Yesterday... The Kallet was originally build on Madison Street in 1912 and called the Madison Theater. It was the principal playhouse for the City of Oneida for years. The Madison Theater presented live stage productions by numerous traveling companies as well as vaudeville, silent movies, and the first "talkies."
In 1937 Myron Kallet built the "Ultra Modern" Kallet Theater on Main Street and it became Central New York's "showcase" for screen entertainment. The Theater was fully decorated in the Art Deco Modern style popular during the 1930's and 40's.
The Kallet closed in the mid to late 1960's, and the building was left vacant for several years. In the 1970's a 7,000-sq foot raised hardwood floor was installed at the stage level in the theater, and the revamped building was opened as a roller skating rink. By 1981 the doors were once again closed and the building left vacant.
Former Oneida Mayor Herbert Brewer appointed a task force of concerned citizens to look into the possibility of renovating the Kallet Theater to convert it to a Civic Center. As part of a renewal effort for the downtown section of the city, the building and adjacent parking lot had already been purchased by the City of Oneida. The building was in disrepair and had been vacant for several years. Its location and history, however, were ideal for this purpose. The building, located in the center of the downtown section of the City of Oneida, held fond memories and a lot of history for many area people who frequented the Kallet when it was a movie theater.
An outgrowth of the task force was the creation of the Greater Oneida Civic Center, Inc. This non-profit organization was designed to be run by a volunteer Board of Directors whose responsibility would be to renovate the building and oversee the ongoing operations of the center.
February 1983, Board of Directors, The Greater Oneida Civic Center, Inc., (The Kallet Civic Center), leased the Kallet from the City of Oneida and began to renovate the building. Volunteers from all walks of life joined together to bring the building up to code and make it usable for public events. The Center reopened to the public on April 16, 1983.
Today... In April 2019 the City of Oneida Parks & Recreation Department has taken over the day to day operations of the Kallet Civic Center. The Greater Oneida Civic Center, Inc. Board of Directors continues to hold events to enhance the quality of life for citizens in Oneida and beyond. This newly created partnership will allow the Kallet to continue as it has for the last century to be the civic anchor in Downtown Oneida.
Offering plenty of free parking, The Greater Oneida Kallet Civic Center is an excellent facility to rent for business meetings and expos, concerts, wedding receptions, reunions, dances, and craft shows. Recently, The Gorman Foundation has granted funds to the Civic Center to purchase additional tables and chairs. This now makes it possible to provide additional seating required for larger functions.
This is YOUR Civic Center - please call the Kallet at 315.363.3590 for more information on upcoming events, rentals, and how YOU can become a volunteer.
In 1937 Myron Kallet built the "Ultra Modern" Kallet Theater on Main Street and it became Central New York's "showcase" for screen entertainment. The Theater was fully decorated in the Art Deco Modern style popular during the 1930's and 40's.
The Kallet closed in the mid to late 1960's, and the building was left vacant for several years. In the 1970's a 7,000-sq foot raised hardwood floor was installed at the stage level in the theater, and the revamped building was opened as a roller skating rink. By 1981 the doors were once again closed and the building left vacant.
Former Oneida Mayor Herbert Brewer appointed a task force of concerned citizens to look into the possibility of renovating the Kallet Theater to convert it to a Civic Center. As part of a renewal effort for the downtown section of the city, the building and adjacent parking lot had already been purchased by the City of Oneida. The building was in disrepair and had been vacant for several years. Its location and history, however, were ideal for this purpose. The building, located in the center of the downtown section of the City of Oneida, held fond memories and a lot of history for many area people who frequented the Kallet when it was a movie theater.
An outgrowth of the task force was the creation of the Greater Oneida Civic Center, Inc. This non-profit organization was designed to be run by a volunteer Board of Directors whose responsibility would be to renovate the building and oversee the ongoing operations of the center.
February 1983, Board of Directors, The Greater Oneida Civic Center, Inc., (The Kallet Civic Center), leased the Kallet from the City of Oneida and began to renovate the building. Volunteers from all walks of life joined together to bring the building up to code and make it usable for public events. The Center reopened to the public on April 16, 1983.
Today... In April 2019 the City of Oneida Parks & Recreation Department has taken over the day to day operations of the Kallet Civic Center. The Greater Oneida Civic Center, Inc. Board of Directors continues to hold events to enhance the quality of life for citizens in Oneida and beyond. This newly created partnership will allow the Kallet to continue as it has for the last century to be the civic anchor in Downtown Oneida.
Offering plenty of free parking, The Greater Oneida Kallet Civic Center is an excellent facility to rent for business meetings and expos, concerts, wedding receptions, reunions, dances, and craft shows. Recently, The Gorman Foundation has granted funds to the Civic Center to purchase additional tables and chairs. This now makes it possible to provide additional seating required for larger functions.
This is YOUR Civic Center - please call the Kallet at 315.363.3590 for more information on upcoming events, rentals, and how YOU can become a volunteer.
