Regal Cinemas sells old Triangle theater to local church

With moss clinging to faded exterior paint and boarded-up windows, the building had become an eyesore on one of Longview’s busiest thoroughfares.

Although the deal may seem unusual, it actually follows a broader national trend, said Todd Wade, a broker with Kelso-based Woodford Commercial Real Estate. Regal sells roughly half of its old theaters to worship groups, he said.

Regal vacated the Washington Way property and a sister movie house in Kelso when it moved into its 12-screen, 51,790-square-foot theater at Three Rivers Mall in 2014.

Wade said a frustrated Portland-based broker representing Regal reached out to him last July after the old Longview location had languished on the market for three years.

“She asked me for my opinion, and I said (the price) has got to be a lot lower than what you’re asking because it’s a lot of work,” he said Thursday in an interview.

The old theater, built in the 1980s, would have cost millions to repurpose as a modern retail store.

Wade also noted that the building faces away from the street — another negative in most potential buyers’ eyes.

“All of the big-box retailers that were interested in this town looked at it,” Wade said. “They all passed, and that’s why (Regal) was willing to drop the price and be more realistic about what they could do with it.”

Meanwhile, the congregation at Father’s House is ecstatic, said head pastor Chuck Tilton.

Father’s House, currently located at 1315 Commerce Ave. in Longview, has roughly doubled its membership over the past four years, he said. The new building will nearly double the church’s available seating from 350 to 640. The sale includes 1 acre of land, which will enable the church to offer more parking.

Tilton said the church plans to combine the building’s three smaller theaters into a large sanctuary, while its bigger theater will serve children and youth groups. The old building will get an elevator, he said.

Tilton said Father’s House hopes the extra space will allow the church to host other additional community events.

“We’re open to anyone who wants to use our building for positive things,” he said.

But it could still take some time for Father’s House to move into its new digs. The church is financing the acquisition in two different phases, Tilton said.

Father’s House secured an initial loan from Westland Financial, a bank that specializes in lending to churches.

Tilton said Father’s House purchased the theater with the understanding that Westland would help finance a major renovation when the church raises a second round of money for a $1.5 renovation. The remodel will include knocking down walls and adding flooring, a sprinkler system and other amenities.

The move-in date depends on when Father’s House can raise another $500,000 for the next phase of the loan, he said.

To that end, Father’s House is also looking to sell its current 18,000-square-foot-space on Commerce Avenue. Tilton noted that the building would be perfect for another smaller church that’s looking to expand.

“They could buy it on a Saturday and have church Sunday,” he said.

In the meantime, the church is planning to repaint the Washington Way building when the weather gets better.

“It could really use a spray and a paint,” Tilton said.