Drama surrounds sale of Hollywood Theater in Dormont
Theatre Historical Society of America Executive Director Richard Fosbrink is excited about his group taking ownership of the Hollywood Theater in Dormont.
He’s just not sure who the tenant will be when the sale of the theater is expected to become official later this month.
The Dormont-based group Friends of the Hollywood Theater have operated the theater for the past seven years, but the group is protesting the sale of the theater from current owner Kelly-Rielly-Nell-Barna Associates to the Theatre Historical Society of America, headquartered in Pittsburgh.
The Theatre Historical Society of America’s website states the mission of the society is to “celebrate, document, and promote the architectural, cultural, and social relevance of America’s historic theatres.”
Friends of the Hollywood Theater have a “Hands off the Hollywood Theater” petition circulating online, with more than 6,000 signatures protesting the sale of the theater.
“We, the undersigned, respectfully request, that the Theatre Historical Society and Kelly-Rielly-Nell-Barna Associates mutually agree to cancel the pending sale of the Hollywood Theater and leave it in the hands of the Friends of the Hollywood Theater while they work toward purchasing the building themselves,” the petition states. “Richard Fosbrink proposed the theater play second-run films. This plan would kill the theater.”
The theater’s sale closing is scheduled for Feb. 23.
But Brian Kelly, co-owner of Kelly-Rielly-Nell-Barna Associates, said Friends of the Hollywood Theater has been trying unsuccessfully to purchase the theater for the past seven years.
“What they’re doing is ludicrous,” Kelly said. “They had the opportunity but didn’t follow through with it. We gave them a great price and that’s all we can do. They weren’t able to come up with the funds. It’s time somebody else takes over.”
Kelly also denied rumors that the theater had fallen into disrepair.
“It’s in perfect condition,” he said.
Kelly, Fosbrink, and Dormont Borough Manager Benjamin Estell have said the Theatre Historical Society of America wants to keep Friends of the Hollywood Theater as a tenant, but all three said the group refuses to meet with Fosbrink about remaining a tenant.
“I had offered to sit down and help mediate their differences,” Estell said. “But, Friends of the Hollywood Theater said ‘no’ and that they wanted to consult an attorney. As far as the borough is concerned, we want it to remain as a theater.”
Fosbrink said he intends to keep the theater open and doesn’t understand why the Friends group refuses to meet with him.
“There are things that they do that are very successful and we’ve made it clear that we want to keep those things,” Fosbrink said. “We’ve always intended to keep them employed. Not talking to us is short-sighted for their employees. We’re not Goliath.”
Representatives with Friends of the Hollywood Theater did not respond to phone calls and emails regarding the sale of the theater.
The 285-seat Hollywood Theater located at 1449 Potomac Ave. first opened its doors in 1926 as a silent picture house, and continues to screen new releases, independent films, art house cinema and special events.