The Belcourt Theatre, currently under renovation
"It's become a source of civic pride — the hub of the city's film culture, and an enticement for others wanting to move here," wrote recently departed Scene editor and walking film encyclopedia Jim Ridley in September. "One thing hasn't kept pace, however: the building itself."
Indeed, the storied local arthouse was in a sad state of disrepair, closing its doors for major renovations on Christmas Eve 2015. When would The Belcourt reopen? Summer 2016, we were told. A little over a month ago, we at the Scene took a hardhat tour of the facilities, when — as you can see here — some serious overhauls were being performed on the 90-year-old building. Progress was being made, to be sure, but would project builder R.C. Mathews & Co. hit their summer 2016 deadline? Would The Belcourt receive enough gifts and pledges to hit its $5 million project cost?
Well, the Scene is delighted to report that — according to the folks at The Belcourt — the theater will reopen on Friday, July 22, one month from today. But wait, there's more!
The campaign to hit that $5 million goal is ongoing — according to Belcourt reps, they've raised $4.2 million and are still accepting pledges from individuals, foundations and businesses. You can donate to the Belcourt Campaign at this link.
So, what will be different about the building on July 22? Fantastic question. The Belcourt sent along this list of renovations:
● expanded lobby space, spanning the entire front of the building along Belcourt Avenue, and including an alcove for gathering pre- and post-films
● a repositioned box office, larger and on-grade for easier access for all patrons
● bigger and fully accessible restrooms
● light lock doors for both the 1925 Hall and 1966 Hall to enhance the viewing experience
● new 2nd floor screening room (40-person capacity)
● new 2nd floor education and engagement space
● elevator for 2nd floor access
● new HVAC, plumbing and other core systems
While the list of updates is clearly pretty extensive, Belcourt executive director Stephanie Silverman says The Belcourt's "two theatre spaces (the 1925 and 1966 Halls) are relatively unchanged."
And how about programming? Well, unfortunately, The Belcourt folks aren't able to announce that just yet, but they assure us that a programming schedule is coming soon. Stay tuned.
