Newsweekly February 11, 1954

• A new feature at the A & P was a store to car bundle delivery service. "Check out with your purchases...get a parcel number...leave your bundles...drive your car in the parking area to parcel station...attendant will place your bundles in your car."

• A permit was issued for construction of additional screens at the rear of the building in November.
• The final configuration including Cinemas 4-8 is seen below.

Google Earth Pro, June 2010

• 1975 - Jade Theaters, Inc, of North Andover purchased 299-Chelmsford Street from Route 3 Cinema Realty Trust (Robert P Barsamian, Stephen G Minasian, and Philip J Scuderi, trustees) on March 19 (deed 2143/280).

• 1976 - The Board of Selectmen were concerned about the increase in X-rated films shown.

X-Rated Movies - Selectmen met with Philip Scuderi, part owner of the Route 3 Cinema, to discuss what the Board described as an "increase of X-rated films being shown at the Cinema." The Board was also questioning why ratings were missing from recent newspaper ads announcing films now playing at the local theater. Scuderi was reminded of an agreement made several years ago with the theater's management at which time it was decided to adopt a policy of refraining from X-rated or "hard-core" pornographic films. Scuderi was asked if the policy, as everyone understood it, had undergone any changes. The Board was prompted to meet with the theater's management as a result of Selectman Murphy's concern over several films which were shown there this past year such as "Emmanuel" and "Super Vixen."

Scuderi agreed that perhaps "Super Vixens" was a "mistake in judgment" but he expressed the opinion that on the whole the films shown at Rte 3 showed that a careful selection was being made to conform to the agreed-upon policy. It was his contention that during this past year only 4 films were questionable: the two already mentioned plus "Last Tango in Paris" and "True Blue." Describing briefly the manner of selecting films from those available, Scuderi said it was not always possible to have complete control, and an attempt is made to obtain films which have gained wide acceptance among sophisticated audiences as well as those which would appeal to a general audience. As to the absence of ratings in advertising, Scuderi said he would look into this and correct the situation. At the end of the discussion both the Board and Scuderi agreed the meeting was a "worthwhile exchange" of ideas.

Route 3 Cinema Criticized By Board

Chelmsford - Chairman of the Selectmen Towle informed the Board at its May 14 meeting that the Route 3 Cinema, contrary to a Board ruling of last summer, is not showing the trailer reminding customers not to park in the Mrs Nelson’s parking area across Route 110. Towle moved that since the Route 3 Cinema management has been cautioned repeatedly, the Board’s recourse should be to close the theater for one week, beginning Wednesday, May 16, for failure to comply with a Board ruling. The motion passed, with one abstention (Sel Blomgren). Blomgren, as a new member on the Board, is unfamiliar with the Board ruling or previous failures to comply.

Sel Emerson told the Board that his concern at the Route 3 Cinema is the traffic. Emerson explained that on a recent visit to the Cinema, there was no police detail, and he clearly feels this should be addressed. Emerson and Towle would like the Route 3 Cinema management to come before the next regular meeting, June 4, to discuss the “no police detail” situation.

Emerson believes that a common sense application should be applied to the Route 3 Cinema traffic problem. If the traffic is as heavy on a week night as on the weekend, then a police detail to deal with the traffic is in order. The Board will determine if a directive to the Cinema is necessary after listening to the Cinema’s representative ...

Cinema cleans up its act Also pays taxes
By Independent Staff

This week, the Route 3 Cinema City complex has passed an inspection by Health Director Richard Day and Its taxes are paid up. But that was not the case last week, when selectmen cited unpaid taxes and uncleanliness as reasons for denying a permit for a new theater. The cinema's owners paid $35,000 in back taxes last week.

According to Selectman William Logan, the cinema is also complying with an order by the Board of Selectmen to not open a new eighth theater built without a permit from the board. Several selectmen have taken exception to the fact that the cinema’s management built the new theater and then asked them to grant a permit for it.

The board will decide on a permit for the new theater at its Sept 16 meeting, a decision that will depend on a report from the Health Department. Logan said he visited the theater complex last Thursday and found cinema #8 closed, as selectmen had ordered.

"They also have a cleaner cinema," said Logan. "I think they have been upgraded as of last week. I think there’s been an effort to clean their act up." At last week's selectmen's meeting, Logan said he had received complaints about the stickiness of floors in the theaters. He said about 25 more people mentioned experiencing the same thing to him after the situation was reported in newspapers.

Day said he found only minor problems when he inspected the complex last week, such as sweeping that needed to be done under cabinets in the snack bar and some surfaces that needed to be washed in the men's room. But although the management just had the floors and carpets cleaned In the theaters, they were still sticky, said Day. Even newly painted floors were sticky, he said.

There could be several reasons for the stickiness, said Day. One could be the residue left on people's shoes from the newly-cleaned carpets, the residue left by substances used to clean the floors, or inadequate rinsing of the floors after they were washed. To get rid of the stickiness, Day said Route 3 Cinemas will have to change either its rinsing methods, the cleaners it uses or the concentration of the cleaning solution.

To prevent stickiness caused by spilled food and drinks, the cinema has installed trash barrels In the theaters with signs reminding people to use them, said Day. The ushers will also remind people who go into the theaters with food and drinks to put their trash in the barrels. The theater's management Is also considering running reminders on the screen asking customers to properly dispose of trash before each show, Day said.

Blockbuster theater sale made
By Michelle A. Brosnahan, Correspondent

A Cambridge-based company has purchased the property at Route 3 Cinemas for less than the price of a pair of matinee tickets, plus a heavy debt-load incurred by the former owner. The cinema, located on 4.1 acres at 299-Chelmsford Street, will continue to operate as a movie theater, according to representatives of the new owners, Route 3 Cinema Realty Limited Partnership.

Charles Morneau, who is handling the sale for the partnership, wouldn't disclose what was paid for the cinema itself, calling the price "confidential." According to the Middlesex County Registry of Deeds in Lowell, the property the eight-screen cinema sits on, was sold for $10, plus outstanding debts. The former owners of the property carried two $3.5 million mortgages on the property. The mortgages, written in 1988 and 1989 by trusts for the TA Demoulas family who are joint owners for the Demoulas and Market Basket supermarkets, will be assumed by the theater's new owners.

The Route 3 Cinema Realty Limited Partnership is headed by Paul E Glinski, assistant treasurer of Boston Concessions Group, inc. Morneau is an accountant retained by Boston Concessions. Boston Concessions deals primarily with food concessions at entertainment facilities such as movie theaters and ski areas, Morneau said.

Both Boston Concessions and the Route 3 Cinema partnership list the same Cambridge address. The newly-formed Route 3 limited Partnership was granted a $3 million, three-year mortgage by Boston Concessions. "The partnership owns the cinemas, though," Morneau added, "not Boston Concessions."

Records at the Registry of Deeds indicate that the former owner, Chelmsford Cinemas, headed by Daniel J Flynn of Boxford, paid $2.1 million for the property in 1991. Flynn was not available to comment by telephone. Town officials value the property at $1.8 million.

The sale clouds the future of a long-running dispute between Chelmsford Cinemas, Gervais Lincoln-Mercury, The 99 Restaurant and Pubs, and the owners of Cross Point in Lowell. The coalition of Chelmsford businesses have attempted to stop development at Cross Point.

New owners face fierce competition

The $15 million planned development around the former Wang Towers on Interstate 495 features a 14-screen Showcase Cinema and five freestanding, mid-price family restaurants.

Chairman of Ihe Chelmsford Board of Selectmen, Peter V Lawlor, said the local businesses objected to the site initially on the grounds that the Lowell Zoning Board of Appeals neglected to notify Chelmsford — one of the property abutters — during the public hearing phase of Cross Point's planning. Abutters are notified before such hearings so that any concerns can be voiced. It is up to the developers and the board to iron out who is responsible for the sometimes expensive research and mailings involved in notification, Lawlor said. The business owners felt their businesses would be threatened by such a large development and wanted input on the process, he said.

Cross Point co-owner Christopher Kelly said his organization has all necessary permits from Lowell's planning office, but can’t proceed until as many as seven lawsuits with the abutting Chelmsford businesses are resolved. The lawsuits have held up construction for more than a year. Cross Point hasn’t heard any news from the new Route 3 Cinema owners about the lawsuits, Kelly said. "As far as I know, they're still following through. We’ve seen no changes yet," Kelly said. Morneau said the partnership has made no decision about whether or not they will proceed with the lawsuits.

Final credits roll for Route 3 Cinema
By Scott MacEachern, Staff Writer

It was the final curtain call for the Route 3 Cinema. Last week, the movie theater closed its doors. The future of the cinema was in doubt when the 14-screen National Amusements Showcase Cinema was built just down the street and over the town line, at Cross Point in Lowell. In order to compete, Route 3 Cinema reduced ticket prices for first-run movies.

Ultimately, however, it seemed people would rather pay the extra money to see a film sitting in stadium-style seats and listening to the stereo surround sound of the new cinema. The fate of the bargain movie house seemed sealed when CRRT Incorporated of Waltham bought the building and property for $3 million in June. The main partner in CRRT is Brian Kelly, a former partner in Cross Point. Kelly and his partner Daniel Doherty could not be reached for comment.

In the past seven years, the cinema has changed hands three times. According to the Middlesex County Registry of Deeds, the 4.9 acres of property was bought by Daniel J Flynn of Chelmsford Cinemas for $2.1 million in 1991. The property was then bought for less than a pair of movie tickets in 1996. Route 3 Limited Partnership bought the property for $10, plus outstanding debts owed by the previous owner.

CRRT bought the property three months ago for an estimated $3 million. It is still unknown what will be done with the 4.9 acres of land on 299-Chelmsford Street. What is known is Kelly and Doherty represent Minneapolis-based Target discount stores in their hunt for northeastern US locations.

According to Denise Workoff, press coordinator for Target, the chain has an aggressive growth strategy, but has no immediate plans to locate a store in Chelmsford. "We look at 200 to 300 communities throughout the country a year,” said Workoff, "Out of those we only build 60 to 80 stores.” "It is too premature to comment on our plans," said Workoff.

On closing day, employees of the Route 3 Cinema hung a banner thanking the patrons who filled up the seats of their theater each week, escaping into the fantasy of film. The banner read, "To all of our loyal patrons, thanks for your many years of support, we have enjoyed serving you." The banner was then signed by each member of the cinema staff. There was also a letter posted on the window from a young moviegoer. The letter was accompanied by a crayon drawing of a little girl crying at a movie. The letter read, "Dear people at the Route 3 movie house, thank you, I will miss you."

Cinema site to turn supermarket
By Julie Hanson, Staff Writer

Stop & Shop Supermarket Company is planning to build a new facility on the site of the former Chelmsford Cinema on Chelmsford Street. Attorney Joseph Shanahan, Jr, presented the $10 million project to the Planning Board on behalf of owner Brian J Kelly and dcveloper Pinnacle Partncrs Inc.

The developers plan to raze the cinema building and construct a 67,000-squarc-foot supermarket containing a florist, a pharmacy and a bakery. After the approval process, construction time is estimated at seven to nine months. "This new location will allow us to better serve our customers," said Stop & Shop real estate development manager Joe Penney. "The demand for additional services can not be met at our current location and there is no room for expansion."

An additional 2,895 square feet of adjoining woodland was obtained from the state, bringing the total proposed development parcel to 6.62 acres. The builder intends to install a storm-water treatment system to improve the quality of water runoff into adjacent River Meadow Brook. Landscaping for the area would include planting more than 97 trees and 663 shrubs for aesthetic purposes with an additional 190 trees, shrubs and other plantings to enhance the wildlife character of the site, according to the plan.

During construction Pinnacle Partners proposes to create a sidewalk along Glen Avenue, realign he site's Chelmsford Street entrances with Route 3 on-off ramps, upgrade the traffic signal near the Route 3 ramps, coordinate the traffic signal near the Route 3 ramp with the light at East Gate Plaza, and remark traffic lanes to improve traffic flow. The plan must be approved by the Planning Board and the Conservation Commission ...

Stop & Shop plan back before board
By John Ciampa Staff Writer

Following a four-year court battle, a judge’s ruling has returned a proposal for a Super Stop & Shop at the old Route 3 Cinema site to the Planning Board. In September 2001, Valley Properties, owner of the Eastgate Plaza which houses a Market Basket across the street from the proposed site, sought to block the project through litigation on several counts, including that members of the Planning Board met illegally with attorneys representing the developer, Pinnacle Partners.

Last month, Justice Alexander Sands ruled in favor of Valley Properties that it would suffer an adverse impact to its property from increased traffic and parking shortages caused by the project.

His ruling also stated that the Planning Board needs to reassess the number of parking spaces provided for the complex because it miscalculated the building's floor area upon which the number of spaces are based.

Sands is also looking for the board to make minor modifications to the landscaping permit that it granted to Pinnacle Partners. Pinnacle Partners charged unsuccessfully that Valley Properties was challenging the town board's rulings out of fear of competition. But Sands did not find any evidence that former Planning Board member Kim MaeKenzie and current member Susan Sullivan violated the state’s open meeting laws by meeting with the developer’s attorney in private. In his decision, Sands stated the following: “Although I do not suggest that it is appropriate for a local board member to attend private meetings on a matter after the public hearing has been closed, there is nothing in the record to suggest that substantial justice in the local administrative processes has not been accomplished.”

Sands also upheld a prior site plan analysis by the Zoning Board of Appeals. At this point, the project is back before the Planning Board on Feb 9.

By RITA SAVARD

CHELMSFORD - It was 10 years in the making, but the final act for the crumbling Route 3 Cinema landed yesterday when demolition crews began tearing down the blighted old movie house. The property at 299-Chelmsford Street has sat idle since it was purchased by Stop & Shop in 1998 for $3 million. Suzi Robinson, a Stop & Shop spokeswoman, said the company plans to open a superstore on the site sometime this year. Although an opening date has not been etched in stone, town officials say the end of a decade-long legal battle between two grocery-store giants will mark a new chapter in Chelmsford's economy. "That location is right off the highway." Town Manager Paul Cohen said. "It is a gateway to the town and it will be nice to finally have something there instead of an abandoned building." ...

"It felt like you had to wait in line forever to get your ticket because the lines were so long. It was the place to be." said Tricia Dzuris, who had her first date at the cinema. She saw The Rose starring Bette Midler. Laura Bower of Lowell said the Route 3 Cinema was her first experience in a movie theater. The film was Ghost Busters (1984) and she was 10 years old. "I was so excited, but I ate way too much popcorn and ended up getting sick" Bower said. "And I didn't regret a second of it. That movie theater was the best!" Cohen remembers catching The Hobbit (1977) at Route 3 when he was just a kid. "The place holds a lot of memories for a lot of people" Cohen said. But that was a long time ago. The building sat in disrepair for several years. It will be good to see some life back in that area of town."