Gateway Theater

I hope this place is doing well. It takes guts for a local company to open a brand-new urban multiplex these days.

The Gateway is run by the same good local folks who run the Drexel Theatre in Bexley, the Drexel Grandview, and downtown Columbus's Arena Grand theatre (not currently listed here at CinemaTreasures). They also formerly ran the Drexel North.

Until the Gateway opened last year, the High Street strip opposite Ohio State University had been without a movie theatre for over a decade and a half. The last movie theatres on North High, the University Flick and the World (Roxy), closed in the 1980s.

The Gateway cinema is part of a large-scale redevelopment of the area around North High Street and 11th Avenue, now called the 'South Campus Gateway'. As another part of this project, a new Barnes & Noble replaced Long's Bookstore which was formerly located at 15th and High.

I have only been to the Gateway twice (and both times saw films in the same auditorium) so I kind of feel the need to be kind. I appreciate their programming but overall I am not too fond of the design. Compared with the Grand (or any of the other Drexel theatres for that matter) this is my least favorite. First of all, it is tucked into the South Campus Gateway area, behind a Mexican restaurant, and it took me several times driving by to figure out where it was. The lobby itself is fantastic, with a long escalator ride reminiscent of the Loew's Lincoln Square in NY. But the halls leading to the theatres are very, very confusing and are designed like a lab rat's maze. The one (I believe) men's room in the whole place is very small, especially considering there are eight theatres. Once you get past the lobby, it basically looks like an apartment that is still under construction (and from what I can tell, the Gateway is finished with construction). The one auditorium I was in was steep, too steep as to make me nervous going down the stairs. I am surprised because the Drexel Arena Grand is so well designed. I will keep going to Gateway though, and hope to warm up to it. They are the only theatre in Columbus showing films like Looking For Comedy in the Muslim World.

jbels, I very much LIKE the Gateway, as I really dislike the Arena Grand. I don't like the extremely wide rooms and short auditoriums. There are fewer "prime" seats on the center line, and, if one has to sit close, one of the WORST screen views I've ever had. I sat through RETURN OF THE KING in the front row (no option...house full), and came out with severe neck pain from the almost 60 degree angle. I also find the sound there to be very dry and lifeless.

I like the Gateway, and I will go back. Jeff and Kathy Frank are ideal for this location as they understand the Columbus market and have long and successful experiences with the distributors. The fact that they landed the exclusive opening of BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN over the AMC monster-plexes shows they know how to get the films.

Now, Drexel guys, if you see this, PLEASE check that projector in #2. BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN looked like it was having an earthquake. Some of the worst vertical instabillity I've ever seen. This in not acceptable in a new location.

This theatre is located very close to an extremely busy AMC 24-plex that is available to Ohio State Students via free bus, so booking will be very tricky.

A small multiplex that features mostly specialty product and independent films For that reason alone, I like it as many films that play there would never be booked in other area theaters. Not crazy about the design (you have to go upstairs) and the theaters are small. Not as Grand as the Grand, but considering the movies they play, its worth supporting.

The Drexel Gateway Theater was designed by the Toronto firm of Mesbur+Smith Architects; David K. Mesbur, lead architect.

Campus Partners is removing the Drexel Theatre Group from managing this theatre in March, 2008. The theatre lost $187,000 in a recent fiscal year. Campus Partners is planning on hiring a new managing team to administer both the movie theatres and a recently expanded meeting space.

There are 45 other screens within 2.5 miles of this location, and getting exclusive product is getting very difficult.

Sad to see this happen, as they were able to bring in some of the more obscure art films that would not normally play outside of the largest cities.

I'm very sorry to hear this. Who would be the alternative -- Landmark?

Ron, you hit it exactly. On February 8, Campus Partners announced that they are hiring Landmark as their management company.

They are going to push this location as meeting/event space. There is a lack of that in the area with the rebuilding of the Ohio Union taking until 2010.

If it is going to be "meeting/event space" does that mean it will no longer be a movie theatre, or that it will have fewer screens in the future?

I think they are looking at keeping it a theatre, but doing meetings. There already is a multi-purpose room there. They would not have brought in Landmark if they didn't want to keep showing movies there. We'll see what happens come March 1 when the changeover is made.

I would only go there if that is the only theatre playing a particular film.

What will its name be after Landmark takes it over?

I'm sure they'll keep the word GATEWAY, as that is very important to the area. Most likely, LANDMARK GATEWAY. As soon as they make any official comment, I'll post it here.

Name changed to LANDMARK'S GATEWAY on 3/1/08. No immediate change in programming.

So the name is Landmark's Gateway and the architect is David K. Mesbur, correct?

Landmark's, with an apostrophe-s? I don't think they advertise their other theatres this way.

Display ad in the Dispatch, which started running on Saturday, March 1, 2008, does show the apostrophe: "Landmark's Gateway Theater". I am not familiar with the architect, but whoever it was had to design in a very odd space (all rooms are very high and steep).

I believe there are actually only 7 full screens and one "multi-purpose room".

Joe Vogel already posted the architects name back in Nov 20, 2007.

Effective January, 2010, the theatre will be known as the Gateway Film Center, and will be managed by the property owner, Campus Partners for Community Urban Redevelopment. The president of this facillity will be Chris Hamel, who has worked for Cinemark, Columbus Association for the Performing Arts and the local Drexel Theatre Group.

2 of the screens will be programmed by the staff of the Wexner Center for the Arts, a facility on the Ohio State Campus about 1/2 mile north of the Gateway complex. They have a very successful cinema program and this will give them the ability to run features longer than a day or two.