Plaza Theater

There currently are pictures available of the exterior and interior of the abandoned Plaza Theater in East Patchogue, NY on the website lioddities.com under "Plaza Theatre". Sadly, no one has been able to stir up enough interest to restore this movie theater as was done for the old theater in the heart of downtown Patchogue. As a resident, I would love to see this theater restored.

Here's the direct link to those photos. They are very interesting.
http://www.lioddities.com/UE/East_Patchogue_Theater/index.htm

I wish photos of other theaters were as easily gotten. There are so many that I would love to see interior photos of. I saw a few movies in the old Plaza Theater, the last one being Ghostbusters. That was probably a year or two before it closed.
The abandoned theater has been a complete blight in recent years for East Main Street in Patchogue. There have been many plans, but none of them pan out. Everytime people complain about the condition of East Main St, The Plaza comes up again. If I am not mistaken, it was a Twin theater in it's final years.

The address for the old Plaza Theater is 393 East Main Street.

The 1954 Film Daily Year Book lists a 680-seat Granada Theatre in Patchogue on E. Main Street, but with no exact number. Could this have been an earlier name for the Plaza? In 1954, Patchogue also had a 1,308-seat Patchogue Theatre at 59 E. Main Street, and a 817-seat Rialto at 102-6 South Ocean Avenue. Whatever became of those two theatres?

Funny you should ask, as I just made an entry here on the site for another of the Patchogue Theaters:
http://www.cinematreasures.org/theater/7402/

I live near there so will find out some more about the one at "59 E Main St", as I have few books on the history of Patchogue. I do know that the Rialto burned to the ground in either the 60's or 70's (more to come, as I was going to add an entry for that one too). I don't know anything about the Granda theater, but so many of Patchogue's Main St and South Ocean Ave buildings burned, so that may have been the fate of that one too. The Plaza Theater "could" be The "Granda, but the Plaza seems like "60's construction at it's worst", so it couldn't be that old unless it was horribly remodeled from an older theater in the 60's.
Patchogue had many theaters at one point, so it's possible that they are all seperate ones.

Warren, to answer your question about some of the Patchogue theaters, I researched a few of them, and added the Lyceum, Rialto, Granada, and Star Palace theaters to the site. The theater listed as "59" East Main Street is probably the "Ward and Glynne's Patchogue Theater" which is now the "Patchogue Theater for the Performing Arts" listed as 71 East Main Street currently. "71" is the address they use now, but "59" is within the storefronts connected to the theater (I checked this morning), so that may have been the address they used previously, before the renovation. 59 is around where the "Trio Restaurant" is now, but it is a part of the Patchogue theater building's storefronts.
The Granada was not The Plaza, as it actually was on West Main Street near Railroad Ave. Of all the Patchogue theaters only the "Ward & Glynne" one remains (thankfully so, as it was the most palatial) - and of course the 1960's "Plaza" which is in ruins.
Here's the result of my research of some of the Patchogue theaters:
(Ward & Glynne's, now The Patchogue Theater is linked above)
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/7421/
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/7423/
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/7424/
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/7422/

i thought the plaza was a UA theater when it closed

It's scary in E.Patch Theatre. It's dark, damp and moldey. We went into the projection room and my friend picked up an old reel, but couldn't read what was written on the side of the film can. All the seats are coverd with pigeon poo... and it smells bad as well. It's very unsanitary. If you decide to ventur in there, you best be puttin' on some rubber gloves and boots! You're sure to find unearthy things in there!

It's kind of sad to see what was probably a wonerfull old place turn into such ruins. I'd love to see the E.Patch Theater open again... it could be something like The Magestic. These new multi-plex theaters are great, but you never know when something good can come along, the E.Patch Theater could be something good, if people could make up their damn minds already.

Wow, The Plaze Theater in East Patchogue. I remember watching "Grease" three times in a row there when I was 9yrs old. I also remember going there and seeing "Sudden Impact" with an old girlfriend and making out the whole time in the balcony. Of course I could never forget watching "Nightmare on Elm Street" in the early eighties there as well. Currently I live in Florida, but every year my family and I visit Long Island, and we also make sure we ride past "The Plaza Theater". Each time I ride past the old theater I get chills, happy memories of a time in my life that will always be special.

This theater closed around 1983 give or take, the box office # for i pass this theater every day this theater bad for years. I pass this theater every day and the birds love it. never had good parking

when the theater closed it was century or almi century at the time

A CHURCH WAS LOOKING INTO BUYING THIS THEATER BUT NOTHING EVER CAME OF IT

Finally got a chance to go inside and check out "The Plaza Theatre" for myself. Be very careful if you venture inside, this place is very moldy, dark and smelly. My brother and I went inside last week, I will see about getting some photos posted on this site. We did get the opportunity to find some real cool things inside the old thertre. First, there are a couple of reels of film, the writing is very hard to make out, but the films are not movies, but labeled "demo previews" possably some type of advertisments or movie trailers. This was very cool, I came across an old hot wheels car labled on the bottom as "mighty maverick" in a shiney hot pink color, really nice shape too. Also, ther are some old movie posters there in the back office, really cool for a movie collector. There was a poster for "sixteen candles,"Amadaus" and a few others scattered about. Too bad that this place is a complete disaster, time really took its toll here. Anyhow, be careful if you venture in there, it was actually hard to breath properly, even wearing a mask, so if you have asthma or alergies, entering here would be a real bad idea.

It would be great to see the photos you took. You can't post them on this site, but maybe you can put them in an www.imagestation.com album or something.

would love to see them // HOW DID YOU GET IN TO SEE THE THEATER????

There are only two ways to get in, a)the legal way, the real estate opens the building for inspection or b)the illegal way, you sneak (break in) in. I'll let you guess which one. The posters indicate the theatre closed in 1983-84.

LOL, IS THERE A REAL ESTATE AGENT THAT IS WORKING WITH THAT PROPERTY.

Considering Joey's remembrances of having seen 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' there and his expedition find of an 'Amadeus' one-sheet, the Plaza probably closed sometime around the summer/fall of 1984...

Just out of curiousity, are there any obvious reasons (i.e., neighborhood economics, absentee landlord, etc.) why the Plaza has been sitting empty for 20 years? Based on the comments of those who've seen the interior in recent years, its fate seems far more likely to involve eventual demolition as opposed to any sort of renovation.

The problem is that with all the multiplexes around, there is no need for a small theater like this. The building is an ugly building, 60's architecture at it's worse, and not easily converted to some other use. The chance of a theater moving in are next to zero, because of all the modern multiplexes around, and converting it to some other use would be hard.
Main Street in Patchogue has improved so much over the last decade and a half, so neighborhood economics is not so much of a problem, it's the building itself.
I agree with your assesment. Total demolition is the only merciful fate for the building.

By the way, just to add, I saw Ghostbusters at the Plaza in 1984 (the last movie I saw there), so the theater had to close some time after that movie was released in 1984.

The box office #s for this theater were a horror show

Thank you for all the responses. I am glad to see other people have an interest in "The Plaza Theatre" as well. I will post the pictures I took. Most of the pictures are poor quality, but I do have a couple of nice ones, really interesting. One picture is creepy, you can see what appears to be some type of rodent very close to my feet, of course at the time I had no idea it was there. I also did some research, "Sixteen Candles" and "Amadeus" did come out in 1984 in the theatres. Also, I looked up the Hot Wheels car I found. The "Mighty Maverick" in metallic pink with redline tires was produced by Mattel and sold in stores between 1970-1971. Actually, it seems that the "mighty Maverick" especially in pink and in mint condition is worth up to 300.00 plus dollars by collectors. If anyone knows any more infomation on this toy car let me know, it has sparked an interest. I hope to have my pictures online soon, I will let everyone know here when I do so. Also, if anyone has any more information on "The Plaza Theatre" please let me know. Thank you, Joey

great/ pass it every day in a sad shape

orlando what was the farter son team that managed this theater for so long ?they closed the theater

??

some picture shoot today out side the theate building.

There's a lot of filmintg the last week in the area. They were filliming in front of and in a mansion on South COuntry Rd in Bellport Village the last couple of days too.

Hello;
I would like to say that I saw the pictures on the website above. Somebody should purchase this theater, or speak to East Patchogue Village Leaders to restore for, maybe, a playhouse. Then again, I'm a Theater Major as a returning student at Stony Brook, so I may always think this way. However, I recall seeing Grease there and having the majestic, perhaps Googie styling, with the curtains lit with flood lights surround the seats in all their glory. A film about the 1950s in a 1950s theater. I think the last movie I saw there I ran out on, I got frightened at Ghostbusters. That was after they made it a multiplex. Why shouldn't they fix it for that? We have a professional playhouse in Pathchogue, why not an amateur one?

I LIVE IN EAST PATCHOGUE AND I SEE THIS THEATER EVERY DAY. THIS IS ONE THAT SOMEDAY WILL JUST BE TAKEN DOWN . No hope for this one.

I read all the posts here and saw the pictures on that website showing all of garbage inside. The fact is, this theatre has the most depressing story of all, one that shows how irresponsible and simply foolish the bureaucrats and property owners were in letting it go to pot the way it did. Now some hoodlom can get bored, toss a rock at it and the whole structure can just collapse or even explode then burn to the ground. They had better do something about this "Crap-chogue" landmark as soon as heavenly possible.

An "Amadeus" poster is still up? Man, that would be really frightening in a place like that.

This theater was a dog when it was open.

Dog throughout it's life? I recall the beautiful blue curtains, and lights that adorned the theater when it was a single screen. That was no single screen woofer.

When i say dog i mean box office #s

I did not know Dog was a term for box office, sorry Longislandmovies.

I used to work at the Rialto, and I filled in for a sick cashier at the Plaza one night. At that time it was a UA theater, just as the Rialto was. I remember that the interior, I think the walls, were like a blue or beige plaster with glitter mixed in. All I know is it was sparkley. It was an odd layout too, with that huge, long lobby. I believe it is true that it didn't do as well as the Patchogue Theater or the Rialto. Remember back in the day, Patchogue was the only town around for shopping, food, and entertainment. I grew up in Sayville, but Patchogue was exotic by comparison! I hate to see the damage that malls and multi-plexes have done to the community.

There was nothing better than shopping at Sweezys, having lunch at Swankee's, and then seeing a movie at the Rialto.

I was never to the Rialto, but amen to that! By the way, Patchogue, I think is back, there seem to be more stores there.

By the way, I also loved the blue, sparkly walls of the Plaza. I went there with my father to see GREASE, and I loved that elegant form of googie that was the auditorium.

Phew...I'm glad someone else remembered the sparkly walls. You know how time has a way of playing tricks on you. I saw Funny Girl at The Plaza. I know. That REALLY dates me!

I think they need to fill sweezys. It's too bad they moved and then went under, because Ocean Avenue was the perfect location for them.

Unfortunately, Swezey's would have went under even had they not moved. The move was a last ditched effort to try and save an ailing business. The were struggling for years before alread. They had hoped the move would save them, but unfortunately it didn't. They were struggling for years, and the addition of Kohl's to the area was the final nail. That was a chain that had similar merchandise to Swezey's. It's unfortunate, but the writing on the wall for the end of the era started long before they moved to the Lace Mills site.

I went to school with the Sweezy's, Karen Sweezy, anyway. Very nice girl. I guess I'm one of the few who actually misses the Lace Mill? I know it was a disaster area, but it was part of Patchogue's charm. To be honest, my family was pretty poor and we shopped a lot more at John's Bargain Store than Sweezy's... ;-)

sweezys still own the property and lease the building.

Yes. Longislandmovies is correct.
Actually, I also miss the Lace Mill. Unfortunately it's water under the bridge, but before they allowed it to rot and deteriorate to what it became, it would have been so nice if they had used it for something like condos or loft apartments. So many apartment complexes were built in the 70's and 80's. If they had forgone some of them, and used the lace mill instead, they would have saved a historic building, and saved some of the land where the other complexes were built.

From what I remember, the original plan was to build apartments there, and they were going to keep the look of the mill. I remember seeing the plans, and thinking that it was really cool. But when studies were done, toxins were found in the soil that ruled out apartments.

Here's some history on the plant that I found on newsday.com:
So Patchogue it is, but no longer do villagers set their clocks by the noon whistle from the giant Patchogue-Plymouth Lace Mill, which closed in 1954. Most of the mills succumbed in the 1940s and '50s, outpaced by foreign competition and by the industry movement to the South and overseas for cheaper labor.

The lace works, now a burned-out hulk, was once known as ``the Patchogue College because so many Patchogue kids went there when they finished high school,'' says Marjorie Roe, president of the Greater Patchogue Historical Society. Workers also came by stagecoach from Sayville and other South Shore communities. The mill employed as many as 1,200 during World War II, when it manufactured camouflage netting and other war products.

Paradoxically, it may have been curtains for the lace mill because its products were too good for this modern, disposable world. ``They lasted forever and never had to be replaced - I still use a lace tablecloth my mother bought in the '30s,'' says Roe, a sixth-generation descendant of Capt. Austin Roe, a chief spy for Gen. George Washington during the Revolutionary War.

It was a UA when it played this classic double bill
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/EroticonX.jpg

Why doesn't someone restore it? It had a nice look inside before all the pigeon poop.

I drove by the other day, and there is now grafitti all over the bricks above the marquee. It seems that it gets worse every day.
Gust, I never found the building all that attractive, I find it to be
60's construction at it's blandest, but granted, it looked much better when it was open.

I recall the inside as being spectacular for a theater that was only open for movies, and did not put on stage productions.

It was a very stage theater like, wasn't it? Jazzy. Definitely a period piece. Too bad some retro thinking entrepreneur doesn't go in and restore it...Easy for me to put someone else's money to use recreating my memories!

the inside of this theater was average to good very plain but nice..

Gustave, are you sure you are thinking of the Plaza? I think you may be thinking of the old Ward and Glynne's Patchogue theater (now the Patchogue Theater for the Performing Arts), which was in fact spectacular, and glorious inside. The Patchogue Theater has been meticulously restored.
AFAIK, I believe the Plaza was quite plain inside, and very average, again, typical "60's" construction.
I think you are confusing the Plaza Theater with the Patchogue Theater further down on Main St:

http://www.cinematreasures.org/theater/7402/

I don't think the interior of the Plaza was typical at all. It certainly wasn't an antique like the Patchogue Theater or the Rialto, but again, it had those sparkley walls and little nuances that made it "fancy." Does anyone know exactly when the Plaza was built?

this theater was A typical in every way .. the only different features , sunken lobby , the auditoriums had a few rows of stadium style seating in the rear.

I was definitely thinking of the Plaza. The Ward and Glynne's, or, as it is known today, the Patchogue Theater for the Performing Arts was darker in its color scheme. The plaza was blue, with lighting of the type never thought of in the 1920s. There were many gels over what can be considered floodlights behind those blue curtains.

I remember seeing a really tall skinny man dressed in red jacket and black pants who was an usher working at the patchogue theater taking tickets when you walked in. it was on main street across from Grants. it seemed like he was there forever, anybody remember him?

I DO remember him....I have to ask my sister if she does....she may have known his name because she asst-managed the Rialto and had to deal with the other theaters. But I can picture him. When were you a movie goer there?

I asked my sister and this was her response:
I remember the guy....Have no idea which theatre. It wasn't the Rialto, I don't think it was. Had to be Patchogue theatre. I don't know. Carl and Ethel were at the Rialto...an old German couple...Carl was short and round. Ethel was ugly as a mud fence and mean.

I am PRETTY sure it was Patchogue...but it could have been the Plaza. He always looked the same, right? Dark hair sort of slicked back, a kind of big nose??

Yes, it was with out a doubt across from patchogue stationary and a couple stores down from chucky's grill. you could even cut through next to that big church with the big iron gate alley way. thats him tall, skinny, with dark hair combed back, big nose and a pencil thin mustache. I dont know why the name robert sticks in my mind. I know they had done a small ad in the local paper about him having never missed a day of work at the theater I think his sister or something gave the interview, so maybe he had passed away... not sure. take care.

Isn't it - hasn't it long been the time - to tear down the Plaza Theater? It was once worth saving, but in its current, ruinous (and long-deteriorating) state, it's become a ruin with little of note that could be (and/or, logically, should be) salvaged. If the audience is there to support it, the wisest plan would be to build a new multiplex on the land.

Yes! The pencil thin mustache. I also miss Patchogue Stationary. Office Max, Staples, et al, just don't compare. I know that Patchogue is struggling to come back; I hope it succeeds.

You are all talking about the Patchogue Theater, but not about the Plaza. The Plaza may be worth it. Many people still, myself included, still think the Loew's Kings in Brooklyn, http://cinematreasures.org/theater/1360 ,is worth saving, and that has been closed since 1979. You may also want to do a keyword search on this site for the Loew's Jersey, which was restored. Maybe the Patchogue Plaza can be saved as a movie house for fifties revival film festivals, or a performing arts center. I would like to see the blue curtains and lights shine again. They want to move me into Staten Island, but I would certainly come to see that.

Was the Patchogue Theater located across the street from the Patchogue Stationary store and next to the Post Office?

For some reason I seem to remember a theater near the Lace Mill. Which theater was which?

The old Patchogue theater across from the old Patchogue Stationary is now The Patchogue Theater for the Performing Arts, near the lace mill. It has been meticulously restored in the mid 90's, and while it no longer shows movies, it is used by Bellport's Gateway Playhouse for Broadway Shows, as well as other activites.

The Plaza theater was on the east side of Patchogue near where the old Finast was near Washington Ave and Phylis Drive.

I remember seeing tales from the crypt in the old rialto theater and then having to walk past the old church, and behind the bank and chinese food place, and it was late and dark, and as a young kid you were scared sh##less because you thought one of those crazy you just seen in the movie was lurking behind some garbage dumpster...... ahhh the good old days... sure miss them.

I think the last movie I saw there when it was a single screen was either CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, or SUPERMAN. I liked the woodwork on the sides and the stained glass exit signs.

I worked in the box office at the Plaza during my junior and senior years of high school. Some of the movies that were showing at the time were Breakfast Club, Weird Science and Silverado, so the Plaza had to have closed after 1985. I don't care what anyone says about the Plaza, it was a great place to work and see shows. When I worked there it was an RKO theater not UA- I believe it was always RKO. I remember the nostalgic 40s and 50s retro decor and the fact that the place was always spotless. I remember the color scheme as red not blue, however. I saw some of the pictures of the inside of the Plaza on lioddities.com and was really saddened to see the terrible fate of such a great place. I can remember Friday & Saturday nights of a movie premiere when the line for tickets would stretch around the building into the parking lot. Me and my best friend would always try to work the same hours; me in the box office and she at the concession stand. Joey- you stated in your 9/19/04 entry that you took some pictures of the interior- are these the same pictures that are on lioddities.com?? If not, where can I view them?? Do you have any pictures of the lobby or box office?? Any info would be welcome, thanks

The theater is getting worse and worse, the fasace is now covered with graffiti.

Click Here: Check out "Plaza Theater in Patchogue to be condemned - Newsday.com"

CT member and former theater manager Wally1975 sent me an image of the Newsday article to post here:

Newsday July 6 2006

Time for this to go .............

Wow, I'm really excited to see so many people interested in Patchogue on this site. I really like reading about Patchogue's history and its current developments.
I'm too young to remember these theaters (except, of course, the new Patchogue Theater), though I feel like I vaguely remember seeing "The Fox & The Hound" at the Plaza. That movie came out in '81, and I was born in '84, so perhaps it was a re-release around 1988 or so. The posts here indicate it closed sometime around 1985. Does anyone remember it being open later than that?

The last movie I saw at the Plaza was Ghostbusters, and that came out in 1984, so it was still open in 1984. It closed soon after that though, but I don't know if it was a year or two years later.

Well, it's officialy....the Plaza Theater has FINALLY been condemned, and will be torn down. An end to a two decade long battle to rid East Main Street of the blight of the Plaza Theater.
Here's an article from the Long Island Advance:

http://www.longislandadvance.net/topstories.php?idTopStory=167

Here's some quotes from the article about the theater:


...
The theater condemnation has spurred other positive movement along the corridor, Eddington explained. For instance, a developer has opted to buy the abandoned True Value Hardware Store, located across the street from the theater and a little further east. Like the Plaza Theatre, the hardware store has also become an eyesore and roost for pigeons.

“The condemnation of the Plaza Theatre is what appears to have spurred this developer into wanting the True Value Property,” said Eddington. Eddington added that the new owner has agreed to pay for an extension of the Patchogue sewer system up to his building and to pay for the caps needed for other businesses en route to hook into sewer lines as well.

...

The corridor project itself, said Eddington, for now will include buying the several parcels of land on which the Plaza Theatre is located in order to convert the back parcels into a large off-street parking lot; realigning the two intersections; and improving the traffic flow on East Main Street from Route 112 to Phyllis Drive and between Swan Lake and County Route 101.

Eddington said he negotiated with Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, who had removed $4 million for the project from the county’s 2007 budget. “The Patchogue East Main Street Project was just one of several projects put on hold when the legislature brought the capital budget in $14 million over. I negotiated for Levy’s help with the Plaza Theatre condemnation and for enough money to be placed into the 2007 budget to get a number of things done on the project,” he said.

...

I don't live in Patchogue, but it's really for the best. Judging from the pictures I"ve seen, there was absolutely no way that this would be revitalized or restored as a working theater. Too much time had passed. What I don't understand is why the owner just left it to rot all these years?

Hi! Just discovered this website and love it. My family used to summer in Patchogue 50s-70s and it was one of the happiest times of my life. I've also posted a message on the Patchogue theatre web site. But I just wanted to share my recollections of the Plaza. I remember vividly when it opened. It was considered high-class at that time and would show "art" films. While that may have been the noble intent it eventually showed mainstream Hollywood films. I remember seeing Hitchcock's MARNIE there as well as AIRPORT. I got married in 73 and moved to Las Vegas in 79, so I haven't seen Patchogue since the mid 70s but I can tell you, that the Plaza was a lovely, modern movie theatre in its time and it was a pleasure to see movies there. I also remember Sweezy and Newins and wasn't there a dept. store called the Bee Hive or something like that located close to the Plaza? My grandmother always shopped at this store and Sweezys. I made some wonderful friends in Patchogue in those years - was usher for Ronnie Bruce in his wedding, served in Basic Training with Tony Graviano in South Carolina, visited Sharon and Ray Terry's
first apt when they got married (it was called a Garden Apt and it was one of the first in Patchogue!), tooled around town in Bob Capo's red MG with the top down (Bob used to drive it right into our backyard!). I remember the Patchogue Community Pool and John's Bargain Store and the Rialto Theatre and the great old Patchogue Theatre on Main Street. We used to attend Mass at every Sunday at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel... it used to be downtown on Main Street and then they build a newer, bigger church on (I think?) Medford Ave. I remember the 5 & 10 on Main Street (I believe it was across the street from the Patchogue Movie Theatre) - does anyone remember the 5&10 and its name? The Rialto was where we saw every Jerry Lewis movie and the scary movies of the period. Anyone out there who would like to share memories and/or updates of Patchogue, I'd love to hear from them here! Thanks!

Violet and Jolly-
The tall dark-haired man you're speaking of worked at the UA Patchogue on Main Steet, before it became the Performing Arts Center. We used to refer to him as "Clark Gable" (it was the hair, I guess), but his name was Charlie. After UA closed that theater, perhaps a year after the Patchogue-13 opened, I remember I had to go back and retrieve some door hardware to use over at the Patchogue 13. I went into the building, and Charlie was there reading the paper! Scared the hell out of me. He had a key to the building, and continued "hanging out" there, though the theater was closed for some time. I do have it from a reliable source that he is no longer with us.

As far as the Plaza, UA did hold the note on this building, though it's closing operator was RKO or Almi-Century. I remember doing inspection reports at this theater when it was open, for UA Real Estate, with the manager of the Bay Shore Drive-In (around 1983, I would guess).

Newsday and Newsday.com are working on an article about the history, and future, of the Plaza Theatre. If you are interested in talking to a reporter, please email: patrick.whittle@newsday.com .

Thanks!
PW

Last I heard, Brookhaven Town was trying to condemn the Plaza, but I haven't heard anything in a while. The place looks awful on the outside.

The year given for this photo is 1983.

WOW!!! That's how I remember it from the 80's. The last movie I saw there was Ghostbusters, and by then it was a 4plex. Some difference from today, the place is almost in shambles in front now.

This is the building for sale in 1986.

Actually, thats what it looks like now, almost 25 years later, except picture 25 years of shambles thrown on it...and pigeons, and absolutely no maintenance.

Was the building ever used for any purpose after the theater closed, or has it been sitting empty since the theater closed? I'd drive over and take a look at the building but I don't like pigeons and I'm too lazy to drive there. :)

No, it was never used for anything else after it closed to movies. When they turned out the lights on the movies and closed the doors, it sat their empty ever since, and at this poing it's in complete shambles.
To see how bad the inside is, see the link in the second comment above, and even those photos were taken some years ago!

This theater was never a 4 plex ..

The theater closed no later than 84 ...I thought in 83 but not sure...

I saw Ghostbusters there, and that movie was out in 1984, so it "had" to still be open in 1984. I don't know if that was spring, summer, or fall of 1984, but in any event, it had to be within it's last year of operation.
I don't remember it so much. I remember it split up into two theaters at least, as it had a different wall on one side. I saw Ghostbusters in the left had (if facing the screen) orchestra theater. My confusion must be that it had a balcony level that I thought was split in two, which it may not have, I don't remember.

Here's the newsday article on the Plaza:

http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/monday/news/ny-lftbroo1212560577apr09,0,4601100.story

I could have sworn I saw "Godzilla 1985" there, which opened in the US on August 23rd, 1985.

This was the building in 2008.

It's a shame it's come to be the eyesore that it is. When it first opened the ads read "Showplace of Long Island".

Just came upon something in an old Port Jefferson Record. The opening date for the Plaza was April 24, 1962. And this for Allie Fox re a 2005 posting the theatre near, as in across Montauk Highway (aka Main Street), from the lace mill was the Grenada which was idle for many years before being demolished.

Went by here the other day on a bicycle trip from Fire Island. The old script blue logo was a cool throwback and it's on the east side of Main street before the center of town and it's not the best looking building on that great street. It's dirty, falling apart and generally not pleasant on the eyes. I have some pics and there's a sign on it by a neighborhood group calling for its demolition.

I drove by this morning and there is a huge banner across the front of the building:

"THE PLAZA HAS GOT TO GO!!!"

The community has been trying to get rid of it for years but the owner keeps it as some sort of tax hedge.

The people of Patchogue have gotten their wish. This theatre is soon slated to be torn down.

What are the chances of getting inside before they do and, possibly, getting some memorabilia?

The place is completely trashed inside. I don't know what if anything remains.
Check out this link, and these photos were probably taken in the very early 2000's, and it surely didn't get better since then....

http://www.lioddities.com/UE/East_Patchogue_Theater/index.htm

UGH. The one thing I hate about too many of the picture links is shots like this. The trashed marquee. The boarded up facade, etc. etc..How did it get so trashed? There are other theatres that closed that have remained fairly pristine.

A lot of people have been shouting about tearing down the Plaza Theatre. The character of Patchogue has been held hostage by an absentee landlord for over two decades. It is high time to seize this theatre through Eminent Domain. But to demolish it? Would you kill the character of a village in order to save it? It is structurally sound. I say seize it, charge the owner to empty it completely and then refurbish it, make a one hundred year old dream of film in Patchogue (there's a history of four other film houses in this village going back to 1895), and making it a reality that reaches far into the future for everyone on Long Island. Here's the idea. (If inerested, please contact me immediately, as we are currently in discussion with developers)


WHAT WOULD GO INSIDE A PLAZA THEATRE MEDIA ART CENTER (MAC)? THAT WOULD NOT COMPETE WITH THE PATCHOGUE THEATER, BUT COMPLIMENT IT.

1) A MEDIA LEARNING CENTER with multiple facilities where all ages could come to learn the latest in media technology
1. films and video production facilities complete with the latest cutting edge software/hardware, for rent, for checking out, for in house use by the hour
2. a music recording studio
3. computer center to learn everything from web design to presentations, to the latest software, social and work netting
4. classes in handheld technologies from cell phone to video, how to use twitter, flikr, create Facebook, Linked in, Myspace
5. creating family albums and home videos
6. presentations, family albums, family videos, you name it.
7. For a model check out www.burnsfilmcenter.org Look at the education programs they offer to ALL AGES.

2) A SCREENING ROOM for screening films directly out of the Huntington Cinema Art Center. They have an 8000 subscribed member audience that shows up regularly for films you can't find in the big multi-plex cinemas. They have expressed interest in extending screenings of their select films on a screen in our MAC in order to expand their audience to the south shore. Whatever they’re screening on the North Shore, now gets screened in our neighborhood. www.cinemaartscentre.org/
We would also screen films and videos on special evenings created by our own members in the Learning Center.

3) AN INTERNET CAFE where people of all ages could come for a warm beverage and some time on the internet , have meetings, discussions, hang out. A great place for our youths, businesses and community members to meet and greet and work.

4) A STAGE for live musicians to test out their music talents on local audiences in an open mic kind of venue. Think ALIVE AFTER FIVE atmosphere. Check out www.arlenesgrocery.net/main.html

5) OFFICE SPACES FOR FILM AND MEDIA COMPANIES



WHAT KINDS OF BUSINESSES WOULD A MAC DRAW TO ITS IMMEDIATE LOCATION?

1) COMPUTER STORES (APPLE or COMP-USA, or others)

2) BOOK STORES (BORDERS or BARNES AND NOBLE or others)

3) FILM AND VIDEO EQUIPMENT STORES, CAMERA STORES , PRODUCTION SUPPLY AND RENTAL STORES (like B & H)

4) RESTAURANTS, BARS, SPECIALTY FOOD STORES

5) VARIOUS STORES WITH MEDIA INTERESTED CLIENTS WHO ARE HANGING OUT WHILE RELATIVES TAKE CLASSES


WHAT KINDS OF PEOPLE WOULD A MAC DRAW TO THE AREA LOOKING INTO OUR BACK YARDS?

1) FAMILIES FROM OVER AN HOUR AWAY LOOKING FOR A FUN WAY TO CATCH UP ON THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY THROUGH FAMILY PROGRAMS, CLASSES AND EVENTS.

2) ALL AGES INTERESTED IN THE LATEST MEDIA TECHNOLOGY, FROM VIDEO PROGRAMMING, HOME MOVIES, WEB DESIGN, TO PROFESSIONAL COMMERCIALS AND INDUSTRIAL FILMS.

3) TRAINING CENTER FOR THOSE SEEKING CAREERS IN MEDIA PRODUCTION, COMPUTER PROGRAMMING, FILM, TELEVISION, RADIO BROADCASTING.

4) SPECIAL FILM AUDIENCES LIKE THE 8000 MEMBERS WHO GO TO THE HUNTINGTON CINEMA ART CENTER.

5) FILMMAKERS LOOKING FOR RENTAL EQUIPMENT AND/OR CREW TO MAKE A FILM OR VIDEO ON LONG ISLAND.

6) MUSICIANS SEEKING PRODUCTION OF THEIR FIRST CD.

7) MUSICIANS, NEW BANDS, LOOKING FOR AN INFORMAL CHANCE TO SHOW THEIR STUFF ON AN OPEN MIC TO A LARGE AUDIENCE (“ALIVE AFER FIVE” STYLE OR LIKE ARLENE’S GROCERY IN SOHO)

The Plaza was opened by Associated Independent Theatres. Early reports of plans for the house in various issues of Boxoffice in the summer of 1961 said that it was to be a large theater, seating 2,200 but, judging from the photos linked in comments above, the project appears to have been downsized considerably.

A September 17, 1962, Boxoffice item refereed to it as "...the luxurious new Plaza Art Theatre, which has been operating only four months since its completion by Associated Independent Theatres."

Boxoffice of December, 1981, reported that the Plaza was being converted to a twin.