Syufy wants homes at former sites of domed theaters in SJ

Syufy Enterprises aims to build more than 500 homes on two of its former domed movie theater sites in San Jose.

The San Rafael-based owner and operator of the space-age theaters and its affiliate, SyRES Properties, have filed preliminary plans to build 257 units at 741 South Winchester Boulevard and 52 units at 5655 Gallup Drive, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

The firm launched its distinctive chain of Century domed theaters in the 1960s. Originally designed for Cinerama, using three synchronized projectors, they were refitted with flat screens.

Most of the theaters that Syufy ran were on Winchester Boulevard, near the sites of the Westfield Valley Fair and Santana Row mega malls.

In the past decade, preservationists have fought to prevent their “dome-icide.” The great majority of the domes have been bulldozed. But not all.

Syufy has proposed building 257 homes on 3 acres at 741 South Winchester Boulevard in West San Jose, where the Century 24 domed movie house opened in 1968 and was demolished in 2014.

In 2019, Syufy proposed a large health club on the property, but plans stalled during the pandemic.

Also, the company has filed early plans to build 252 on 3 acres at 5655 Gallup Drive in South San Jose, where a three-domed theater named the Century 5 Almaden Theaters operated. The former theater is now leased to Menlo Church.

Syufy has filed both plans under Senate Bill 330, a state law approved in 2019 to streamline housing approvals and block local governments from imposing housing and population caps, while curbing fees.

Last May, the owner of the domed Century 21 movie theater building at 3161 Olsen Drive in West San Jose filed a proposal to renovate the nearly 60-year-old landmark for adaptive reuse.

— Dana Bartholomew