The Upper West Side is having a cinema renaissance: Metro Theater, the shuttered Art Deco landmark on W. 99th Street, is reopening.
The attraction has been demolished on the inside, but it still boasts its 30s’ exterior that feels like a step back in time. Now, the plan of attack is to rework the space to accommodate five screens, a lobby and lounge, and a café. Metro Theater has been shuttered since 2005, so it feels appropriate to ring in 20 years with a restoration plan.
“For far too long, the beloved Metro Theater has sat empty — waiting for leaders with the courage and conviction to bring it back to life,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a press release. “The Upper West Side community deserves another world-class venue for cinema and art, and that’s why I was proud to step in and allocate $3.5 million to make the new Metro Theater a reality.”
The Upper West Side Cinema Center purchased the theater for nearly $7 million and the organization received $3.5 million in discretionary grants to get the work underway, according to The New York Times. Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg’s Hearthland Foundation, the Klingenstein-Martell Foundation, and the Brandt Jackson Foundation all worked to support the effort. However, there’s still a way to go: about another $15 to $25 million is needed to get the space in tip-top shape.
Per The Times, the theater has undergone quite a history: It opened in the 30s as Midtown Theater, began showing adult content 40 years later, then transitioned to a haven for art house and foreign films. It shuttered in 2005. Now, it’s getting ready for its new lease on life, though a specific opening date has yet to be announced.
“Working with my friend Assemblymember Lasher and Senator Hoylman-Sigal, we’re going to give Upper West Siders a new cultural institution that stands the test of time,” Governor Hochul added.
As you wait for Metro Theater to open its doors once more, be sure to have a look at the movies in New York theaters that are currently playing.