HVAC Contractor Installs VRF Retrofit to Give Historical Theatre New Use
To update the Ritz Theatre’s HVAC system, Hynak Air Conditioning & Refrigeration proposed a variable refrigerant flow heating and cooling system.
The Ritz Theatre, located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, was the largest of its kind outside of New York City in the early 1900s. Fittingly, Broadway shows debuted here before heading to the Big Apple. It was also the first theater outside of NYC to feature air conditioning.
Built by Italian immigrant Sylvester Poli in 1907, the Ritz theatre, known then as The Poli, featured seating for 2,000 and was constructed to host the best vaudeville acts in the world. Over history, talents such as Lucille Ball, Harry Houdini, Will Rogers, Buster Keaton and Walter Winchell have graced its stage.