The lights are off, the doors are locked and unopened mail litters the floor.
Cinemagic is gone.
After a legal struggle that threatened to bring the theater and Penn's University City Associates into open court, the two sides have apparently agreed on a settlement that will end their dispute -- though neither side was much willing to talk about it.
Both Cinemagic's lawyer, Jeffrey Saltz, and the University remained tight-lipped as to what the precise terms of the agreement are.
"The parties have resolved their dispute," Saltz said. "The terms are confidential."
Whatever the details, legal records show that on March 3, Cinemagic withdrew its petition to strike or open the confession of judgement that UCA had previously won.
In a confession of judgement, a case receives an instant judgement without a court hearing.
According to University spokesman Tony Sorrentino, Cinemagic closed its business and left its 3925 Walnut St. location over the weekend.
"The cinema vacated the property as of March 12, 2005," Sorrentino said.
Saltz disagreed with the date, and pointed out that Cinemagic left of its own volition.
"I believe it was before March 12. It was March 11," Saltz said. "They were not evicted."
A judgement UCA entered against Cinemagic last July claims that the theater owes a total of $49,263.44. The University said that by last month Cinemagic owed approximately $100,000 in overdue rental payments.
The University is exploring options for the property that Cinemagic had occupied but has made no decisions yet.
"Our plans are to research and identify exciting real estate development opportunities for that location which will enhance the quality of life in University City," Sorrentino wrote in an e-mail interview.
Cinemagic's future is also uncertain, but its prospects do not look encouraging.
"I don't think they have any current plans to reopen," Saltz said.
Cinemagic President Andrew Sheppard said last month that he believes the motivation behind the University's original threat of eviction lay in its greater goal of revamping the 3900 block of Walnut Street.
The theater had a 20-year lease that was slated to end next year.
The Internal Revenue Service had previously placed a federal tax lien --a claim against assets of a person or business that owes back taxes -- on the campus theater.
The lien states that Cinemagic is responsible for $12,080.99 in unpaid taxes. This debt is in addition to what the company owes the University.
