Auburn Schine Theater

Any updates? Did it open?

Wow. Why demolish it? It's structurally sound, and will be absolutely breathtaking when it reopens.

Compare the above picture to this, of what it looks like today.

ok just a few coments opened sept 15th 1938 first film correct and please go to www.tourauburnny.com to check out the theater now any questions yopu can contact me at jakequill2k2@yahoo.com im just a teenager from auburn who loves this place

the chain was the schine brothers

The seating capacity of the Auburn Theatre when it first opened in 1938 was 1,802 seats. It was one of the last designs carried out by John Eberson.

It closed as a movie theatre in 1978 and was a nightclub for several years until the elcrical system was blown out during a concert. A video store was opened in the foyer in 1986 and the auditorium was sealed off and abandoned. The video store closed in 1992. Fundraising and community suppost paid for a new roof in 1998. Any further news?

I remember the video store and talked to one of the partners of the nightclub about the theatre. This was before the nightclub had opened and the theatre was still intact. I'd hinted that I might be interested in purchasing the theatre, but he showed no interest in selling at that time. He did, however, tell me about the Paramount in Hammond, IN. and how they were looking for investors. I'd seen the Paramount in Hammond from the exterior only and remember it had a nice marquee but I wasn't interested in investing. One of the nightclub investors just submitted comment about the Schine Auburn but it's posted under the Glove theatre in Gloversville. So for some more information about this theatre go to the Glove theatre.

Thanks Richard,
I have posted a link to this page from the Glove Theatre, Gloversville page.

The resotration of the Auburn Schines Theater is moving slowly, but it is moving forward under the Cayuga County Arts Council.

The building will never be destroyed it is under the watchful eye of the State Historic Preservation Organization and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It can only be preserved. It deserves recognition and respect as the architectural treasure that it is. It is a beautiful example of a John Eberson Art Moderne theater.

Restoration of the facade is underway, not including the marquee restoration. The interior of the building requires a large amount of asbestos abatement. Asbestos was released into the building when the roof collapsed. Present projects inside the building include some limited asbestos abatement and the restoration of electrical service to the building.

Information regarding the theater restoration can be found through the official web site listed here or by contacting the Cayuga County Arts Council through the Cayuga County Chamber of Commerce; 36 South St.; Auburn NY or email: cayugacountyartscouncil@yahoo.com

Were there many Eberson/Art Deco theatres built? Most of the Eberson theatres that I've been reading about on this site are Eberson/atmospheric.

And this summer I plan to make a trip to Skaneateles for a vintage boat show and will be traveling through Auburn enroute to Skan. so will most definitely stop and look at the Schine. It will truly 'shine' when restoration is completed!

John Eberson is best known for the atmospheric theater design. There are fewer Art Deco designs of his. He designed an Art Deco Theater in Bethesda, MD that was also built in the late 1930's.

We are unsure of the exact number of Art Deco theaters designed by him. We also are unsure of the number of them that still exist today. We would appreciate any citable information regarding these numbers.

Here is list taken from the text of the Theatre Historical Sociaety of America 1989 Annual; 'Glitz, Glamour & Sparkle' The Deco Theatres of John Eberson by Jane Preedy

Status of each theatre as per Cinema Treasures, if listed.

Paramount Publix Theatre, Nashville, Tennessee (1929) Closed/Demolished
Warner's Madison Theatre, Morgantown, West Virginia (1929) Open/Movies
Harris Theatre, Butler, Pennsylvania (1929)
Status Unknown (was shown as 600 seats-closed in 1941 F.D.Y.B.)
Madison Theatre, Mansfield, Ohio (1930)
Status Unknown (1,500 seats in the F.D.Y.B. 1941)
Beverly Theatre, Washington DC (1935)
Closed/Demolished
Penn Theatre, Washington DC (1935)
Closed/Housing
Dixie Theatre, Staunton, VA (1936)
Open/Movies (3 screens)
Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, Washington DC (1938)
Open/Movies
Boro Theatre (Bethesda), Bethesda, MD (1938)
Closed/Theatre Cafe ..National Register Listed
Lane Theatre, Staten Island, New York (1938)
Closed/Nightclub
Auburn Schine Theatre, Auburn, NY (1938)
Closed/Renovating
Newsreel Theatre (Guild), Rockerfeller Center, New York (1938) Closed/Retail
Earl Theatre (Eagle), Jackson Heights-Queens, New York (1938)
Open/Asian movies
Perry Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA (1938)
Status Unknown
Nostrand Theatre, Brooklyn, New York (1939?)
Closed/Gym
College Theatre, Brooklyn, New York (1939?)
Closed/Retail & Care Center
Schine's Oswego Theatre, Oswego, NY (1940)
Open/Movies (7 screens)... National Register Listed
Astor Theatre, Philadelphia, PA (1940)
Closed/Demolished

KenRoe: Thanks so very much as my favorite decor is ART DECO and my favorite theatre architect is EBERSON!

Patsy:
Did you make your trip yet? Can you get inside? I am going to this area in August and the theaters in Ithaca/Geneva/Auburn are on my itinerary.

TC: We didn't get to spend any additional time in Auburn as our trip actually only took us to nearby Skaneateles...that town being was our final destination, but we do plan to return and see the City of Auburn and another Schine theatre as there were many in the western NYS area under that name i.e. Palace in Lockport NY. The website shows that the theatre was very art deco in its day. Did find out that Auburn had, at one time, 4 THEATRES over the years!

Direct link for the 10/17/04 post:
http://www.tourauburnny.com/schine.html

I see where this link was posted and also a personal email so will try both of those routes and get back to this forum asap!

I tried the personal email address for "Jake" and it was undeliverable, but did visit the www.tourauburnny.com/schine.html site and found someone else to contact plus ordered a brochure which covers the Schine, the Willard Chapel, etc. Thanks TC!

I visited this theater on 8/21/05. The horizontal marquee has been stabilized but is still home to a few pigeons. The lobby is still being cleaned up from the asbestos. Looks like a lot of work to be done but the exterior appears very stable. Wonder if they plan to restore the vertical marquee, which is not currently attached to the building. Love the hot green accents, which can't be seen too well in the posted links.
I took some exterior photos that I'll post shortly.

Here are the photos:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d725b3127cce93a5c9efeebb00000016108AbNWzdw0aNy
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d725b3127cce93a5c9ec6f8800000016108AbNWzdw0aNy
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d725b3127cce93a5c9edeeb900000016108AbNWzdw0aNy
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d725b3127cce93a5c9ea6f8e00000016108AbNWzdw0aNy

Thanks for the photos.....sure is art deco and sure is worth restoring for one reason.....the name Eberson!

TC: If you come upon any interior photos, please post.

I saw my first movie, Fantasia,at the Auburn Schine Theater in the late 30's. During WWll I'd sit thru the movies twice, seven rows from the front and seven seats in. I'd have the planets on either side of me and the shooting stars above.. I couldn't wait until I was old enouth to get a job there and was an usher from 1953 until 1955.I love the place and I'm so glad they are renovating it.

I'll be visiting Auburn in the near future and will have a look-see at the Auburn Theatre. I hope that restoration has been started on this art deco EBERSON theatre.

Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999

Schines Auburn Theatre (added 1999 - Building - #94001333)
Also known as Auburn Theatre
12--14 South St., Auburn
Historic Significance: Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer: Eberson, John
Architectural Style: Moderne
Area of Significance: Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture
Period of Significance: 1925-1949
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Theater
Current Function: Vacant/Not In Use

After visiting the City of Auburn I can report that the Auburn has not been restored so don't know the current status.

Lost Memory: The current function is certainly "vacant/not is use" after seeing it boarded up and looking like it needed some TLC this summer.

Go to the website, they currently unveiled the restored doors, ticket booth and poster cases. Enjoy!!

http://cayuganet.org/arts/

The photos from the website are cool. Now this is beyond a shadow of doubt, a movie palace!!

The city of Auburn once boasted four working theaters in the 1940s. Many older folks in town say that the Schine was only the third nicest theater in Auburn. There were at least two other older theaters in the city which were much more beautiful in their time.

Sadly, the Schine theater has been an eyesore in the heart of Auburn's downtown for the last 40 years. It contributes to the poor and economically depressed appearance of a once beautiful city.

People in Auburn have talked about repairing the Schine for over 15 years, but it looks the same, if not worse now (2007) than it did in 1992. The owner put some new doors on the theater a few months ago, and that is the only noticeable improvement to the theater in the last 40 years. If folks were serious about restoring the Shine theater, the restoration work should have been completed or at least in a more advance stage by now. It is sad, but this theater is practically beyond repair.

If people visiting the Finger Lakes region want to see an Eberson-designed theater in nice condition they ought to take a short, half hour drive north to Oswego, NY. One can even take in a movie at the Eberson theater in Oswego while they are there.

I was in Auburn last July and decided to drive by this theatre. Unfortunately, it hasn't been restored which is such a shame as the architect was Eberson and perhaps time isn't on its side now.

Any idea when it will open?

While driving thru Auburn in the 80's; I stopped at a used bookstore and bought over a hundred autographed Vaudeville photos, all inscribed "To Lou" thanking him for his fine Conducting when they played Auburn... They appear to be from the mid forties to the early fifties. I'm assuming it was the Auburn Theater with a Vaudeville plus Picture policy around that time... If it was some other Theater in Auburn, I'd really like to know so I can correct my files. Thanks..

Here is a 2007 photo of the Auburn Theater.

This 2007 photo looks like things are improving at the Auburn. If anyone knows the latest, please post!

Progress seem to be going very slowly. Perhaps some more innovative persons are needed on the committee to come up with ideas to get more financial aid and speed up the project.The longer it takes, the more it will cost.

This is a vintage photo of the Auburn.

Lost Memory: Thanks for this fabulous vintage photo!

Patsy....The movie "Air Cadet" shown on the marquee had a release date of February 1951 according to Imdb so the photo is most lkely from the early fifties.

Another recent photo of the Auburn Theater can be seen here.

The marquee is in terrible shape as is this Eberson art deco former Auburn gem which is such a shame.

Lost Memory: I prefer to remember and view the August 11, 2007 b/w photo. Notice the banner that reads..."Bank Nite Every Thursday".

Isn't this theater currently being renovated? The timeline given on the "Related Websites" link above, stops at 2004. What has taken place since then?

Lost Memory: I'm not sure what is taking place. All I know is that I drove through Auburn enroute to another nearby town and didn't see any activity going on.

"The Cayuga County Arts Council will unveil the facade at The Auburn Schines’ Theatre on Friday January 12, 2007 at 4pm." This being the first sentence when I clicked on "Cayuga County Arts Council" there should be more to tell concerning this theatre by now.

The unveiling took place eight months ago. The website for this theater should be updated more often so people will know what the status of this theater is. It would also be helpful if the Cayuga County Arts Council would post some recent photos on their website.

I totally agree! We need to see recent photos and the next time I pass through Auburn I'll take a personal look-see.

This photo was taken in May of 2007. Its larger than the other photos that I posted and you can see more detail. It appears that work has been done to the exterior of the building, but the marquee still needs work.

Well, if this was a photo taken in May of 2007 and January 2007 was to "unveil of the facade" then they missed the mark on the marquee by not getting that important piece of history restored, imo.

Here is a December 1964 ad from the Auburn Citizen Advertiser:
http://tinyurl.com/2yrt4v

Here is a November 2007 photo.

A recent news article from the Syracuse (NY) Post Standard. Under the watch of FAST (Friends of the Auburn Schine Theater) the roof was replaced and the building secured against water and weather deterioration. Community spirit was very high, many people volunteered time, talent and funds to clean up the building. It felt like things were finally going to happen. That was in 2000. How many times does a city get the opportunity to restore and use an Eberson Art Deco Outerspace Atmospheric theater?! There aren't going to be too many more bites at the apple for the Auburn Schine Theater.

The Post-Standard (Syracuse, New York)
January 17, 2008 Thursday

AUBURN GRANT REQUEST DENIED; STATE REJECTS BID FOR RESTORE MONEY. PROJECT LEADERS PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD ANYWAY.

By Scott Rapp Staff writer


The state rejected Auburn's application for nearly $1.8 million in grant money, scuttling two major downtown projects for now.

Funding for a private developer was also denied.

Officials said Wednesday they're regrouping to decide what to do next.

The city applied for the Restore New York Communities Initiative grant money from the Empire State Development Corp. in September.

However, the city's application didn't match up against other municipal plans in the competitive process and the state didn't have enough money to fund all the projects, said Stefanie Zakowicz, an Empire State Development Corp. spokeswoman.

"There was $286 million in funding requested and there was only $100 million available. So unfortunately, that means there's a lot more people wanting a piece of the pie than we could feed," she said.

Here's what the city had planned to do with the grant money:

Give about $1.1 million to the Cayuga County Arts Council to continue restoring the historic Schine Theater on South Street.

Use $215,000 to demolish the vacant, city-owned Kalet's Building on State Street, which stands between several buildings that the Stardust Foundation plans to redevelop into a "creative corridor."

Dole out $434,000 to private developer Glenn Fletcher, who is renovating the former Disciples of Christ Church on North Division Street into a hall for business conferences, weddings and other social events.

City Manager Mark Palesh initially balked at adding Fletcher's request to the application, telling councilors he thought doing so would weaken the city's chances of getting the grant. He held to that position Wednesday but said he was unsure as to why the city's application ultimately failed.

Auburn received $1.8 million from the same program the year before to help a local developer build upscale condominiums on Logan Street.

The overall goal of the state grant program is to revitalize urban centers, induce commercial reinvestment and improve municipal housing stock, Zakowicz said.

"So priority was given to projects that could best leverage other state or federal redevelopment money, projects with plans fully in place and projects (that will) start within a year of grant funding," she added.

The county Arts Council had hoped to use the money to reopen the Schine lobby to the public and build a media arts interpretative center and retail store.

Susan Harris, the council's executive director, said she's disappointed at not getting the money but said her group will keep trying to raise the estimated $7.7 million needed to reopen the Art-Deco theater.

"We just have to keep plugging along. ... We have a big job to get people on board with what we're doing. That will be our focus," Harris said.

Scott Rapp can be reached at srapp@syracuse.com or 315-253-7316.

SchineHistoran: Thanks for posting this recent article! I sent my email to Mr. Rapp!

"How many times does a city get the opportunity to restore and use an Eberson Art Deco Outerspace Atmospheric theater?! There aren't going to be too many more bites at the apple for the Auburn Schine Theater."

Has anything happened with this theater. It looks like the pictures on the web site haven't been updated in a while.

It reminds me of the Eberson designed Colony Theater, now know as Shaker Square Cinemas in Cleveland on Shaker Square, one of the first preplanned shopping centers in the country. It was built in 1937 and had a balcony and 1500 or so seats.

Just picked up a postcard from 1945 in which the theater can be seen: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pulp-o-rama/2844076108/in/set-72057594129975085/

Monday is the 70th birthday of one of John Eberson's late era Art Deco masterpieces, the Auburn Schine Theater. On September 15, 1938 the outer space atmospheric marvel was unveiled to the public. Lighting fixtures shaped like comets and shooting stars, wildly Art Deco stars and "Jetsons" looking decor - it was like nothing Eberson had done before, or after. A truly one-of-a-kind treasure.

In 1999, THS visited the Schine Auburn and met with Friends of the Auburn Schine Theater (FAST) who were wildly enthusiastic about their restoration plan and the public support for a re-energized theater for their town and proudly showed off the neglected, yet still proud theater to our Conclave group.

Sadly, almost 10 years later, FAST was forced to disband by the owners of the theater and the Schine sits mildewing and with little appreciable progress from that happy day in 1999. No one is allowed to see the theater. This editorial appeared in the local newspaper yesterday in anticipation of the anniversary. There must be SOME entity who is up to the considerable challenge.

http://auburnpub.com/articles/2008/09/14/local_news/news01.txt

Thanks for posting this article and I, too, hope that some entity is up to the considerable challenge!!! If someone knows of anyone, please come forth! I thank you and so does SchineHistorian!

Apparently that link changes from day to day - here is the text of the Auburn Citizen article:

Debating the Schine's projectBy Todd A. Gaglianese

Saturday, September 13, 2008 10:18 PM EDT

Just look at building to see council's failure
File Photo / The Citizen
Arts council's stewardship of theater debated Seventy years ago, Auburn closed its schools and shops to make way for “The Pageant of Progress.” The pageant was a large celebration parade that ended up at the doors of Auburn's newest marvel, The Auburn Schine's Theater. About 3,000 people tried to cram their way into the brand new theater for the first afternoon show on Sept. 15, 1938. With a seating capacity of only 1,702, many first-time patrons were turned away until the evening show, which also sold out. The theater continued to be Auburn's centerpiece until the late '70s.

Today the same theater that brought famous movie stars into our little town is silent. The very building that was the hope for Auburn's future has little future of its own. Just 10 years ago the Auburn Schine's was world famous. Today, the world is wondering what happened. The project took off with a tremendous fire and then suddenly smoldered out.

I can tell you “first hand” what truly happened. The problem began when an already shaky Cayuga County Arts Council took on a worthy project that was much too big to be handled alone. Ideals differed, original agreements were not honored and tempers flared. The sudden loss of our friend and leader Dick Mahlstedt was another serious blow dealt to the group. Dick was the glue that held us together. All these issues and more resulted in the disbanding of Friends of Auburn Schine's Theater (who are credited with the project's early success).

Since then a struggling arts council, which can barely keep its own head above water, has been doing little more than trying to keep up appearances. Interested organizations, volunteers, television and media crews have all been kept away from the theater. Funding sources have dried up and to date not one attempt has been made by the council (itself) at a significant fundraiser or capital campaign.

As the monumental 70th birthday of a national treasure comes and goes without notice, it seems that there is no one here in Auburn who knows or cares. Meanwhile, the oblivious Cayuga County Arts Council keeps plugging away at tea parties, pathetic art showings and prestigious piano concerts that were all handed to them by their predecessors. Very little has happened there on South Street in quite some time. The monies left to the theater project by its previous board have all been spent on new doors and poster cases. Ironically, those doors are locked and the building still sits there totally useless. Directors have come and gone and yet almost no new funding has been secured. However, the present arts council did manage to get one meager grant a few years back that was added to the door restoration fund. That particular grant was secured by copying a previously submitted application and “tweaking it just a little.” A once credible project has fallen on hard times due to apathy, secrecy, false pride and ignorance.

Sadly on its 70th birthday, the Schine's Theater slips slowly backwards. The new mortar on the building's crown is cracking and falling away again. The new poster cases proudly display their fresh black paint now peeling away. The marquee sits empty because there are no volunteers to put a Band-Aid on it and again have it bringing in money and drawing attention as it was before. Large black trash bags now cover the window on the new doors in order to conceal the decay and rubble of falling plaster inside. On the rear of the building, small trees are now growing out of the corners of a new $160,000 roof. Clearly neither the arts council nor the community should be proud of what has happened here.

If you were to ask the arts council, they would tell you everything is fine and that they are moving ahead in leaps and bounds. Realistically, one only needs to open their eyes to see the real truth.

But do not ask the group for specific details about the building that your tax dollars paid for. That information is kept in total secrecy and locked behind those lovely new doors that are destined to fade long before they ever open.

If they ever open.

Happy birthday, Auburn Shine's Theater. Those who truly know and care for you are raising a toast to your future on the 15th.

-END-

Progress has been made; future is bright

By The Cayuga County Arts Council

The Cayuga County Arts Council is pleased to have the opportunity to talk about some of our recent developments and about our programs. We are excited to have recently moved into our new office in downtown Auburn at SS. Peter and John Church. This new location will enable us to be more available and accessible to the residents of Auburn and Cayuga County. Additionally, we are happy to welcome our new executive director, Michelle Graney. She already has proven to be a great asset.

Our organization serves a broad mission, which encompasses many projects both large and small. Each project serves the arts community while also serving the community at large. We are proud of them all. We are responsible for the New Year's Celebration, which is becoming one of the premiere family events in our community. We continue to co-sponsor the Adams Foundation Piano series, which brings to Auburn world class music programming. We are partnering with the Community Preservation Organization's Home Tour and presenting “Art in the Park” on Saturday, Oct. 4, where many local artists will be showcasing their work. We are members in good standing of the Historic and Cultural Sites Commission.

In addition to these and other projects, we also own the historic Auburn Schine's Theater. As the property holder of the theater, we have developed a comprehensive plan for its restoration and renovation. We understand that this landmark is an important symbol of our collective identity. We know that all of these projects contribute to the economic and social fabric of our county.

The renovation of the theater is an enormous project, but equally enormous is the potential benefit to our community upon its successful completion. Since we purchased the theater we have faced our share of challenges, and have enjoyed many successes. We are proud to have raised more than $1 million via state and federal grants, foundation grants and private contributions. Some of that money was used to restore some of the facade of the theater, including the doors, the poster cases, and the exterior brickwork. Unfortunately, it was necessary to use the balance of the funding on less glamorous work, such as roof replacement, sump pump replacement and asbestos removal. The good news is that the completion of all of these projects has served to prevent further damage to the interior of the structure. We can now proceed with our plan to renovate the lobby and make it accessible to the public.

We have received some criticism for the slow nature of the process, and we share that frustration. A large capital improvement project such as this requires diligent, tireless effort, particularly during difficult economic times. We are optimistic, however, that our dedicated board of directors, which continues to grow in experience and expertise, along with our motivated new executive director, will be able to build on past successes and restore the Schine's Theater to its original grandeur, for the benefit of the entire community. We have good reason to be optimistic, as we are proud to have received pledges of support from our federal, state and local elected officials. In addition, we have support from the New York State Council of the Arts, the major arts funding entity in the state. Most importantly, the citizens of our community recognize that we are lucky to have this architectural and historical treasure and that it is our duty to respect and preserve it. Together, with a spirit of cooperation, we can and will bring this important project to fruition.

The Cayuga County Arts Council Board of Directors is comprised of a hard-working group of volunteers. The success of our programming is dependent on the willingness of the public to donate their time and support. We welcome the contributions of our community members in all of its forms: volunteerism, financial donations, in-kind donations, constructive criticism and suggestions, and participation in our events.

For more information on ways in which you can become more active in the arts council's many projects, contact us at 169 Genesee St., Auburn, or call 252-0950.

SchineHistorian: Thanks for posting this important and timely article! An important phone number and address is now available for anyone who wants to become active in the art council's many projects so that this theatre can become the art council's MAJOR PROJECT for however long it takes to bring this theatre back to the citizens of Auburn!

This is a nice December 2008 photo.

Yeah, and I guess the fact that the sun is shining and there is no snow in sight makes it a nice photo for local residents of Auburn NY. One of my wishes for '09 is to see this theatre restored or on its way to restoration!

Maybe they should hold off on the restoration. It's already decorated in red and green for the holidays. :)

I agree with a Ho! Ho! Ho! :)

Here is a 2009 photo.

Lost: I wish the powers to be in Auburn would get their act together and restore this exceptional art deco theatre!

The exterior of this theater looks pretty good Patsy. I guess they are working on the interior. Not much information is given on the website link above about any progress being made.

Another photo of the Auburn Theatre.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/suzysputnik/1978810094/sizes/l/

The Schine's Auburn Theater is indeed one of the greatest of the remaining movie palaces, and without a doubt one of Eberson's greatest works.

One only has to tour the severely water damaged, but structurally sound building to realize that this place is still alive. As one tours the lobbies, the men's and ladies lounges, the great staircases, the balcony, the location of the original candy counter, the projection booth, and the hidden backstage dressing rooms to realize that there are ghosts here, who long to tell you of this city's, and this nation's past, and who long to point us in a new direction.

Auburn is a fascinating city, with a storied past. We have a number of great treasures here, including the home of William Seward, who of course was Abraham Lincoln's rival but eventual Secrectary of State. Seward is soon to be remembered in our first annual Founder's Day celebration, which will hopefully be highlighted by a visit by Governor Sarah Palin. Seward House is also hoped to play a role in Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln", which is based on Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals.

Auburn was also the location of Harriet Tubman's home, which is soon to become a National Park. Our South Street, which is the address for both Tubman and Seward's homes, will therefore be a one of a kind historic walking tour, highly unique for a city of this size.

Auburn is a blue collar town, an industrial town at heart. It is a prison town, which still boasts a large maximum security correctional facility in its center. And it's historical figures include the Osborne family, which was instrumental in prison reform in the first half of the 20th century.

Auburn is a fantastic sports town which has tremendous roots in baseball, still going strong in our Falcon Park, a very popular minor league venue located in the center of a small city neighborhood, a relic that is becoming an endangered species in modern times. This is a living, and vital center of summers in this community. And we have one of the greatest of high school football venues in our Holland Stadium, a bowl shaped park built into a hillside during the rebuilding efforts of the nation during the Great Depression, and still a great center of pride.

And Auburn has a vibrant arts and theatrical community, perhaps best exemplified by the Merry Go Round Theater, situated on Owasco Lake. This local venue has steadily grown into a major force in off broadway summer musical theater productions in the northeast.

Currently, there are a number of factors that therefore bode well for the restoration of the Schine's Auburn, which indeed shoud be the centerpiece of Auburn's revival. The Stardust Foundation has been a leader in number of new, and innovative efforts toward the resurrection of our downtown, and toward the future of this city. The aforementioned Tubman Home is soon to be a National Park, allowing for a great influx of interest and tourism to the area. The Seward House continues to raise important historical attention, and will only expand upon this during this year's Founder's Day, and the upcoming Spielberg "Lincoln" film.

And perhaps most importantly, and organization known as Musical Theater Festival is in its early stages, which has a grand vision of using the Merry Go Round Theater as a seed to create what can only be described as a new Broadway, with multiple venues of varying sizes, in the the Finger Lakes, with the epicenter in downtown Auburn. This indeed may transform downtown Auburn into a major theater district, just as it was back in the 1930's to 1950's.

The Schine's Auburn Theater indeed should be in the forefront of all of the above plans. This venue is like no other, locally or nationally. This theater can serve as the main venues for Musical Theater Festival, or if not able to serve their needs can still serve as a major Performing Arts Center that will be utilized by the entire cross section of Auburn's citizens, as well as those traveling to the area.

The past 15 years of attempts at restoration of the Schines's have not been without their frustrations. Indeed, what started as a strong and committed grassroots effort eventually floundered, and various difficulties have resulted in delays and roadblocks. Unfortunately, this caused great friction and divisions to occur, along with loss of confidence in the public. Nonetheless, those who were involved in the initial grassroots effot need to continue to be proud and realize that they SAVED this landmark, and the building still stands, ready for restoration.

Many now believe that now is the time for true collaboration, to make the vision a reality. This vision of a restored Schine's Auburn as the central site of a new theater district in downtown is of the utmost importance for Auburn, and for that matter for all of us who recognize the importance of great American landmarks in the fabric of not only our past, but our America's future.

We ask that all interested folks pay attention over the ensuing months; lend positive support, advice, and investment whenever and wherever possible. As an Auburnian, American, and Schine Theater Advocate, thank you for listening.

This was the Auburn back in 1981.

And here it is in 2009.

This is another 2009 photo taken by agilitynut.

I hope the proper people can collectively get their act together and effectively restore this unique theatre soon. Time is passing.

Tick, tick, tick, tick......