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Manhattan landmark is poised to shine bright once more, thanks to a star-studded cast of supporters and a timely government boost. The Metro Theater, a beloved Upper West Side institution shuttered since 2005, has finally found new life after selling to the nonprofit Upper West Side Cinema Center.

    The sale was made possible by a $3.5 million grant from Governor Kathy Hochul, coupled with $500,000 from the State Senate and hundreds of individual donations. The funds, combined with a hefty grant from Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg's Hearthland Foundation, helped carry the sale past its initial deadline.

    Founded in 2024 by Ira Deutchman and Adeline Monzier, the Upper West Side Cinema Center aims to transform the Metro Theater into a state-of-the-art five-screen cinema with education programs and a bistro. The Art Deco theater, which entertained locals for nearly three quarters of a century before its closure, will be reborn as a hub for international and independent films.

    The neighborhood has long been a "cinema desert," Deutchman notes, in need of a vibrant cultural destination to draw pedestrians and retail interest back to Broadway. The nonprofit's plans include a $20 million capital campaign to construct a new interior and enhance the iconic pink terracotta exterior.

    While some improvements can begin immediately, Deutchman hopes to complete the project within three years. "It's a timeline that's both ambitious and realistic," he says with a hint of humor.