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This article was written by WTOP’s news partner, InsideNoVa.com, and republished with permission. Sign up for InsideNoVa.com’s free email subscription today.
The State Theatre is up for sale again.
According to a listing from Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, the iconic Culpeper downtown theater is on the market for $949,000. Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Simpson Realtors of Fredericksburg posted the listing last week.
Calls to the realtor were not returned Wednesday morning.
The listing reads:
“The historic State Theatre is situated on Main Street in downtown Culpeper. This 25,000 +/- square foot building was completely renovated in 2013. The property is zoned C-2, Central commercial district which permits a wide variety of uses to include retail, auditoria, theaters and assembly halls, hotels and a variety of other commercial and residential uses (complete list is attached). The property has a large theatre/auditorium which seated 548 (chairs have been removed) complete with a balcony and a projection room. The stage measures approximately 2,000 sf and was designed to accommodate theatre productions, bands and dance performances. Behind the stage are dressing rooms along with a loading dock and receiving area. The front of the theatre includes a large lobby, a box office and a concession area. Upstairs features a small intimate ~black box~ theatre space along with a conference room, catering kitchen and a large outdoor balcony. The property appraised in June, 2017 for $5.8 million (real estate ONLY, not including FF&E).”
Paige Read, director of economic development and tourism for Culpeper, had no comment on the listing.
In January 2018, the State Theatre was sold at auction to Marcus Silva, president of Villagio Hospitality Group. The final sale price was $726,000, following a 10% fee added onto the sale.
At the time, Silva said Villagio — which owns several Northern Virginia businesses, including Farm Brew Live, Trattoria Villagio, Little Villagio, The Black Sheep and Two Silos Brewing — planned to use the State Theatre as an entertainment venue, but Silva said it was too early to share their full vision.
Since then, the building has seen some activity in terms of construction but for the most part sat silent.
Built in 1934 and originally part of the Pitts chain of theaters across western Virginia, the State Theatre had a renaissance in 2012 with a $13 million complete renovation and furnishings/systems upgrade.
Investors from Rappahannock County, identified only as Melbell LLC, and another unnamed couple have invested $5 million in the 500-seat theater.
Until it closed Sept. 14, 2016, the theater was led by a volunteer board of directors.
