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Levoy Theatre
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| Location: | 126-130 North High Street, Millville, New Jersey |
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| Area: | less than one acre |
| Built: | 1908-1927 |
| Architect: | Wrifford, William |
| Architectural style: | Classical Revival, Late Gothic Revival, Art Deco |
| Governing body: | Private |
| NRHP Reference#: | 98001064[1] |
| NJRHP #: | 3077[2] |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP: | August 14, 1998 |
| Designated NJRHP: | June 26, 1998 |
The Levoy Theatre was located in Millville, New Jersey. The original building was built in 1908, replacing the Wilson Opera House, which burned down in 1898. It quickly became famous on the vaudeville circuit.
When Warner Brothers purchased the theater around 1930, it was transformed into a 30's movie palace. It often competed with the Peoples' Theater, which closed in circa 1950. It reached the height of its popularity during WWII, where it had block-spanning crowds frequently. During this time, the theater became arguably the most famous South Jersey theater of all time, screening such films as The Towering Inferno, Holiday Inn, Blazing Saddles, Psycho, White Christmas, Brother of the Wind, The Poseidon Adventure, 1776, and The Trial of Billy Jack during its lifetime.
However, as the years passed, Vineland multiplexes and other factors began to "eat away" at the aging theater's profits, and after several problems arising from its plaster framework and structural elements, it finally closed on December 22, 1974. It remained vacant for 36 more years, losing most of its interior surfacing and theater seats, when finally the Levoy Theater Preservation Society purchased the theater in 1998 and completed its financial package for renovation in April 2010 at long last. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 14, 1998. The theatre was scheduled to re-open around July 2011.
The renovation project suffered a setback on January 3, 2011.[3] A section of the building's north wall collapsed, followed by the front wall, leaving most of the 100-year-old structure in rubble. One building nearby was deemed a total loss due to damage from the collapse. One firefighter, already on the scene investigating a gas leak prior to the incident, was struck and injured by falling debris.
Levoy supporters have vowed to continue the renovation efforts, they have confirmed that the theatre will open in 2012.
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