This is awesome information. RA, my offer to help still stands. You know that I was involved in a previous attempt, and I’d be happy to work with whomever to see something good happen in that area. Your comments on building pricing are spot-on, too. I’ve had a few ideas for things that I’d like to start downtown, but for the work that I’d have to do to the buildings to make them inhabitable, it quickly becomes cost-prohibitive.
Patsy: I’ve heard some rumors, but don’t have any real information. Some people are being really hush-hush about it. I always thought that was a good way to kill enthusiasm and alienate people who are actually interested in these sorts of things, but that’s just my opinion. :)
RA = Redevelopment Authority? In any case, that’s awesome that people are doing some work in there. RA, I might be interested and able to help-out, especially with technical considerations for use as a music and/or performing arts venue (sound, lighting and stage tech are things that I do). Drop me a line via email if you are interested. I’m certainly interested in hearing more about what you’re doing. The contact thing on here isn’t working, so use woytek at dryrose dot com.
I believe that the photocopied information that I have includes some pictures of the inside, but I will have to check on that.
Hello all. I’m one of the people who took many of those photos, and did the original research on the list of theatres in New Kensington.
The current “New Dattola” was built on the site of the original Dattola Theatre. I have photocopies of the entertainment program from its grand re-opening. I’ll have to dig them out, as they list the date of the re-opening ceremonies, and have details about the new building.
The existing building is in pretty bad shape, though I noticed that someone has been doing some work on it (perhaps that is you, RA?). The photos and research that I did were for a grant proposal that the NKCT was trying to float several years ago. The original intent of the grant was to get the building and start renovations on it in order to turn it into a performing arts venue. At the time, the building had a relatively new roof, though it was not being maintained and a roof drain had clogged, leading to water infiltration above the lobby. Had it been fixed then, the damage would have been minimal. Last I saw it before the front doors were boarded-up a while ago, large portions of the lobby ceiling had come down into the lobby, and it looked like there was significant water damage.
Sadly, the original intention of the grant was not honored, and the board members at the time decided that they wanted to use the money for a feasibility study of the building, instead of just getting it and starting work. The group working the original grant had a lot of support from the city, the Redevelopment Authority, the Chamber of Commerce, and several local contractors and investors. The re-wording of the grant as a feasibility study killed it, though, and that was the end of that chapter in this building’s history.
While evaluating the building for that grant proposal, I took a large number of photographs of the interior. The existing seats were largely intact and really only dusty. I don’t know their current condition. The HVAC systems were pretty well outdated and destroyed, and would need complete overhaul. The emergency lighting system was in similar unusable condition. One of the contractors working the proposal with us planned to use one of the storefronts and turn it into an accessible restroom facility, as that was the one thing really lacking from the building that it would need. The projection booth was intact, and I seem to remember some of the old projection equipment still being in there.
When the New Dattola was built, it was constructed with a small stage and almost no wing space. The stage seemed to be more aesthetic than functional, and was likely in homage to the original Dattola’s vaudeville roots. While this was a hurdle for us to overcome if we were to make it into a performing arts venue, it was one that we seemed confident in making happen. There was a small grid, if I remember correctly, but no real fly space over the stage.
The original proscenium had been cut-into at several places in order to fit a larger screen at some point. I think that we looked at it and thought that plaster casts would be easy enough to make for repair.
If people are interested, I will see if I can dig-up the original photos that I had. It is likely that at least some of these are the same ones that Denny has been sending, though they may also have some newer ones courtesy of some efforts that occurred after I had left.
The other theatre of note in the area that is still extant is the Ritz. This is the theatre that I would love to restore someday. It is a classic vaudeville house with a great fly box and beautiful facade. It was converted into a department store in the 50’s or 60’s, if I remember correctly. However, a fairly recent visitor related the information that parts of the proscenium are still there under the false ceiling. That building would take an awful lot of work to remake into a functional theatre again, but it would be truly a beautiful project of renewal and restoration that might help to start some of that other “re” word in New Kensington’s victorian downtown: Rejuvenation.
Maybe someday. I always dreamed of using the Dattola as a stage and movie venue, and using it to help raise funds to do the Ritz. Once the Ritz was finished, the Dattola would be a multi-use space focused primarily on film and media presentation, and the Ritz would be focused on stage presentation. Unfortunately, I’m just a guy without any money to invest and dreams that are far bigger than I could ever be.
This is awesome information. RA, my offer to help still stands. You know that I was involved in a previous attempt, and I’d be happy to work with whomever to see something good happen in that area. Your comments on building pricing are spot-on, too. I’ve had a few ideas for things that I’d like to start downtown, but for the work that I’d have to do to the buildings to make them inhabitable, it quickly becomes cost-prohibitive.
Patsy: I’ve heard some rumors, but don’t have any real information. Some people are being really hush-hush about it. I always thought that was a good way to kill enthusiasm and alienate people who are actually interested in these sorts of things, but that’s just my opinion. :)
RA = Redevelopment Authority? In any case, that’s awesome that people are doing some work in there. RA, I might be interested and able to help-out, especially with technical considerations for use as a music and/or performing arts venue (sound, lighting and stage tech are things that I do). Drop me a line via email if you are interested. I’m certainly interested in hearing more about what you’re doing. The contact thing on here isn’t working, so use woytek at dryrose dot com.
I believe that the photocopied information that I have includes some pictures of the inside, but I will have to check on that.
FYI, I have found and re-posted my original photos here:
View link
Hello all. I’m one of the people who took many of those photos, and did the original research on the list of theatres in New Kensington.
The current “New Dattola” was built on the site of the original Dattola Theatre. I have photocopies of the entertainment program from its grand re-opening. I’ll have to dig them out, as they list the date of the re-opening ceremonies, and have details about the new building.
The existing building is in pretty bad shape, though I noticed that someone has been doing some work on it (perhaps that is you, RA?). The photos and research that I did were for a grant proposal that the NKCT was trying to float several years ago. The original intent of the grant was to get the building and start renovations on it in order to turn it into a performing arts venue. At the time, the building had a relatively new roof, though it was not being maintained and a roof drain had clogged, leading to water infiltration above the lobby. Had it been fixed then, the damage would have been minimal. Last I saw it before the front doors were boarded-up a while ago, large portions of the lobby ceiling had come down into the lobby, and it looked like there was significant water damage.
Sadly, the original intention of the grant was not honored, and the board members at the time decided that they wanted to use the money for a feasibility study of the building, instead of just getting it and starting work. The group working the original grant had a lot of support from the city, the Redevelopment Authority, the Chamber of Commerce, and several local contractors and investors. The re-wording of the grant as a feasibility study killed it, though, and that was the end of that chapter in this building’s history.
While evaluating the building for that grant proposal, I took a large number of photographs of the interior. The existing seats were largely intact and really only dusty. I don’t know their current condition. The HVAC systems were pretty well outdated and destroyed, and would need complete overhaul. The emergency lighting system was in similar unusable condition. One of the contractors working the proposal with us planned to use one of the storefronts and turn it into an accessible restroom facility, as that was the one thing really lacking from the building that it would need. The projection booth was intact, and I seem to remember some of the old projection equipment still being in there.
When the New Dattola was built, it was constructed with a small stage and almost no wing space. The stage seemed to be more aesthetic than functional, and was likely in homage to the original Dattola’s vaudeville roots. While this was a hurdle for us to overcome if we were to make it into a performing arts venue, it was one that we seemed confident in making happen. There was a small grid, if I remember correctly, but no real fly space over the stage.
The original proscenium had been cut-into at several places in order to fit a larger screen at some point. I think that we looked at it and thought that plaster casts would be easy enough to make for repair.
If people are interested, I will see if I can dig-up the original photos that I had. It is likely that at least some of these are the same ones that Denny has been sending, though they may also have some newer ones courtesy of some efforts that occurred after I had left.
The other theatre of note in the area that is still extant is the Ritz. This is the theatre that I would love to restore someday. It is a classic vaudeville house with a great fly box and beautiful facade. It was converted into a department store in the 50’s or 60’s, if I remember correctly. However, a fairly recent visitor related the information that parts of the proscenium are still there under the false ceiling. That building would take an awful lot of work to remake into a functional theatre again, but it would be truly a beautiful project of renewal and restoration that might help to start some of that other “re” word in New Kensington’s victorian downtown: Rejuvenation.
Maybe someday. I always dreamed of using the Dattola as a stage and movie venue, and using it to help raise funds to do the Ritz. Once the Ritz was finished, the Dattola would be a multi-use space focused primarily on film and media presentation, and the Ritz would be focused on stage presentation. Unfortunately, I’m just a guy without any money to invest and dreams that are far bigger than I could ever be.