Irvine Co.
Read the full story in OC Metro.
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December 9, 2010
Hotel chain to help spiff up Rexburg theater
REXBURG, ID — The former Westwood Theater will be refurbished as part of a hotel preservation program.
Now, Hampton Hotels says the 420-seat theater will be 1 of 5 projects its employees help restore in 2011.
The city has been pushing a “Bring back the Romance” campaign to spiff up the theater, with help from Brigham Young University-Idaho.
Read more in the KHQ.
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November 19, 2010
Academy’s East Coast theater gets generous donation
NEW YORK, NY — Thanks to real estate developer Charles Cohen, the Academy of Arts and Sciences' east coast theater on East 59th Street is being renovated and reopened.
Over the years, however, the cinema fell into disrepair and since the charity didn’t have excess funds to upgrade the theater, the academy considered not renewing its contract with the Lighthouse. “I jumped in with both feet,” says Mr. Cohen, who often passed by the Lighthouse on his way to work.
He says he was able to utilize his own real-estate experience to help negotiate contracts and work with top designers and film specialists. “After four months of construction, it’s now the best-looking, best-sounding screening venue in the city,” he says.
Read more in the Wall Street Journal.
UPDATE: 11/21
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November 10, 2010
Work to renovate Westbury Theater begins
WESTBURY, NY — A long-delayed renovation project has begun to turn the closed Westbury Theater into a multi-use venue, including movie showings. The theater opened in 1927 and is designed in a Tudor-revival style.
“This is really the culmination of our downtown revitalization process,” said Village of Westbury Mayor Peter Cavallaro, as his voice rose above Post Avenue traffic and the sounds of construction work on the theater roof.
“This project is the keystone of what we have in mind for Post Avenue. We look at it as a magnet for new businesses, new consumers and new residents,” Cavallaro said. He also recognized the assistance of the county in providing essential community development funds before welcoming Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano.
There is more in the Westbury Times.
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Plans made to reopen Royal T III Theatre in Le Mars
LE MARS, IA — Eric Hilsabeck, who owns the Riviera Theatre in Sioux City, has submitted plans to renovate and reopen the Royal T III Theater which closed in 2009. The theater originally opened at least eighty years ago as the Royal, and was later twinned, then triplexed.
According to a letter to the Le Mars City Council from Neal Adler, director of the LBIC, designs to renovate the theater are complete, cost estimates have been gathered, and a purchase agreement is in place.
The total cost to restore the historic downtown building and update the theater will be more than $700,000, Adler stated.
There is more in the Le Mars Sentinel.
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November 9, 2010
Historic Des Plaines Theater gets a new lease on life
DES PLAINES, IL — Work is being done to renovate the Des Plaines Theater in time for its 85 Anniversary December 19th.
Theater owner Dhitu Bhagwakar and local nonprofit Stage One Productions have teamed up to revive the landmark and turn it into more than just a large-screen movie house.
Bhagwakar, who purchased the large single-screen theater in 2003, tried to make it work as a destination for Bollywood films and had some success for a while.
With only occasional showings in the past year, the theater has been dark in recent months. Renovations began in earnest last week as workers started gutting the interior, which will be completely refurbished.
Read more in the Daily Herald.
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October 25, 2010
Former AMC Star Rochester gets $4.2 million makeover
ROCHESTER, MI — EMagine Theaters is in the midst of making major renovations to the former AMC Star Rochester which closed in 2007. Improved seating and wider aisles will reduce the seat count to 1,900 from the original 3,200. The renovated theater will have upgraded food service and VIP seating in some of the screening rooms.
New and bigger screens, more comfortable seats and wider aisles mean seating will drop from 3,200 seats to 1,900 seats in the 10-theater complex at Rochester and Auburn roads, said Emagine Entertainment founder and Chairman Paul Glantz.
To appeal to patrons who might have theater systems in their homes, Emagine Rochester Hills will offer about 20 luxury seating spots in each theater. For an extra $2.50 per ticket, guests will be able to watch flicks from high-backed leather rockers with a table between every two chairs.
The full story is in the Detroit Free Press.
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October 20, 2010
Theater Seats recovered in Connecticut
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October 1, 2010
Lebowsky Center Phase I is finished, Phase II is underway
OWOSSO, MI — Phase I of the rebuilding of the fire gutted Lebowsky Center has been finished with the completion of bricklaying so the exterior walls look the way it was before the February 2007 fire. From the outside, there is still work to be done which includes installation of new doors. Utilities have been restored to the theater as temporary lighting is in place. Phase II is underway to make the interior look like a theater again.
The Owosso Community Players is planning an October event to unveil the “interior of the exterior.” The OCP’s latest show, “Back to Broadway II: Out of the Dark” at their adjacent new Studio Theater, formerly known as the OCP’s West Annex, added a Sunday matinee. Proceeds from the OCP’s shows will help pay for completion of the Lebowsky Center project.
Details from the Argus-Press and the Flint Journal
The OCP’s Facebook Page will continue to chronicle the progress of the Lebowsky Center rebuilding.
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September 24, 2010
Burlington’s Capitol to be renovated; will become performing arts center
BURLINGTON, IA — A block party was held recently held to raise funds for the renovations that will begin soon to transform the 1937 Capitol Theater and an adjacent building into a performing arts center. The event gave people a chance to visit the theater and reminisce before the interior demolition begins. The new center is expected to open in 2012.
nside the Capitol Theater, Burlington natives gazed with wide-eyed nostalgia as they recounted favorite movies from their childhoods. The walls were damaged and corroded, the movie theater seats ripped out long ago, but the magic was still there.
The nonprofit Capitol Theater Foundation recently received a $1 million state I-Jobs grant, but the group still needs to raise another $1 million from the community. The money will be used to rip out the interior of the theater and adjoining annex building, then completely renovate both buildings.
The full story can be found in the California Chronicle.