Washington Heights Theater Could Be Demolished Soon, Report Says

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — A historic Washington Heights theater may be nearing its end, according to reports.

Asbestos abatement work is now being conducted at the Coliseum Cinemas building on West 181st Street and Broadway, neighborhood blog Harlem Bespoke first reported. The abatement work could precede a full demolition of the building, which has been targeted by developers for conversion into a retail facility, according to the report.

Demolition permits have not been filed for the theater, but the real estate firm Zelnik & Company is advertising the space as a potential big-box retail store. Coliseum Cinemas first opened in the 1920s and has been shuttered since 2011.

The retail tenant that occupied a space in the building has also closed, Harlem Bespoke reported.

Last year, an online petition to save the historic theater received more than 8,500 signatures. The petition was started by a Washington Heights resident who used to frequent the theater as a child.

"Our community deserves to have a movie theater, where it was originally built to entertain audiences for decades to come," the petition reads.

Read the full Harlem Bespoke article here.

Photo by Google Maps street view