Who We Are

Preserving a Local Treasure

Friends of the Oneonta Theatre (FOTOT) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We are a diverse group of volunteers who share a commitment to preserving the Oneonta Theatre, which is on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. Our mission is to revive the theater as both a historic building and a performance venue offering a broad range of events for the Oneonta community and the region.

In order to determine how FOTOT’s goals could be achieved, we partnered with the Greater Oneonta Historical Society in 2018-19 to obtain funding from the City of Oneonta to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study. The city had just received a $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant from the State of New York, and recognized that our mission fit into their vision for an economic revitalization of the city and the region.

The studies were conducted by Holzman Moss Bottino, leading theatrical architects, and Webb Management Services, noted arts business advisors. These studies include an architectural review and restoration study of the theater, including detailed cost estimates; and a business plan to determine the operational costs of running the theater once it is restored. You can view these reports in their entirety on the Studies page of this website.

Looking Ahead

In 2020 the FOTOT Board of Directors created a Limited Liability Corporation, 47 Chestnut LLC. The LLC Managers negotiated the purchase of the building, and worked to attract investors. The FOTOT Board continues to address our long-term planning goals.

As we continue to renovate the theater, we will be guided by our architectural study and business plan. We have contracted with historic architect Mark Thaler, the same architect that Proctors has used. He and his team have been working on site. Efforts are also underway to receive approval to utilize tax credits, a critical step in funding the theater's restoration.

FOTOT's Board of Directors and the 47 Chestnut LLC Managers, all volunteers, are dedicated and working hard every day. We pledge to work closely with stakeholders to create a thriving downtown district, anchored by a re-opened Oneonta Theatre. We appreciate the heartfelt support we have received as we endeavor to restore this historic theater to its former glory.