ROME — The historic 1928 Capitol Theatre at 230 W. Dominick St. is the center of Rome’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative. It got a major facelift over the past year, including the restoration of its outdoor marquee and blade sign.

New shops have been popping up around the historic theatre, and more developments are on the way, including the unveiling of the new Copper City Lofts apartment complex in 2023, said Mayor Jacqueline M. Izzo.

“It will be transformational-type change happening in 2023 as projects unfold and Copper City Lofts opens, complementing what we’ve done on the western end of the block, with restaurants and businesses,” said Izzo.

As for developments downtown, “Our DRI is unfolding exactly as planned and in succession, projects are happening that we intended to include,” Izzo said. “Private sector projects are moving on — the Capitol was the largest DRI award, and that’s finished. Two new restaurants are part of the revitalization effort, and Copperccino’s, which went in just before that all happened, is also doing very well.”

Meanwhile, the venerable anchor of Rome’s downtown arts and cultural district, the Capitol Theatre, had seats, walls, ceilings and carpets restored to its 1939 authenticity, with a $2.5 million DRI grant project that began in late 2020. That project also included a replica of the theatre’s original marquee and blade sign.

230 W. Dominick St.

Capitol Theatre Executive Director Art Pierce said the DRI funds provided by the state have concluded. However, he said there are various items the theater is still working on to complete its restoration.

“Included among these is restoration of the lobby, recreation of some long-gone 1939 glass signs, and restoration of the theater’s poster cases,” Pierce described. “The poster cases were removed during façade work and are presently in storage, awaiting funds that will permit their complete restoration, after which they will be reinstalled. It is hoped that will happen in 2023.”

From a programming perspective, the theater will be celebrating its 95th year of operation in 2023, and a series of special events will take place in the 1928 structure throughout the year. Among the shows at the Capitol will be a screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” in October — all previous shows have taken place at the intimate Cinema Capitol next door — and a screening on the actual 95th anniversary of the 1928 opening on Dec. 10.

Capitolfest, an annual film festival at the Capitol, will be 20 years old in 2023, and plans are already in the works for special parts of the show, including a tribute to actress Mary Astor.

SummerStage will be back in July and August, and Peter Loftus is presently perusing potential musical shows.

The theater’s movie presentations will see a continuation of its Great American Novel series, offered in conjunction with Jervis Public Library and the Keaton & Lloyd Bookshop, which will include movie versions of the books “In the Heat of the Night” (Feb. 10 and 11), “The Magnificent Ambersons” (May 6), “Drums Along the Mohawk” (July 1), and “The Maltese Falcon” (Aug. 10).

Other movie screenings will include the annual Cartoon Madness (Feb. 20-25, this year’s theme being, “A Smattering of Sylvester”), Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (March 3 and 4), and the Drive-In Night Double Feature in July. And as tradition, “It’s A Wonderful Life” will be back, with next year’s dates being Dec. 15 and 16.

“At present, plans are in the works for additional live concerts and other live events at the Capitol as well, which will be announced soon,” said Pierce. “Cinema Capitol, next door to the main theater, will continue to offer first-run independent movies, as well as some major studio releases, on a regular basis. Currently operating four days per week, Friday through Monday, it is hoped that it will increase to seven-day-per-week screenings by fall.”