Little Theatre
Why it's listed
Located at 240 East Avenue in Rochester, the Little Theatre is a two-story Art Deco movie house completed in 1928 from designs by Edgar Phillips. Its street front is faced in black glazed terra-cotta, topped by a shallow stepped parapet and a band of lighter salt-glazed tile with zig zag and stylized floral patterns. A vertical neon sign spelling "Little" rises up the facade. Built for Francis K. Remington and the Motion Picture Guild as a silent picture house, it was altered in 1931 for sound films under Ben and Florence Belison. It later housed the Civic Cinema Association, whose members previewed artistic, foreign and unusual films, and before World War II it specialized in German language films. It is valued as the only surviving historic movie theatre in the central business district and as one of two intact small-scale Art Deco buildings in the Inner Loop area. It has recently reopened as a film house.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a rare, well-preserved example of Art Deco design in the Inner Loop Multiple Resource Area. It is also the only surviving historic moving picture house in Rochester's central business district. It keeps nearly all of its period features, including the black terra-cotta facade and original neon sign.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 85002860, listed October 4, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 240 East Ave., Rochester |
|---|---|
| County | Monroe County |
| Listed | October 4, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002860 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect: Edgar Phillips; builder unknown |
| Architectural style | Art Deco / Streamline Moderne |
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is rated fair. The theatre has recently reopened and continues to show film classics, art and foreign films. Alterations include a marquee added in 1931 and aluminum doors added in 1975. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.15598, -77.59744 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 85002860.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6652200
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.