Los Gatos Wants Theater to Remain

The was put up for sale recently, and the news spread like wildfire after the reported it in its May 17 edition.

One of the business' owners died, forcing its other proprietors to put it up for sale, the newspaper reported.

Jack NyBlom, co-owner of Camera Cinemas, told the Weekly Times that he took over operation of the theater in 1993 and has a year left on its lease. 

He also told the newspaper that he has contacted listing agent J.J. Taughingbaugh of Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services to put the theater on the market for $3.2 million.

Meanwhile, town officials are working with their economic vitality representatives to make sure the theater remains in town for performing arts uses.

"It's a landmark in town, and we intend to maintain it as a venue for performing or theatrical arts," said Los Gatos Mayor Joe Pirzynski. "It's very important to us."

Pirzynski said the town is engaged with its Economic Vitality Department to ensure that all parties are aware of the theater's significance to Los Gatos and that it continue to exist in the format of film or performing arts.

"It's a very key part of our downtown," the mayor noted.

And the town does have control over what the new theater owners could do with it, Pirzynski said. 

The mayor said there are already a number of individuals who have expressed interest in buying the property, and "we fully intend to communicate with them that the theatrical use is very significant to the downtown." 

There would also be restrictions on parking and the number of seats the facility could have as it continues to operate in the future, he explained.

"There are opportunities within the continued conditions for this process to exert our focus of maintaining the vibrancy of the downtown," he said. "I'm fully confident that what we will see is some kind of theatrical performance. It's a great venue. The town loves it, and it's historical."

Jessica von Borck, the town's economic vitality manager, said Los Gatos is actively working with the broker to ensure that when the ownership change occurs the facility retains its theater use, and "we're certainly going to encourage that."

Von Borck, however, expressed disappointment with the potential loss of the facility. "It's such an icon to this community," she said. "It means quite a bit to the downtown and the downtown mix and its vitality."