For me, the grand opening doesn’t just bring out the obvious sentiments, but also raises the question of what the Institute will do with Proctor’s Theatre located on Fourth Street in downtown Troy now that EMPAC is complete.

While the new building has the potential to quell one of the most prevalent student complaints on campus—that there is nothing to do on the weekends—Proctor’s has had that potential and yet was left virtually untouched since RPI purchased it in April 2004.

The Institute originally purchased the old theater with intentions of developing it into a hotel, but due to Proctor’s architecture, developers could not find a way to transform it into one that was both sustainable and financially worthwhile.

Proctor’s began in 1914 as a “high-class vaudeville” theater and eventually started showing movies. In its heyday, the theater even boasted hosting such names as Jack Benny, Bob Hope, and Jimmy Durante, but finally closed in 1977.

Fourth Street has a gaping hole where Proctor’s stands, making that side of the street seem desolate—not exactly fulfilling the Institute’s hope of furthering its Communiversity efforts toward the “revitalization” of Troy.

Because students have such a preconceived notion about the city, many tend to avoid downtown, despite all it has to offer. If there was something to entice students to visit the heart of the city—like turning Proctor’s back into an entertainment venue—we might not hold such a negative view after a visit or two.

To be completely candid, I used to be terrified of leaving campus to explore Troy during my freshman and even part of my sophomore year. One of my friends from home said that, when he came to visit RPI for the Medalist Day last year, the first thing he did was roll up his windows and lock the doors when driving through the city.

After having spent the summer working downtown at Francesca’s Café, I have had the opportunity to interact with the Troy community much more than I had in my first few years at the ’Tute. I have seen that Troy offers a smaller hometown feel despite the city setting, and it just provides a good example of the saying “you can’t judge a book by its cover.”

Those who have attended the Troy Night Out events or weekly Farmer’s Markets can attest to how much the city can provide in entertainment on the weekends. This past weekend, restaurants from surrounding areas—including RPI’s Sodexo and the sustainable Terra Café—participated in the second annual ChowderFest, which had River Street closed off and swarming with hungry people.

If students were encouraged to explore Troy with the allure of something in place of Proctor’s, they might also wander down into the antique district or visit some of the unique restaurants.