The Empire State Development (ESD) announced on August 6 that construction is now underway by Proctors Collaborative to renovate the historic American Theatre in Downtown Troy. The venue, located at 285-289 River Street, opened in the 1920s and stands to offer a substantial boost to Troy with a new venue for the arts in the thriving Monument Square area.
The $7.1 million project, supported by nearly $1.9 million from ESD, will transform the 1920s-era venue into a new single-screen movie theater with opportunities for additional performances. When done, the theater will further contribute to the ongoing revitalization of Downtown Troy, bringing an estimated 30,000 people downtown and expanding the region’s culture and entertainment options.
Proctors Collaborative, which operates Proctors in Schenectady, Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany, and Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs – is overseeing the historical restoration of the building, which it will operate as a single screen movie theater. The exterior marquee is being replaced to match the venue’s original signage, along with the interior ticket lobby.
The auditorium proportions are being maintained, with 200 reclining style movie seats, as well as ample flat for areas for special needs and non-reclining chairs. The screen will be the largest in the Capital Region at 44 feet wide, with sound through a Dolby Atmos system. The theater will serve as a community anchor, with opportunities to host small musical events, lectures, debates and meetings. ESD is supporting the project with $1.9 million in performance-based grants. Additionally, the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is assisting the rehabilitation through a $100,000 Environmental Protection Fund grant and the New York State Historic Preservation Office tax credit.
This project was one of 11 selected for funding as part of Troy’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative proposal and will be utilizing $500,000 in DRI funds. The city was chosen as the Capital Region awardee during Round 5 of the DRI process. Other projects include streetscape improvements, investments to grow housing and expand library capacity, and additional efforts to support the city’s renowned arts, culture and history. More information on Troy’s DRI projects can be found here.
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said of the construction, “The Capital Region is home to a vibrant creative economy that supports jobs and community development, and the renovation of the historic American Theatre will bring new audiences to Downtown Troy. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, ESD continues to make strategic investments that promote adaptive reuse, engage underutilized properties and further encourage downtown revitalization.”
According to Cinema Treasures, the American Theatre opened as a movie house in downtown Troy in the early 1920s, along with a “twin” theatre in the State (Rose) Theatre on 4th Street, which was torn down in the 1960s to be converted into a parking lot. Both theaters were designed by architect Abraham K. Mosley, as noted in The American Contractor of April 29, 1922.
By 1941, the American Theatre was operated by Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp., followed by the Fabian Theaters chain in the late 1940s.
On November 4, 1963 it was renamed Cinerama Art Theater, but the following day in was renamed Cinema Art Theater. The opening movies for both names were the documentary feature “Women of the World” & Michelle Morgan in “Bluebeard.” The theater was converted for adult films in the late 1960s and operated until the 1980s. The venue has been closed since 2006.
Proctors CEO Phillip Morris added, “Movies have been integral to us as a culture for as long as the American Theatre has been standing. We are thrilled to be part of Troy’s economic revitalization, and to have and operate the only movie house in the city with both first run and film house style programming.”
“Historic preservation is about more than protecting buildings, it’s about investing in the communities they serve. The restoration of the American Theatre preserves an important piece of Troy’s architectural heritage while creating a dynamic new destination for arts, entertainment, and community gatherings. Projects like this show how New York’s historic preservation tax credit program helps transform historic landmarks into economic and cultural assets,” said New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Kathy Moser.
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View on BlueskyI'm very excited about this. It's awesome to see this building is going to be revitalized.
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