With the movie theater’s operator and a group of locals interested in purchasing the building, New Canaan likely will not own the Playhouse on Elm Street 18 months from now, the town’s highest elected official said Wednesday.
New Canaan Playhouse was built in 1923.
The town “would rather not be in the movie theater business, would rather not own that building,” First Selectman Rob Mallozzi said during an annual breakfast hosted by the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce, held this year at South End New Canaan.
“There is interest from not only the group that runs the movie theater, Bow Tie Cinemas—they have talked to us. Local folks have talked to us. I think there is a really good possibility that that will not be in the town hands within the next year-and-a-half. Which means that the economic burden of supporting the infrastructure, the major infrastructure at that building, will not be on the taxpayers. Which is a good thing. We kept it going and now it’s time to reinvigorate that building and I think the offerings out of that building it would certainly benefit the town if something more unique were to be shown out of that movie theater.”
The comments come as a volunteer committee studies the Playhouse’s finances and significant infrastructure needs with an eye on a developing options, including in the private sector, for its future ownership. The town acquired the Playhouse for about $2.2 million in 2007. While officials have said New Canaan is not in danger of losing the building, the committee will consider funding mechanisms to raise the estimated $3 to $4 million to bring the 1923-built structure up to code, as well as additional uses for the space. Last April, the League of Women Voters of New Canaan convened a panel discussion regarding the Playhouse and suggestions were made to expand its offerings.
Steve Karl, the chairman of the Playhouse Committee, said that the group has met several times since forming and plans to ramp up its work now that budget season is over.
Committee members have met “to put some numbers together as far as revenue goes, and expenses” and has more research to do, he said.
New Canaanites should know that it’s been a priority of the committee to ensure that the cupola-topped building will be preserved, Karl said.
“I’m hoping we can get an RFP out to interested parties, we will rely on press to help spread that word that we are looking for an interested party, and then I’m hoping we will get a few people a few different groups that will step up and it will be a bidding process and they will try to put together their idea of what it should look like and what it should be.”
During an interview following the chamber’s Breakfast With The First Selectman, Mallozzi said Bow Tie Cinemas approached the town regarding the building at 89 Elm St.—it houses Earth Garden, the chamber itself and New Canaan CARES, as well as the theater—as the company is in the process of “buying up movie theaters that they are in.”
Bow Tie Cinemas could not be reached for comment.
I really hope the town does not do something as absurd as selling the most iconic building in the center of our town. You know, the building that everyone who comes to New Canaan looks at and then says “oh what an amazing and adorable downtown, let’s move here” or “let’s come back and visit again.” Relinquishing control of this iconic building is absolutely the wrong answer for New Canaan.
This is our town. As citizens we should all, at some level, want to ensure that our landmarks are not in the control of outsiders who can push agendas that may conflict with what we want as a town.
By selling the building the town is demonstrating that it looks only at the monetary issues of things and not the long-term intangible value, which this building has plenty of. This type of shortsightedness from our town must be addressed now! There must be alternative ways to unload the burden of the cost without selling the building.
Maybe a long-term, low rent lease or even a zero rent lease in exchange for the assumption of all maintenance, renovation, and a commitment to run a viable business approved by the town such as a movie theater, is the way to go. I don’t know. However, I’m sure there are alternatives out there that are viable. Either way, selling that Playhouse is a bad idea in the long run for New Canaan.