Demolition to begin on portion of Huntington Mall

BARBOURSVILLE -- Workers are getting equipment staged this week to begin demolition on a small portion of the Huntington Mall, where the movie theater will be expanded.

Demolition should begin next week, said Margi MacDuff, marketing director for the mall. The mall will remain open, with barricades protecting shoppers from the work areas.

Cinemark Holdings Inc. and the Huntington Mall announced earlier this month that a 12-screen movie theater will open at the mall in spring 2009 at the site of the former Carmike Cinema Inc. That theater closed in October 2006.

Plans include tearing down the old theater, along with the adjacent space once occupied by Morrison's Cafeteria. The spaces will be combined, and an additional area with higher ceilings will be added to accommodate the new theater.

It will have a concession stand that offers bulk and packaged candy, popcorn, hot dogs and fountain drinks and a cafe that sells Edy's ice cream, Starbucks Coffee and pizza, the mall has reported. Online ticketing will be available on Cinemark's Web site.

The theater will encompass more than 48,000 square feet and include more than 3,000 stadium-style seats and a state-of-the-art sound system.