New Plan For Beloved Montclair Movie Theater Gets A Green Light

Editor's Note: This article has been updated with new details about the renovation plan for the Bellevue Theater

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The Montclair Planning Board has given a thumbs up for a new proposal to renovate a beloved local movie theater.

The board granted site plan approval to an application for the Bellevue Theater – which is located at 260 Bellevue Avenue – at their meeting on Monday. More information about the proposal (which will still include spaces to screen movies) can be seen online here.

Here are some key details about the additional renovation plans, according to an April memo to the town’s Historic Preservation Commission:

SITE DESCRIPTION – “The subject property is located on the south side of Bellevue Avenue adjacent to the access driveway to the Upper Montclair Plaza parking lot. The subject property is a corner lot that is 12,713 square feet in size with 72.2 feet of frontage along Bellevue Avenue and 160 feet of frontage along the driveway to the parking lot. It contains a historic building comprised of a front 2-1/2 story building that historically contained retail stores and the theater lobby attached to a larger two-story building that contained the theaters. Most recently while operating as a theater, the building had 885 theater seats in 4 theaters and 5,000 square feet of personal service retail space, and no onsite parking. The building has been vacant since 2017.”

PROJECT DESCRIPTION – “The application to the Planning Board is for site plan approval to convert the upper floors in the front of the building to create three dwelling units. The plan includes two 2-bedroom apartments and one 1-bedroom apartment. In addition, the applicant proposes to convert part of the theater space facing the driveway to the parking lot to three retail storefronts. The application proposes a new trash enclosure on the west side of the building and the removal of the external fire stairs on the east and west facades of the building. The applicant previously received approval from the Historic Preservation Commission to install a new storefront for the retail space to the right of the building entrance from Bellevue Avenue and to repair/improve the exterior façade of the building.”

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Plans to revive the Bellevue Theater have been in the works for years.

The theatre operated without a break for 95 years until 2017. After the lease of former tenant Bow Tie Cinemas expired, community members rallied to save it. Thousands of fans signed an online petition to prevent the venue from “wasting away into another gentrified retail or office space.”

Their wishes took a leap towards becoming reality when owner Jesse Sayegh signed a new lease with a group dedicated to returning the theater to its former glory. The company's backers included some big names in show business, including producer Luke Parker Bowles and actor Patrick Wilson, both of whom are Montclair residents, as well as real estate developer Steven Plofker.

There were plans to do a huge renovation, including installing a bar on the first floor and a restaurant on the second floor, which would have required approval from the local Zoning Board of Adjustment. But the group eventually announced that it hit a major speed bump amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The zoning board application was withdrawn in 2021. See Related article: Plan To Save Beloved Montclair Theater Put On Ice Amid Pandemic

The theater’s supporters later announced that a plan for a lower-key revival was being launched. Read More: Plans To Revive Beloved Montclair Movie Theater Back On Track

"Reopening Bellevue Theatre is more than a major preservation milestone," said former town council candidate Ilmar Vanderer, who has been working with the owners on the reopening plans.

"It’s about reinvigorating a cornerstone of our community’s arts and culture sector, which is a powerful force for social change as well as an essential economic engine for Montclair, providing immediate benefit in the form of a newly restored, state-of-the-art cinema as a commercial anchor for the local business district, a community hub for nearby neighborhoods, and an entertainment destination for area visitors," Vanderer added.

And yes, the plan still includes several places to screen films.

According to Vanderer, there will be three theater spaces for screening movies: one on the ground floor and two on the second floor.

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