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Art Theatre Photos
posted by
Patrick Crowley
on
April 6, 2004 at 6:32 am
BINGHAMTON, NY — Roger Katz sent in these photos of the Art Theatre (pre-fire).
Comments (17)
Yes, Michael. It is wonderful that the people of Broome County now have nowhere to go to see an art film. It is super that a landmark city building that had stood for 85 years has been turned into another vacant lot in a city that already has too many of those. Nobody burned it down. Faulty wiring and oil paints caused this fire.
I would ignore Michael. He is obviously a elementry school child who has too much time on his hands and access to the computer.
Interesting that he has two accounts. Perhaps he needs to be reported to the owner of the site so his accounts can be banned.
From the looks of the fire pictures, it seems the the facade and marquee are still fully intact. I wonder if it could be salvaged and resued somehow?
Ed: The owner wanted to rebuild within the shell, but the city said all the walls needed to come down. Demolition may have already occured. The owner was so mad that he will not rebuild in the city now. The marquee has been salvaged and is being moved to a nearby shopping center that is under construction. Its use there is not yet determined, but apparently there is a spot in the plaza that could be perfect to fit a new movie theatre into.
Thanks to everyone from writing in about this! We’ve removed Michael’s account (and associated comments).
Excellent!!!!! I have been amazed at his crazy comments!
Thanks everyone! He added to my bit on the Salford Ambassador, that it had been demolished completely yesterday, how would he know?
Anyway its not finished yet. But getting away from Michael now, these pictures are great!
A question. There is a window on each side of the marquee (they look like portholes). Anyone know what they (used to of course) go to? Was that the projection room or an office?
I never went into the Art Theatre (these photos were taken at 8:00 AM one morning and I was out of town long before it opened for the day) but I would guess they go to the booth as I have been in theatres which have similar portholes that go to the booth.
Thanks Roger. Thats strange having windows (or portholes) going to the booth.
The website that I was given (by the Binghamton Fire Dept) does
not work. They gave me www.iaff729.org
I would like to look at the fire photos of the art theater.
Does anyone know the correct website?
Thanks.
The website address is correct, jay5327. However, it looks like the site is currently unavailable for some reason. :(
To: Patrick Crowley…thank you, I’ll try the website later on today. Appreciate your quick response.
Sorry that I have not been able to participate in the above conversations previously, but I am happy to report that the SABC (Southbridge Arts and Business Community), a group formed in early April to deal with finding a way to build or re-build another Independent Film Theater for Broome CVounty is diligently working to accomplish that major goal.
Meanwhile, we are showing distributor-provided DVD’s at a very adequate temporary spot where there is a sophisticated projection and surround sound system.. we show on weekendsm, just having adde in Friday evneings as well as Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
The temporary theater is called Art Theater Pro Tem and is managed by Jerry Silvanic, a veeteran int he business as is WIll Dode and just HS graduated Mike Mindemann — they are the main stay volunteers and they scheudle the rest of us to heklp as needed.
Our website is www.ArtTheater.org organized by Mary Jo Kelleher,m our computer whiz/web vp!
John Stracuzzi is the President and I serve as communication VP. Our mailing list email address is Members of Southbridge Arts & Business Community <-acorns.com> and our snail mail address is SABC/ATPT POB 696 Binghamton , NY 13902-0696
We show indie films on Fridays at 8, Sat and Sun at 4:30 and 7. Showing this weekend are — afternoons – “Manchurian Candidate” ( the original) and “Goodbye Lenin” evenings.
Our next SABC meeting is Wed August 25 at ^:30 PM at the La Tazza Cafe on 39 S. Washington St, binghamton 607 723 6990. Our schedule information line is 607 773 8132. I can be reached at 607 773 1495. I look forward to learning all I can from our conenction with this group!
Paul Stapel VP communications
My college apartment housemate worked at the concession/ticket counter when it was an X-rated adult film house. The projection booth was on a second floor level and was accessed by a stairway conected to an open catwalk that was attached to the front of the booth. On Thursday nights my housemate didn’t want to miss Mork and Mindy, so I would get on the bus with our portable tv, and go to the theater, so we could watch it together behind the candy counter. The refrigerator where employees kept their food was upstairs in the projection booth. When you walked across the catwalk you had to bend down and crouch-walk underneath the projection beam. We could always tell if we hadn’t stooped low enough because a collective groan would emminate from the house. Also, the clientele wasn’t what most people thought; they were mostly university students and traveling business men.
There was also something special about the projection equipment. I can’t remember specifically, but I think it was the oldest equipment still in operation in the US. A special repairman had to come down from Syracuse every time the projector broke down.
As to pstapel’s post, here are some links to information about the Art Mission Theater that was established to fill the independent theater void in Binghamton, after the original Art Theater burned down. It finally found a home on Prospect Street, across the street from the Little Venice restaurant parking lot.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g47320-d1062625-Reviews-Art_Mission_Theater-Binghamton_New_York.html
https://www.facebook.com/artmissiontheater?ref=ts&fref=ts
http://artmission.org/