Bing Arts Center
716 Sumner Avenue,
Springfield,
MA
01108
716 Sumner Avenue,
Springfield,
MA
01108
2 people
favorited this theater
Another closed theater from the troubled Western Massachusetts Theatres chain, the Bing Theatre is located away from downtown Springfield near what locals call the X.
After decades of delighting local audiences, megaplexes, parking problems and more finally doomed the old Bing.
A preservation effort was started in 2001 to reopen the Bing Theatre as a cultural and community center, as the Bing Arts Center. It seems to have re-opened in 2009. Renovations are continuing, but much has been completed.
Contributed by
Ross Melnick
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Recent comments (view all 19 comments)
The Springfield Republican featured the Bing in an article today. The Bing opened on Christmas Day, 1950. Work is progressing by volunteers. Neighbors are hoping that its revival will do the same for the neighborhood. I can recall a time when attending a movie at the Bing was a real treat because it was Springfield’s newest theater in 18 years. It held that status until 1965 when the Showcase Cinemas were constructed.
The Bing Theater was in fact purchased by chosen developers to create a community arts center in 2002 from the City of Springfield. Contrary to popular belief, the theater is in fact much larger than one may expect just from driving by. If anyone has any interest in the new developments at hand in this project, which is still moving forward, please feel free to visit www.bingartscenter.org, the website is in current development. We appreciate any and all feedback, and welcome interested parties and volunteers to contact us.
Hi Merrilee,
http://www.bingartscenter.org/ is the actual website (the link above doesn’t work). At http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=5197 you can see pre-renovation photos I took in 2003. Has any work been done yet? I’d love to photograph any renovations that are taking place along with the finished product. Contact me by clicking my name to get to my profile and let me know if anything worth photographing has been done.
According to their website, a fair amount of renovation has already been completed. The exterior has been completely repainted, building secured and roof replaced on the front portion. Restrooms gutted, prep work completed for insulation, new HVAC unit installed, with ductwork underway. No date on their description, but it’s good to see this much is already done. They indicated a “june” opening date but didn’t say which year.
Here is a 1979 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/cgj57s
Looks like it has reopened – they currently have an art exhibit which opened June 12.
If they can run a string of $25 per head events successfully, like the one listed on their web site, my ballpark thinking says they should do OK.
The Bing, in my opinion, is an EXCELLENT renovated theater — personally, it is one of my favorite theaters anywhere.
When I first saw the marquee and then decided to enter it for the first time — personally, I got a feeling like I was entering a very special place. The faces, although not familiar to me, were all smiling and nice — and the film presented was thought-provoking.
The Bing’s current owner deserves commendation on commendation, in my opinion. This would not have happened without a genuine love for Springfield, for theaters, and a sincere sense of community (team) spirit.
The Bing, I believe, is catalyzing the new coffeeshop culture/hip restaurant scene near The X, which is totally homegrown, (e.g. Three Cafe.) Suddenly, it’s an arts neighborhood!
The Bing, in my opinion, is yet another example of Springfield’s recent resurgence.
This opened on August 1st, 1951. Grand opening ad in the photo section of this theatre.
I’ve seen elsewhere that it opened on Christmas Day 1950.