After months of closure, the Will Rogers Theatre has been purchased by a local theater company with the intent of restoring it to its original state.

Operators of the Majestic Theatre in Streator and Ottawa natives Tim Burke and James and Katie Troccoli purchased the Will Rogers Theatre.

The Will Rogers Theatre was closed in the summer of 2010 after being vacated by AMC Entertainment Inc.

Katie Troccoli said the group plans to undergo less of a renovation project and instead focus more so on restoring the theater to its original grandeur.

“We’re very much preservationists,” she said. “We want to make it back into a movie palace.”

Troccoli said the group, who has been running the Majestic for two and a half years, was also seeking another venue to expand upon their business as well as increase their buying power with studios for purchasing movie titles.

“We’ve been looking for a place when we walked through (the Will Rogers Theatre), and it was a solid and sturdy structure,” she said. “It’s in a great town, and it seemed like a good fit.”

Katie Troccoli, said Burke, who now lives in Hollywood, had an interest in preserving the theater because his grandfather was a projectionist there.

“He had a great attachment to the building,” she said.

Troccoli said the group will have a “mix of media,” including both movies and local and national live acts, once the theater has been restored.

“We will put up a large screen for the movies, the way it was meant to be seen,” she said.

Troccoli said the group has not begun restoring the building, but is anxious to see what they will uncover during the process.

“We’re going to try to peel back the ugly and find out what’s beautiful,” she said.

Troccoli said the group does not currently have a set date for reopening, but said they will take any length of time and resources it takes to ensure the building is properly restored.

“We’re a mom and pop group of individuals that have talent amongst us, but I’m sure we’ll be hiring people,” she said. “At any rate, we’ll take as long as it takes to restore (the theater).”

Troccoli said the support from the community has been positive so far.

“There’s a lot of supportive people there,” she said. “It’s a win-win for all of us.”

Sara Hall can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].