Former cinema to house Boys and Girls Club

The nonprofit Boys & Girls Club of Las Cruces, which specializes in afterschool and summer youth development programs, finalized the purchase of a new property for the club’s primary location, the organization announced this week.

The property, located at 1005 El Paseo Road, was the former Video 4 Theater owned by Allen Theatres. The Boys & Girls Club said it is purchasing the building using federal American Rescue Plan Act funds it received through the city of Las Cruces.  Its grant was for $1.388 million, the club stated. The original asking price was $1.5 million, the club said, but as “long-time supporters” of the Las Cruces club, the organization said Allen Theatres had reduced the price to $700,000, making an $800,000 in-kind donation.

The club has been located in a former church at 330 W. Las Cruces Avenue since 1965.

The club said it plans to launch a capital campaign to raise up to $10 million this spring to renovate and expand the property, with the goal to triple its capacity for daily youth services, including the construction of a STEM lab, gymnasium, arts facilities and a separate wing for teen members.

In a statement, Allen Theatres president Russell Allen said the Boys & Girls Club “has been an incredible resource for kids in our community,” and said the building made an appropriate now home, as the club had frequented the Video 4 cinemas on summer field trips in the past.

“The Allen family’s generosity has allowed us to forge ahead with the capital campaign and work to give our kids the Club they deserve,” Boys & Girls Club board president Kayla Fikany stated in a news release. “The Club is a ‘home away from home’ for these children and teens, and we are committed to building the infrastructure to expand to ensure as many youth as possible have access to our programs.”