There are two empty displays on either side of the entrance to Mamaroneck Playhouse. For years, the displays showed posters of films soon to be screened at the theater, but today there are no posters ”“ just white nothingness.
There won”™t be any movies here again. Ever.
Bow Tie Cinemas L.L.C., which owns the theater, has told the village of Mamaroneck it wants to convert the theater into a condominium building with about 30 residential units.
It is Monday afternoon following Easter, the day after the 89-year-old theater showed its last films. Several passersby stop and stare ”“ paying their respects to the theater lying in state. They look through the locked front doors ”“ inside workers are cleaning. They look up at the marquee ”“ no showtimes, just a message to visit a nearby theater in Larchmont.
Todd Val Consolazio, who grew up in Rye and lives in New York City, called it a sin that the playhouse has closed. He saw his first movie there ”“ a rerelease of Disney”™s “Song of the South.” He went on his first date there, to see “Total Recall” starring Arnold Schwarzeneggar.
“That”™s the way real estate has been going,” he said. “Everything is going to residential, all the character is gone.”
The village”™s building code allows for construction of residential units at the site, in the heart of the village”™s downtown on Mamaroneck Avenue. Mamaroneck Mayor Norman Rosenblum said the closing came as a surprise after village officials met with Bow Tie executives several months ago. They discussed the possibility of turning the four-screen theater into a boutique theater with food service or an arthouse cinema.
On April 9, though, Bow Tie met with Mamaroneck officials again, this time saying the theater was not economically viable and couldn”™t compete with nearby multiplexes in Port Chester and White Plains. The company originally planned to close April 17, but pushed back the last day until the end of the holiday weekend.
Although the plan to close and convert the theater seemed to come swiftly, a posting dated 2013 on the website of New York City-based O”™Brian Muehleisen Architecture Studio outlines some logistics of the proposal as presented to village government.
The construction would work within the existing footprint of the building, keeping mostly intact the marquee and fa̤ade of the theater. The project wouldnӪt increase the height of the building, according to the site, instead adding an extra floor in the rear through the basement and excavation.
The mayor said he had reached out to Bow Tie again to discuss alternatives to the condo plan, which he said was not the preferred use of many residents in the village.
“It”™s sad, but I think you got be realistic too,” he said. “The reality is they are the landowners and have certain rights.” Bow Tie was expected to file demolition permits in June and then begin its application process through the Mamaroneck Planning Board.
The Mamaroneck Playhouse opened in 1925 as a single-screen playhouse with a balcony. The first film known to be shown in the theater was the silent film “Wild, Wild Suzanne.” On its last weekend, the movies played were “Muppets Most Wanted,” “Rio 2,” “Divergent” and “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” The 7:15 p.m. Easter Sunday showing of “Captain America” was the last film to wrap up on the playhouse”™s screens.
When the mayor, who is now 71, was growing up, he said, the theater would show double features at the cost of a quarter ”“ complete with cartoons and short subjects before the feature presentations. On its last day, the theater charged $11.25 for an adult ticket.
The theater was renovated in the late 1970s under the ownership of United Artists, which chopped the building into four smaller theaters and added a second story. The building was operated in recent years by Clearview Cinemas, which sold the playhouse and 40 others to Bow Tie last June. In announcing that purchase, Clearview said it was committed to renovating and upgrading its new acquisitions, which also included the nearby Larchmont and Bronxville movie theaters. The codes in those villages”™ downtowns do not allow for residential construction.
Calls and emails to Bow Tie”™s corporate offices in Ridgefield, Conn., were not returned by press time.
Although many residents lament losing what is to many a piece of village history, there are others who see the proposed condominiums as a boon to downtown businesses. On the Monday following the theater”™s closing, Elliot Shapiro, owner of the nearby antique shop Den of Antiquity, said the theaters had been neglected and hadn”™t pulled large crowds for years. He said he preferred building 30 or more condominium units there.
“You know what that”™s going to mean for local business?” Shapiro said. “I think it”™ll be good. You”™ll have 32 families there that weren”™t there before.”
That is all well and good for you, Mr. Shapiro, but do you know what it will mean for local residents in this part of town? We’ll have those 32 more families with at least one car on an already-nightmarish (for both traffic AND parking) Mamaroneck Avenue, not to mention causing further headaches at school dismissal time on the Avenue AND Boston Post Road, which is already dreadful as it is! I saw the designs for these new condos online, and from what I saw, the style frankly looks like Las Vegas threw up on it. It is NOT a good fit for Mamaroneck! The boutique theater idea is MUCH better. The only other one in the entire county is in Yonkers! If this goes ahead as condos, the people AND elected officials in the town should no longer be expressing surprise at people moving out of it. No one wants to pay the high cost of living here for a main street that looks like a strip mall in Vegas.
I moved out of Mamaroneck 6 years ago but that doesnt mean I do not care about the theater. There is a proposal to build the condos above the theater. That means the theater will remain untouched. I think that is going to happen.
What it means is that less people will come to Mamroneck for family time activities. Restaurants, the beaches and shops will suffer. If this goes through you will see Mamaroneck Avenue businesses begin to close their doors.
Theresa, that’s the difference to communities between “miners” and “growers.” Sadly, our Washington reps and sens have tilted the playing field towards “miners” since the 1980s and our economy shows it. This is too bad for Mamaroneck.
Exactly right we used to come and to the area for a movie and spend money at the local shops and restaurants. That will happen a lot less now as we will patronize the business closer to other theaters. A complete shame and if ran correctly the space could still be used as a theater. Easily my favorite area in lower Westchester to spend the afternoon with friends or family.
The town officials do not care as much as they say because they believe there will be in increase in tax revenue. If allowed, you can always convert a commercial space into residential but once you sell the units it can never go back, people forget this fact.