Are you tired of having to pay the toll to New Jersey to go to Menlo's AMC Dine-In Theater? Well, hopefully you won't have to anymore! Staten Island is on the up and up with new attractions from studio lots, to the Empire Outlets, and now - crossing fingers - AMC Dine-In Theater. Back in May 2013, silive reported an online survey of Staten Islanders expressing the interest in having our very own dine-in.
Staten Island's Continuing Expansion
Ken Paulsen wrote, "although the survey references only AMC's unique dine-in offerings and brandings, the AMC spokesman, Ryan Noonan, said his company is not behind it. He did allow that the company is exploring setting up a dine-in movie house here, but nothing beyond that."
Remember, that this is back in 2013. Flash forward two years and the Staten Island Mall and Riverside Galleria are in the process of massive renovations.
The Mall has a proposed expansion that includes additional restaurants, more high-end stores, enlarging Macy's, a public piazza for events, a movie theater and the first Fairway Market in the borough.
No confirmation on the style of the mall's 53,000 square feet movie theater; but, there has been recent news of a new dine-in theater on Charleston's Riverside Galleria 21-acre waterfront property.
Riverside Galleria will be a new shopping complex complete with a dine-in movie theater and rooftop bar by the Outerbridge in Charleston. // courtesy: STUDIO V Architecture
In June of this year, Tracy Porpora from silive reported, "Riverside Galleria will include a large promenade affording visitors an up close view of the waterfront, a 55,000-square-foot multiplex cinema and restaurants that provide outdoor waterfront dining."
Owner of Atrium Theaters LLC, Gregg Scarola, said The Atrium at Riverside Galleria will show recently released and family-friendly movies, independent and foreign films. The theaters will be furnished with oversized luxury seats with full reclining, and a handful of loveseats.
Picturesque Memories
Movie theaters hit a boom from 1914 to 1922. These "movie palaces" had marble-lined halls, luxurious chandeliers, and plushly carpeted stairs. Impressive lobbies with lavish interiors were intended to give moviegoers the feeling of being royalty and be an escape from the day-to-day world.
StatenIslandHistory.com paints the perfect representation of the impact movie theaters had in the community. During the 1930's Staten Island had operated 13 theaters at the same time. They were not only movie houses but many were playhouses and some featured vaudeville acts. In 1948 the island had the first drive-in theater in New York City, it was located on Richmond Avenue.The Staten Island Mall opened in 1973, and we can't wait to see what it will bring us in the upcoming years.
Back To The Future
Staten Island's current open movie theaters are Stadium 16 (located on Forest Ave.), Hylan Plaza, and the Atrium (off of Amboy Rd. in Eltingville).
Both projects are expected to open in 2017. We can't wait to see what Staten Island will bring us in the upcoming years...
Posted by Tom Crimmins Realty, Ltd. on
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