Somerville Theatre Operators Buy Historic Davis Square Building

The approximately 47,566-square-foot building has been a fixture since 1914 and sold for more than $10 million.

By Benjamin Pierce, Patch Staff

Oct 28, 2026 11:10 AM EDT

SOMERVILLE, MA — The operators of the Somerville Theatre have purchased the building that houses the landmark venue and are asking the community to help support its future.

CSB Theatres, Inc., announced last week that it purchased the historic property at 49 to 55 Davis Square for $12 million. The building houses the Somerville Theatre, the second-floor Crystal Ballroom, and longtime restaurant tenant Mr. Crepe.

The company took over operations of the Somerville Theatre, Crystal Ballroom, and Arlington's Capitol Theatre in 2025. The purchase gives the group ownership of the Somerville property after previously leasing the space.

"We took a leap of faith with this purchase," said co-owner Ian Judge, a lifelong Somerville resident. "We dreamed of buying the building someday, but that day came sooner than anticipated."

The Fraiman family put the Somerville Theatre and Capitol Theatre buildings on the market this summer as part of a three-building portfolio that also included 36 College Ave. in Somerville. The theater properties each had an asking price of $12 million.

The family has owned the properties for decades. Melvin Fraiman purchased the historic Hobbs Building in Davis Square in 1984, and the family spent years preserving and modernizing the property, including restoring the Crystal Ballroom before its reopening in 2021.

According to a July announcement from CSB, the building owner's decision to retire prompted the sale. The company said at the time that multiyear leases were in place and that patrons should expect little to change in the short term.

CSB is led by Judge along with partners Ian Brownell, Jamie Mattchen and John "Jay" O'Leary.

The company said the building came up for sale on a compressed timeline, prompting the team to move quickly to purchase it. Financing came from First Citizens Bank and Trust Company, with Brownell and a second theater patron who asked to remain anonymous providing private loans to close the remaining funding gap.

"Luckily, there are people who believe in us and believe in the magic of this place, who helped make this purchase possible," Judge said. "With their backing, and the support of our local community, we know we can protect the theatre and its employees, keep prices affordable, and start laying the groundwork to preserve it for the next 100 years."

The owners have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help pay down debt from the purchase. As of Wednesday, Oct. 28, the campaign showed $67,975 raised toward a $90,000 goal through 523 donations.

According to the campaign, contributions will go toward principal and interest on the acquisition financing, including repayment of the private lenders. Organizers noted that donations are not currently tax-deductible because nonprofit status has not been established.

The company plans to establish a nonprofit next year to support programming. Other ways to support the theater include purchasing memberships, tickets, and limited-edition merchandise.

"The Somerville Theatre has always belonged to the people who show up for it," Brownell said. "And that's the devoted staff, the various owners who watched over it throughout its history, and most importantly, the neighbors and patrons who understand just how special this place is."

The approximately 47,566-square-foot building has been a fixture of Davis Square since 1914. Designed by Boston architectural firm Funk and Wilcox and built by Joseph Hobbs, the property originally included a basement café, bowling alley and billiards hall, 10 ground-floor storefronts, offices and the Hobbs Crystal Ballroom. According to the theatre, the building cost $200,000 to construct.

The theater opened May 11, 1914, with music, dance, and comedy performances alongside a two-reel film called "The Inventor's Wife." It was designed to accommodate stage shows, vaudeville, opera, and motion pictures.

The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has undergone several rounds of preservation work. Community opposition and the National Register listing helped persuade the owners to abandon an early 1990s proposal to divide the theater's interior into smaller screening rooms.

The owners instead used federal historic tax credits to restore exterior and interior features, including the large stage. The work earned a Somerville Historic Preservation Commission award in 1997.

Today, the theater operates three screens, including its 840-seat main auditorium. The auditorium can show 35mm and 70mm film prints as well as digital movies using a 4K laser projection system.

The venue has also hosted performances by Bruce Springsteen, U2 and Adele, along with author events featuring Stephen King and Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

The Crystal Ballroom originally hosted dances and community events before being converted into additional screening rooms. It reopened in October 2021 as a 500-capacity venue for live music, comedy and private events.

Meanwhile, CSB said it has secured an extended lease for the Capitol Theatre after determining it could not purchase both buildings. The lease extension reportedly runs for 20 years.

"While today's headline is that we bought the Somerville Theatre building, we haven't lost sight of the Capitol, which is an institution in its own right," said Mattchen, a co-owner and Arlington resident.

The Capitol Theatre building at 202 to 218 Massachusetts Ave. also houses businesses and apartments. The cinema celebrated its 100th anniversary last year.

"The Capitol Theatre is woven into the fabric of the Arlington community, and that will not change," Mattchen said. "Generations of residents have made memories here, including me and my own family, and that's a tradition we will continue. We look forward to working with the future landlord for years to come."