Row House-Hollywood Theater in Dormont sets reopening date

The 99-year-old Hollywood Theater in Dormont is almost done with its latest makeover — and will be reopening in a few short months.

Now the Row House-Hollywood, owned by Row House Cinemas, the theater will throw open its doors again on Nov. 6 after years of renovation.

Brian Mendelssohn, principal of Row House Cinemas, discussed the theater’s new innovations at a media event on Monday.

“Since January, we’ve actually started the real construction. We’ve done so much. As we got more and more into the project, we realized how much more we had to do,” Mendelssohn said.

Row House Cinemas, with its original cinema location in Lawrenceville, acquired the Hollywood Theater in 2023 and has been working on extensive renovations and updates to the historic theater ever since. That includes plenty of things that patrons might not notice — like fixing the lobby’s sloped floor — and plenty that will be very noticeable.

One of the theater’s new aspects is actually very old: the Row House-Hollywood will be an “atmospheric theater.”

“ ‘Atmospheric movie theater’ means that you feel like you’re outdoors, even though you’re inside. It has a sky, it has buildings, it has stars. … It gives the illusion of a really magical atmosphere,” Mendelssohn explained.

Such theaters were popular a century ago, but aren’t so commonly seen today. This design harkens back to the original iteration of the Hollywood Theater, which opened in 1926.

“Nowhere in Western Pennsylvania is there one,” Mendelssohn said. “We’re the first atmospheric theater that’s been built since 1989.”

Many of these movie houses took inspiration from older European villages and courtyards, but — appropriately — Row House is looking to the movies for its theme.

Its design is inspired by the 1927 Fritz Lang science fiction film “Metropolis.” The interior design elements will pull from art deco themes, bringing the Hollywood full circle to when it was brand new.

“When you come here, you’re coming here to be entertained. You’re coming here for an experience. That’s what it’s about,” he said.

The theater’s main screen will offer digital projection, but it also has 35/70mm projectors that were originally used in the Byham Theater in Downtown Pittsburgh. The projectors have history: They were used for the premiere of George A. Romero’s 1968 horror classic “Night of the Living Dead.”

There are plans to start showing some films in 35mm projection this fall — likely kicking off with “The Exorcist” — and will ramp up to 70mm by late 2026 or early 2027. That will make the theater the only source of 70mm projection in the region. The Hollywood intends to show both older films and new releases.

On the theater’s basement level, everything is more modern. A Japanese-style arcade is planned, along with a second screening room that will seat 46, private media rooms for karaoke, video games and film screenings, and a full bar.

The downstairs theater will show more esoteric films, local premieres and events for the members of Row House Cinema’s film club.

The lower level will also contain a dressing room/green room for live performers, principally for the Junior Chamber of Commerce Players, a local group that does performances along with “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” This will be the group’s return to the Hollywood. Mendelssohn said it will be a much better and more comfortable setup for the performers.

Mendelssohn’s vision for modern-meets-classic extends to the entire theatrical experience.

“When you go to a concert, you could listen to that same music at home, but when you go to the concert, you’re surrounded by fans, you’re hearing that energy of the crowd, and that’s what really creates the experience. That’s the same thing here,” he said.

While the grand reopening will be on Nov. 6, Row House-Hollywood will be holding soft opening events during the previous month. Those events will be announced in early September.

Appropriately, the grand opening celebration will include a screening of “Metropolis” with live accompaniment, light bites and champagne. Tickets for the event are on sale now.