Shanklin’s Grand Theatre

Ronceverte, Greenbrier County

2017 Update: No updates have been made available to PAWV in 2017.

As of the last update provided to PAWV in 2016, there has been no progress with the theatre.  It continues to remain empty and deteriorating.  The building was left to the owner’s family in his estate.  The family would like to comply with the owner’s wishes to transfer ownership of the theatre to the City of Ronceverte and the Ronceverte Historic Landmarks Commission.  However, due to the theatre’s second floor collapsing in and extensive debris, transfer of ownership has been halted until the family is able to clean out the debris.  Thus, any preservation efforts that the Historic Landmarks Commission could provide remain on hold, and the building will continue to deteriorate until such time that the family is able to clean out the structure.

2011: Shanklin’s Grand Theatre in Ronceverte (Greenbrier County) was designed by John Norman Sr., one of the first of West Virginia’s African American architects. Built circa 1937, it is best remaining art deco theater in the county. The Ronceverte Development Corporation intends to purchase the property, which sits in the heart of the downtown, to protect it from demolition. Future plans include restoring the theater for public use and as a community college cinema arts classroom. The old WRON Radio studios on the second floor will be converted for use as a recording studio.

Download 2011 Report