Yonkers' Cross County cinemas getting upgrades, reclining seats

YONKERS - The Cross County Multiplex Cinemas are getting upgrades that include push-button reclining seats.

The venue's 10 theaters at 2 South Drive will all get the renovations, which have already begun in some of the auditoriums, according to National Amusements, the company that operates the cinemas. Large Dumpsters can be seen behind the cinemas filled with debris like old seats.

"Guests will soon enjoy the latest movie releases from the comfort of power-operated fully reclining plush seats," National Amusements spokeswoman Rachel Lulay wrote in an email Wednesday. "Once construction is complete all seats will be reserved, allowing guests the opportunity to select their preferred seats at the time of purchase."

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The first set of auditoriums that are being renovated are expected to open by the first week of March, Lulay said. Once all the new seating is in place, the company will renovate the lobby, a project that is expected to be completed by the summer.

The Yonkers cinemas are the latest aging movie complex nationwide to get an update to keep up with newer movie theaters in the region that offer reclining seats and online seat reservations. National Amusements' Showcase Cinema de Lux at Ridge Hill already offers reclining, stadium-style seating.

The cinemas are also the latest large property in the retail zone around the Cross County Shopping Center to get an update.

The owner of the Mall at Cross County, which sits behind the cinemas, began its renovation in 2017 and it is still ongoing. That mall's renovation highlight was the opening of a Century 21 department store Oct. 24.

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The Cross County Shopping Center, which is independent from the Mall at Cross County, began its nearly $300 million renovation almost 10 years ago and the upgrades have attracted many new stores and restaurants like Shake Shack, Starbucks and Zara.

Earlier this month, a Cross County Shopping Center representative said that the mall expects to add nearly 10,000 square feet of new retail in 2018. The mall also expects to redesign its children's play area this year.

Twitter: @ErnieJourno

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