Proposal To Turn Empty Office Parks Into Drive-In Theaters

GREENBURGH, NY — The supervisor of the town of Greenburgh has an idea to expand the entertainment offerings during the age of the new coronavirus. Supervisor Paul Feiner wants to rezone some of the office parks on Route 119, heading to Tarrytown, to allow for drive-ins that could present movies, plays, concerts and even church services.

"Most people I know are experiencing COVID-19 pandemic fatigue," he said. "We feel locked in, there is not enough variety in our lives and we don't know when the pandemic will be over. And, we miss going to the movies, theater, live Jazz concerts.

"Praying at a Zoom service is not the same as going to a service!" Feiner said.

He said the proposal, if implemented, would enable the arts to come alive while the virus remains a risk.

The office complexes usually empty out after 5 p.m. and the parking spots are empty the entire night, Feiner said.

"It's a wasted resource — with hundreds of vacant parking spots available," he said.

Feiner said the proposal could be a win-win for everyone.

"The office market is difficult — with lots of vacancies," he said. "And now that people are used to working from home — we could expect more vacancies."

Landlords would benefit from the additional revenue, Feiner said, and residents of Greenburgh and the county would be able to look forward to quality entertainment with drive-in movies available for adults and children. Also restaurants near the office complex would benefit with more customers.

He speculated that it is possible empty office buildings could be converted into other uses, such as a deli or pharmacy, and could be very successful being near a drive-in movie theater.

"We have to be creative," Feiner said. "Economic development after COVID-19 will be different than before."

He asked for suggestions and comments to be sent to his email address.

Like Hudson Valley Patches' Facebook Pages.