Village of Pelham Mayor Chance Mullen gave his blessing late Wednesday to an effort by James Smithmeyer, the developer who owns the vacant lot beside the Picture House, to continue discussions with the non-profit over ways to build a mixed-use apartment building on the combined properties that would satisfy the movie theater’s need for expansion.

Mullen’s statement is a step back from his position last week, when he and the Village Board of Trustees selected Patrick Normoyle as their preferred developer for the two properties, as well as two gas stations that are next door. The board’s decision on February 10 ignored the concerns of neighbors as well as the owners of the two gas stations, who insisted they had never been contacted by the village, and had no interest in selling their properties.

In a statement issued just before 7 PM tonight, Mullen wrote:

“As many of you know, the Village began an exploratory process last year, which included a competitive Request for Qualifications (RFQ), to find a partner who could help us create a coordinated plan for addressing the challenges in this part of our downtown.

“Since that time, the landscape has shifted in a meaningful way. During the course of the Village’s process, one of the RFQ respondents — who was not selected through the competitive review — acquired the closed gas station site that neighbors the Picture House. That change in site control creates a new dynamic that was not present when the Village first began its work.

“More recently, we have been informed that the Picture House leadership and the new property owner may now have an opportunity to explore a coordinated plan between them. If successful, this kind of privately-driven solution could potentially advance many of the same goals the Village has been working toward.

“In light of these developments, we believe the most constructive step at this moment is to allow space for those discussions to proceed and to see whether the parties are able to reach a mutually beneficial path forward.”

As part of his unsuccessful response to the Village’s request for proposals, Smithmeyer drafted a plan that involved building a mixed-use apartment building on his lot, and expanding the Picture House by adding two theaters without knocking down the historic building.

Mullen’s reversal comes a day after the Picture House held an open forum for its supporters. At the forum, the organization’s chairman Joe Marty and executive director Clay Bushong explained why the Picture House needed to add theaters and make other improvements in order for the cinema to thrive.