Inside this reimagined historic Columbus theater: events center and apartments

Vacant for decades, the historic Rialto Theater is coming back to life.

The building at 1231 Broadway in Columbus is more than 100 years old. It now houses 14 corporate apartments and an events center, designed to boost downtown’s energy and community.

Jason Gamache, president of the PTAP automotive shop, is the project’s developer. He gave the Ledger-Enquirer an exclusive inside look at the spaces and amenities that now occupy this Columbus landmark.

Jason and his wife, Alayne Gamache, said the Rialto Residences and Rialto Events Center are a dream come true.

“We love the city. We’re proud of the city,” Jason told the Ledger-Enquirer. “And so what we want to do is expose how beautiful our city is and all the cool things that come here.”

The building still can operate as a theater, but the renovation added an LED wall, quiet viewing rooms and space for over 200 people. The basement is designed to look like an underground downtown Columbus, and it will be used by Exodus Escape Games, scheduled to open at the end of the summer.

Upstairs, there are two floors of fully furnished corporate housing, comprising 10 one-bedroom apartments and four two-bedroom apartments. All furnishings, including the artwork, are locally sourced and meant to celebrate Columbus culture and talent.

“It’s all about local,” Jason said. “We’re trying to create energy in the building, but we’re really trying to create energy within the streets too.”

History of the Rialto Theater

The Rialto Theater first opened sometime before March 1919, according to Historic Columbus. By 1934, it was operated by United Theater Enterprises Inc., and later by Martin Theaters. The theater closed as an adult movie theater in 1972 after Carmike Cinema bought Martin Theaters, Historic Columbus reported.

Despite sitting vacant, the theater was used periodically for various events but was not consistently occupied. Ed Wolverton, former president of Uptown Columbus, told WTVM in 2022 that the facility was closed in the late 2000s.

“After that, it has been through a range of different owners or uses,” he said. “I don’t think there has been anything in the building since 2019.”

Jason obtained the theater from the W.C. Bradley Company in a real estate swap for the former downtown YMCA building, the Ledger-Enquirer reported in 2022.

Originally called “The Georgian,” the theater was one of the first buildings constructed exclusively as a motion picture theater and housed Columbus’ first theater pipe organ, according to the Rialto’s Facebook page.

Jason said he is passionate about historic restoration and has made an effort to preserve some of the building’s natural features and historical significance.

“We worked really hard to keep the original brick and a lot of the original architecture to the building,” he said. “I love that part. That’s one of my favorite pieces. To be able to take a building that’s been vacant … for 30-plus years and come in and reactivate it is amazing.”

Columbus has undergone significant revitalization efforts over the years, including a rebranding of the downtown area. Developers such as Jason have jumped on the opportunity to bring their visions to life in the city.

Tracey Green, director of communications and events at Uptown Columbus, said the Rialto Events Center is an “exciting location” that aligns with the nonprofit’s mission to transform the downtown area through the acceleration of urban renewal and the promotion of economic activity.

“We’re excited that the Rialto building has been refurbished to allow other organizations and events to happen in the Uptown area,” she told the Ledger-Enquirer. “It’s nice to have [a place] where people can come and experience different things. Anytime that we can open a building and put a new business in, it’s a great benefit to all the businesses in Uptown.”

Who’s moving in

Tenants already have begun moving into the space. Earlier this year, some of the movie cast and crew from the film production of The Life and Deaths of Wilson Shedd stayed in the Rialto Residences and gushed about their experience. They are just one example of the type of talent the Gamaches hope to attract and retain with their latest development.

“When Jason and I were working on this development, we really were passionate about how we can help these companies attract talent so they can retain them here in Columbus,” Alayne, who worked at the corporate level for 16 years, told the Ledger-Enquirer.

During her tenure, she noticed conventional corporate housing often confined people to a “concrete village” with little to no character and limited attractions, she said. Alayne said she wants companies to see that they can provide employees with a much different experience.

“[We want] to help them showcase why Columbus is a great city to raise a family and to put roots down,” she said.

Cascade Hills Church rents the Rialto Events Center for what they call Cascade Hills Uptown. But anyone can request to host their event at the venue.

In December, Matthew Cheves and other community members used the events center to host a holiday charity event benefiting the Bill and Olivia Amos Children’s Hospital at Piedmont Columbus Regional.

“Last year was the first time we used the Rialto, and it’s a beautiful space,” he told the Ledger-Enquirer. “It feels fantastic. I have nothing but great things to say about them. We had no hiccups, no problems, and we’re gonna use it again this year.”

Cheves said the event space is “very much a need” in Columbus, especially because it’s so accessible. Not only is it in the heart of downtown, but it also offers a variety of uses and appeals to a variety of groups, according to Cheves. He said he and other community members are excited to see the theater go from a relic of the past to a centerpiece of the area’s future.

“Seeing the transformation of downtown, it seems like a great fit,” he said. “Someone was able to take that Rialto Theater that’s been sitting empty forever and actually turn it into something fantastic.”

The events center will host a Nerf wars event, a free movie night and bingo this month as well as a back-to-school bash in August. To request to book an event at the center, visit rialtoevents.com.

This story was originally published July 9, 2025 at 5:00 AM.