Darien Playhouse Faces Closure Under New Development Plan: Report

DARIEN, CT — The more-than-100-year-old Darien Playhouse movie theater is facing closure, if a new development plan for the property is approved by the town's Planning & Zoning Commission and Architectural Review Board, writes the Stamford Advocate.

The property, which sits at 1077 Boston Post Road in Darien, was sold in January for $11.3 million to a development company managed by Jon Vaccaro. He intends to repurpose the site for retail shops and apartments, but would keep the historic marquis in the front.

Currently, the two-screen movie theater seats a total of 300.

If approved, the development would mean the closure of another area movie theater. In January, Norwalk's Garden Cinemas closed, primarily due to declining business after it lost its parking to a planned-but-delayed development project.

The application for the project at the Darien Playhouse, which for the time being is called "Darien Place," also talks of a drop in movie theater patronage, primarily due to online streaming.

Read the Stamford Advocate story.