Sunshine Cinema Faces Uncertain Future After Building Sold

LOWER EAST SIDE, NY — The Landmark Sunshine Cinema is facing an uncertain future after its building was purchased by developers who appear inclined to transform the theater into retail space.

The movie theater, located at 143 E. Houston St., has been open in the neighborhood since 2001. Last week, the New York Post reported that the building was bought by two developers, East End Capital and K Property Group.

Greg Kraut, a managing partner at K Property Group, did not confirm to Patch rumors of the theater's imminent closure, but noted that the cinema's lease would expire in 2018, and that the developers would look to fulfill "whatever the community thinks" the space should be used for.

"The Lower East Side is a historically retail-deprived area," Kraut said. "We'll meet whatever the demand is for."

Kraut alluded to the dramatic development of the neighborhood in recent years, saying that his company wanted to "continue to add to the transformation" of the area.

The Landmark Theatres chain re-opened the LES cinema in 2001 after restoring the iconic exterior of the building, which was built in 1898. The chain is planning on opening a theater in Hell's Kitchen in September.

"We have been notified that the building was sold and we certainly hope to operate for as long as the new owners go thru the permitting process with the city," a spokeswoman for the Landmark Theatres company said in a statement.

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Lead image via Google Maps.