'Dream Boyd Theatre' apartment complex celebrates ribbon-cutting, paying homage to the property's cinema roots

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — On Wednesday, the son of one of the main developers involved in the Dream Boyd Theatre Apartments project cut the ribbon to officially open the complex.

It marks the end of The Boyd's life as a "blighted" former cinema dating back to 1934, and a new era for it as an apartment building — with plenty of nods to its history throughout the building.

Through the main doors, a giant silver movie projector sits in an enclave — bringing back memories for many at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

"So it's another huge step forward for our downtown, and also helped with the transition from our core downtown into our surrounding neighborhoods."

Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds

One of the people with fond memories of The Boyd as a theater was Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds.

"I think I saw one of my first movies here. I came here to see Back to the Future. I came here to see Nightmare Before Christmas," Reynolds said. "I saw Independence Day here.

"So back in those days when you could have a single movie on a movie screen for 6, 7, 8, months — I certainly came here."

Beyond the nostalgia, Reynolds said he's excited as the mayor of Bethlehem for what this means for the bigger picture of the city.
Dream Boyd Theatre apartments

'Another huge step forward for our downtown'

"So it's another huge step forward for our downtown and also helped with the transition from our core downtown into our surrounding neighborhoods. And we couldn't be more excited for the project to come to the theater."

From Rep. Susan Wild's office, staffer Megan Beste delivered a commendation at the ceremony, citing benefits to the local economy and housing roster.

Neville Gardner with the Downtown Bethlehem Business Association also delivered remarks, praising the project and its impact on the neighborhood.

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Throughout the event, multiple speakers referred to the previous property as "blighted."

The space was once a bowling alley before becoming the Boyd Theatre in 1934 and closed in 2011 after repeated roof leaks and other structural challenges.

"What was here, folks? It was a blighted property,"

Bobby Gunther Walsh

The project, owned by DLP Capital, was the result of a bit of a gamble.

"What was here, folks? It was a blighted property," radio host Bobby Gunther Walsh said at the event.

"And when [Don Wenner] said he was going to buy this thing, I thought he was nuts. Seriously. I thought, 'How is he going to do this?' But he did it."

"He partners with people like Rocco [Ayvazov] and other people to turn what was a blighted area into something this beautiful, and 215 more families are now bringing business to Downtown Bethlehem."

More information about the apartment building is on their website.