By Scott Brinton
Merrick architect and movie-theater developer Frank Corva was smiling widely that night as he greeted the dozens of people who streamed through the doors of his new theater.
Corva worked for three years to get the movie house built. He had originally proposed a theater across from Chatterton Elementary School, but backed off from the proposal when Chatterton parents protested, saying that a movie house would lead to traffic congestion outside the school and potentially endanger students.
David McDonough, who was elected to the New York State Assembly this year, has for several years acted as the Merrick Chamber of Commerce's downtown revitalization liaison. McDonough stepped in and helped Corva negotiate a deal to build the theater at the old Stone Caterers at Broadcast Plaza, across from the Merrick Long Island Rail Road station.
McDonough believes the movie house complements other revitalization projects in downtown Merrick, such as the recent completion of the new train station, the gazebo at Broadcast Plaza and the addition of street lighting and benches along Merrick Avenue.
More than two years of planning and construction went into the new theater, which workers were still putting finishing touches on last Saturday.
Corva and McDonough, friends for more than 15 years, appeared elated Friday night as Corva and his wife, Mary, sold McDonough and his wife, Carolyn, the very first tickets.
Corva, a Merrick resident since 1980, said he always believed the community should have its own theater.
Previously, Corva was as architect for the Bellmore Playhouse on Bedford Avenue and developed an independent movie house in Seaford. He has also served as senior vice president of movie-theater development for United Artists. In this post, he helped put up some 2,000 movie screens in 14 countries over 21 years.
Indeed, the movie-theater business has been good to Corva. He met his wife in a movie house. The couple connected in 1974 while both were assistant managers at the Sunrise Mall theater in Massapequa. They are now the proud parents of four children -- Frank Jr., Mary Beth, Theresa and Kelly.
Along with the Corvas, moviegoers were happy to see the new theater open. Andrew Tack, a long-time Merrick resident who was first on line at the movie house on Friday, said, "We've been waiting for this theater since the last theater closed."
JH
