Hills Theatre Could Return to Downtown Rochester

A local landmark could return to downtown Rochester.

Rod Wilson, a member of the Rochester-Avon Historical Society, hopes the Hills Theatre, which formerly occupied the current Main Street Plaza in downtown Rochester, will open the curtains again at its original downtown location.

The former movie house, which was built in 1942, has been closed since 1984.

Wilson said his group has consulted with managers of other restored historic movie theaters and has worked with a committee over the past 18 months to determine the project’s feasibility.

Wilson said when he talked with the developer of the Main Street Plaza, he found most of the renovations at that time were made with wood and sand, which makes it easier to revert back to the original construction.

“Basically, you go in and you just pull it out,” he said.

Renovations would restore façade, ticket and concessions stands

Among the restorations, Wilson said, would be reinstating the green, art-deco-style building façade, as well as restoring the locations of the ticket booth and concession stands, as well as the lights and “Hills Theatre” name.

While the original theater had 800 seats, Wilson said the aim is to offer about 400 to accommodate wider seats and additional legroom.

Wilson said the group also is considering ways to allow patrons to park behind the Hills Theatre, yet enter through the back to buy a ticket at the front, to avoid a walk “halfway around the block” to the main entrance.

Wilson said the theater would show documentaries, classic films, old newsreels, as well as offering live performances and corporate events.

Wilson also said there are discussions about offering a “mini-theater” upstairs where dentist offices once resided, to offer additional entertainment options.

The Rochester City Council on June 10 approved a $15,000 reallocation of Rochester’s Historical Commission capital project fund as a grant to the society to pay for a feasibility study, business plan and architectural work.

Wilson said if the study comes back and indicates the idea is a “no-brainer,” the society will try to solicit funds to buy the building so it can apply for renovation grants.

Plaza tenants would be affected by renovation

One of the consequences of a renovation would be displacing its current tenants.

“To us, we consider (the plaza tenants) community family and we don’t want to hurt them in any way,” Wilson said. “We’ve talked to the city about working with us once we get that building and once we get to the point where we’re going to have to move some people out… to try to relocate those people. We don’t want to harm them.”

He said getting to that point might take several years.