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Cumberland 12 theater complex ready for first run: Cumberland 12 theater complex ready for first run
(Press-Republican (Plattsburgh, N.Y.) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Dec. 14--PLATTSBURGH -- It's about time.
EuroWest Companies President Peter Edelmann, the Essex, Vt.-based developer behind the Cumberland 12 cinema project, said the large clock tower on the front of the building next to the former North Country Shopping Center begs that tag line.
"It's about time we're open. It's about time there's something new in (the Town of) Plattsburgh," he said.
Edelmann said plans call for a private opening the night of Dec. 18, a chance to say thank you to those who have helped make the theater a reality, including contractors, municipal officials and legal representatives. It will open to the general public the next day.
Dale Chapman, regional manager of EuroWest Cinemas, said the theater will be open in time for the busiest time of year, from Dec. 15 to Jan. 15.
The 12 theaters will have a total of 1,662 seats, including two theaters with 274 seats each. They are all 24-inch wide high-back rockers, with leatherette headrests that ease cleaning.
Edelmann said one screen will initially be dedicated to independent films, and plans call for two screens reserved for that purpose.
As patrons enter the wide-open lobby, they come to the box office and concession area. Edelmann said all of the concession stands were built by We're Tops, a local cabinet maker on Carbide Road in the Town of Plattsburgh .
"The (local) trades have done a really good job," he said. "Will Conroy's people (Conroy and Conroy) have been great to work with."
The lobby also features a large game room with arcade games, air hockey and crane games.
Nearby is a coffee lounge where moviegoers can sit and talk, and another lounge with fireplace across the hall. Chapman said it could be converted to a private area for use during independent films.
The large restrooms feature gray tile floors and walls, with one band of reddish tile on the walls. Tile was chosen because it is easier to keep clean, Chapman said.
There will be about 60 employees, Chapman said, although that figure will fluctuate with the seasons. Cumberland 12 Manager Craig Cathers said more than 100 people responded to a newspaper ad and fliers distributed in local schools to seek those jobs.
"We were very pleased with the turnout. We had people of all ages, from 14 to 60," he said.
Student employees are expected to maintain good grades, Chapman said, so the theater does what it can to work around their schedule. Edelmann said the jobs offer a good training experience.
"If they have good management and are taught good skills, they can take that to the next step in their careers," he said.
Cathers said he and Assistant Manager Sonja Guskea have both moved to the area from Vermont as they start their new jobs.
Two weeks before the scheduled opening, Projection Manager Matt Lascelle was refurbishing some platter towers, preparing them for alignment. At the same time, Joe Griesbach of New England Sound Co. was installing projectors.
Cathers said, if needed, one person can run the entire projection operation from the large second-story control room..
Theaters will feature 100-percent Dolby-digital surround sound. The systems in each theater include a subwoofer below the screen, three speakers behind the screen, three in the rear of the theater and three to five along each wall.
Chapman said regular prices will be the same, but he hopes to beat the competition on matinee, senior and children tickets as well as concessions.
That includes offering share bags and courtesy cups so families can share their large popcorn and drink without having to pass back and forth.
The theater will be available for birthday parties and special events after Jan. 1. Chapman said EuroWest is willing to do just about anything it can to work with the community.
That includes providing space for school groups, charitable organizations, businesses and service organizations. People can also arrange private overnight graduation and prom parties, as long as they provide chaperons.
Chapman said the whole philosophy is based on customer satisfaction.
"We've got to make sure that everyone is satisfied with what they get," he said.
Edelmann thanked Town of Plattsburgh Supervisor Bernie Bassett and other town officials who helped move the project forward. They've always been available for meetings, which helps make sure everyone knows what issues are coming up ahead of time, he said.
Bassett said that as people look south from the theater, they need to think what the build out of Cumberland Commons will mean. Edelmann and partners Yves Bradley of Pormeleau Real Estate and the family of Frank Akey plan to develop about 65 acres near the former North Country Shopping Center .
"You have to visualize the complete redevelopment of this area. It will mean hundreds of jobs," he said. "The quality of this (theater) project will set the standard for the whole development."
Plans call for large and small retailers, restaurants, a bank, grocery and pharmacy and recreational facilities. North Bowl Lanes will continue to occupy its present location.
Edelmann said the second phase of an environmental study on the entire property shows no prior disturbance. The second phase of a remediation study on the strip mall has also been completed.
Demolition of the building is held up because the money from an already approved $2.5 million RESTORE NY grant has yet to be released. Bassett said there is no chance that money will be pulled back, because the funds were included in the 2007 New York state budget and are encumbered for this project.
Bassett said the final reimbursement requests are on his desk, and those bills have been paid.
"Hopefully, we'll hear something from Albany soon," he said.
Edelmann said he expected to receive the funds by June or July of this year, but it is out of his hands. He said Empire State Development officials told him they've done all the work on their end.
There is no doubt full build out of Cumberland Commons would be farther along if the funds had been released before now, Edelmann said.
"It also leaves a big question with the banking community in Plattsburgh: Will it (full build out) ever happen?" he said. "The banks want to see the grant money before they lend money."
Edelmann said his team recently met with representatives of the International Council of Shopping Centers. They had a full agenda, meeting with a number of retailers and restaurateurs.
An agreement was recently reached for Pyramid Brokerage Co. to handle retail investment and leasing in Cumberland Commons, Edelmann said. He said it is a sister company to the owner of Champlain Centre North.
"They're as excited as we are about the potential and opportunity here," Edelmann said.
Pyramid Brokerage is an independently owned and operated member of the Cushman and Wakefield Alliance, the world's largest privately held real-estate-services firm.
"That puts it on a national stage for making contacts," he said.
The county will benefit on property taxes from the theater building. Edelmann said that at full build out, a ballpark figure would show about $1 million a year in property taxes.
Bassett said the city will benefit from additional wastewater treatment flow. Also, it's not that far from the city's north end and downtown, so those residents have another entertainment option.
It's important to continue to grow, he said, even during the current economic downturn.
"The people who stayed the course will be out ahead when the storm clears."
E-mail Dan Heath at:
dheath@pressrepublican.com
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