MASSENA, N.Y. (WWNY) – A dilapidated theater in St. Lawrence County is receiving a $2 million state grant.
With cracked walls, poor lighting and rickety staircases, the Schine Theater in Massena is ideal for Halloween because of its run-down atmosphere.
“The theater was most recently used for ghost tours and it looks very appropriate for that,” said Allison Smith, president of the Massena Arts and Theater Association.
In 1995, the theater closed its doors to the public. The Massena Arts and Theater Association purchased it 20 years later in hopes of revitalizing the 14,000-square-foot property.
The village had also wished for this. A state subsidy will now help make this wish a reality.
“It’s a $2 million grant that will go a long way toward renovating the interior of the theater,” Smith said.
The grant will provide the theater with new plumbing, heating, electrical and other systems, which will reduce the project’s estimated $3.2 million cost. Community leaders believe the renovation will create a domino effect in the downtown area.
“This is just another big piece of this puzzle, one of the main building blocks of downtown. Revitalization is very important to the redevelopment of the community,” said Mayor Greg Paquin.
The Massena Arts and Theater Association is applying for an additional $640,000 state grant with the goal of completing the theater by the end of 2026.
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