Millerton Moviehouse to shore up structure with $99K grant

MILLERTON — The Moviehouse is getting a new round of renovations after being awarded a grant earlier this month from the New York State Council on the Arts.

The Millerton Moviehouse received $99,000 as part of a grant provided by the New York State Council on the Arts that will pay to renovate and stabilize the 120-year-old building.

The money will be going straight to the basement: poured concrete will replace the existing dirt floor, and steel support beams will be installed to bolster timber beams that are original to the building. “This work is long overdue,” said David Maltby, Vice Chair of The Moviehouse Board. “The support from NYSCA has made it possible for us to continue to preserve and improve The Moviehouse.”

This latest award follows a $150,000 grant given last year via State Senator Michelle Hinchey’s office. That money was allocated towards HVAC repairs.

The building and its iconic clock tower were built in 1903, originally as a grange hall and community center. Renovations are a going concern: when Carol and Robert Sadlon bought the building in 1977, they added heat, air conditioning, and a second screening room. In 2012, they replaced the 35mm projection systems with a digital system. When the current Moviehouse co-chairs David Maltby and Chelsea Altman took over in 2021, they initiated a massive overhaul that included redesigning both floors and adding an elevator. They also replaced the signage, and upgraded the seating this past April.

Now it’s time to show the basement some love. “It’s pretty common in this area for basements to have wooden support beams that are literal tree trunks,” said Jeremy Boviard, the Moviehouse’s general manager. “Sometimes even with the bark still on it.”

But as the building ages, Boviard said the Moviehouse’s stewards are dedicated to modernizing the facilities. Renovating the basement will improve the building’s stability and make it easier to regulate the temperature. While the project’s timeline is still tentative, Boviard says they aim to begin construction in late summer or early fall.

When they do, there’s no telling what they’ll find. “When we’ve done basement renovations in the past, we’ve found hundred-year-old press clippings,” said Boviard. “There was an old beer bottle that was found in the wall — I have no idea how it got there.”

The Moviehouse converted to a nonprofit arts organization in 2022, and has since expanded its cultural offerings to include work from local filmmakers, educational events, and community gatherings.