Midtown Cinema (file photo)
Harrisburg arthouse patrons will need to take an extended intermission, as Midtown Cinema has closed temporarily due to flooding.
The remnants of Hurricane Debby swept through the Harrisburg area overnight and early this morning, causing widespread flooding and downed trees.
The cinema, located on Reily Street, suffered water damage inside the building, according to Rachel Landon, the cinema’s general manager.
“I woke up this morning to some incredibly difficult news,” Landon said, in an email. “It turns out Hurricane Debby gifted the cinema by flooding our facility overnight, and the damage in significant enough that we will have to temporarily close our doors for restoration.”
Water damage occurred “throughout the facility,” according to a cinema press release.
“The full extent of the damage is still being assessed, but it is clear that substantial restoration efforts will be required to return Midtown Cinema to working order,” the release stated.
Landon estimated that the restoration “may take several weeks, meaning that all future programming is cancelled.”
“This is an incredibly challenging time for us, especially after over two decades of serving the Harrisburg community,” said John Tierney, co-owner of LIFT Development and Midtown Cinema. “Midtown Cinema has been a fixture in the city’s cultural scene, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to restore the cinema and continue our mission.”
The cinema stated that employees will contact patrons who purchased tickets for cancelled shows.
Going forward, the cinema plans to keep members, patrons and the community updated on the restoration process through its website and social media channels.
“As we work through this difficult period, we look forward to reopening our doors and continuing to enrich, connect, and inspire our community through the art of film,” Landon said.
Midtown Cinema is located at 250 Reily St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.midtowncinema.com.
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