Park I & II Theatre

3015 Washington Avenue,
Racine, WI 53405

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LouRugani
LouRugani on March 2, 2021 at 7:04 am

The battle is lost. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1783568838634123/permalink/2998274050496923/

LouRugani
LouRugani on February 27, 2021 at 6:51 pm

Racine theater being demolished despite efforts to save it - Capitol Theater built in 1928 (Chernéy Amhara, Anchor/Reporter) After standing tall for more than 90 years, the Capitol Theater, as it was once called, is coming down in Racine.

The city ordered the demolition despite a local group’s efforts the past two years to save it.

The theater was built in 1928 and was renamed Park in 1981.

According to the city, there was more than $100,000 in unpaid property taxes on the theater, and the city said the past owner did not keep it up to date.

The group that has been fighting to keep it open wanted to buy and restore and repair the theater.

“And it could have been back to a public venue. Les Paul played here in 1930 when he was 14 years old. It is history,” said Judith Schulz, of Friends of the Capitol Theater. “This history belongs to everybody and when people love a building this much, and the history of it, elected officials should certainly listen to their constituents.”

The demolition will continue through next week.

WISN 12 News reached out to the city for comment on the protest and demolition but has not received a response.

©2021, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WISN-TV

markp
markp on February 26, 2021 at 9:34 pm

They are already making progress on the stagehouse. Once it gets to the auditorium forget it.

dansdriveintheater
dansdriveintheater on February 26, 2021 at 8:46 pm

@LouRugani nooooooooooooooo! so if it gets completely torn down it cannot be replaced also the the theatre still has a website!

LouRugani
LouRugani on February 26, 2021 at 6:31 pm

Demolition of the former Capitol / Park Theater on Washington Avenue in Racine began three days ago despite continuing pleas to the mayor, Cory Mason, for delays so the Friends of the Capitol Theatre could present its plans for saving it.

The daily Racine Journal-Times wrote that demolition was authorized for this month but was delayed by recent heavy snowfall.

The Friends of the Capitol Theater announced that it had raised sufficient funds to meet the theatre’s most pressing needs, but the group’s hard-fought and vocal efforts were unsuccessful in convincing city officials to delay demolition.

The Journal-Times reported that despite city leaders' repeated insistence that the building complex could collapse and injure someone or damage property with resultant litigation, the paper reported that the building was steadfast and its roof held tight during the recent onslaught.

LouRugani
LouRugani on February 15, 2021 at 1:20 am

The following is the Wisconsin State Historical Society’s file on the CAPITOL Theatre:

“3015-3021 WASHINGTON AVE, a Mediterranean Revival theater, built in Racine, Wisconsin in 1928. 3015-3021 WASHINGTON AVE, a Mediterranean Revival theater, built in Racine, Wisconsin in 1928. 3015-3021 WASHINGTON AVE, a Mediterranean Revival theater, built in Racine, Wisconsin in 1928. 3015-3021 WASHINGTON AVE, a Mediterranean Revival theater, built in Racine, Wisconsin in 1928. 3015-3021 WASHINGTON AVE, a Mediterranean Revival theater, built in Racine, Wisconsin in 1928. Historic Name:Capitol Theatre Reference Number:120910 Location (Address):3015-3021 WASHINGTON AVE County:Racine City:Racine PROPERTY FEATURES Year Built:1928 Survey Date:20012015 Historic Use:theater Architectural Style:Mediterranean Revival Structural System:Brick Wall Material:Brick Architect:Dick and Bauer Additional Information:A ‘site file’ exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office. Resurveyed 2015.

Built in 1928 as Capitol Theater. Movie theater and vaudeville stage. Theater twinned in 1976, closed in 1986.

2016- “The Capitol Theatre is located on Washington Avenue on the far west side of the city of Racine in the neighborhood of West Racine (Figures 1 and 2). The building occupies the entire parcel on which it sits. A sidewalk parallels the north side of the property and a narrow alley runs the length of the east side of the property between it and a commercial building and parking lot. Additional parking lots are located to the west and south of the property. Residential parcels are located at the southern end of the west side of the property.

Exterior The two-story Capitol Theatre was constructed in 1928.1 It has a rectangular footprint with an angled facade to conform to Washington Avenue (Figure 3). The building has a flat roof with a brick chimney stack. The rear portion, where the stage/screen was, is a story taller than the front of the building. The facade front Washington Avenue is divided into three sections consisting of a central pavilion housing the theater entrance flanked by a storefront bay on either side. The pavilion has a front gable roof that is capped in large tiles and is framed by wide brick pilasters. The pilasters have concrete caps. A decorative motif adorns the east pilaster. The pavilion’s second story is brick with tiled and stucco panels. A prominent window display on the pavilion’s second story consists of three one-over-one sash windows in arched openings. Each arch is framed in alternating bricks and concrete pieces, and Ionic pilasters flank the center window. Each of these windows has a relief motif set into the arch above the window opening.

The theater marquee divides the first and second story of the pavilion. The marquee angles outward over the sidewalk and has a stepped, vertical panel of lights at its center. The sides of the marquee have backlit message boards with changeable lettering. Each side is topped by a backlit sign that reads “The Park.” The theater entrance is glazed with two pairs of off-center glass doors with glass transom windows, and a plate glass display window is located to the west of the doors. The walls surrounding the entrance are clad in vertical wood siding.

The flanking storefront sections each have a shallow, tiled, shed roof within the parapet. Both sections are divided into three fenestration bays and have a single brick dentil course directly below the shed roofs. The walls are brick and have decorative brick and tile panels below the second-story windows, and concrete belt courses above the storefronts. The second-story windows are one-over-one sashes. The east section’s second-story windows are capped with lintels of alternating brick and concrete pieces. The east section’s storefront has a transom window that consists of square glass lights and spans its full width. The east two bays are glazed with plate glass display windows resting on a tiled wall. The store entrance is angled and recessed in the westernmost bay.

The west section’s second-story windows are also one-over-one sashes, but are unevenly spaced. The eastern and central bays have lintels of alternating brick and concrete that match those on the east section; however, the outer, western window is set into an arched opening with a motif that matches those in the center pavilion. The distinction between the western window bay and the other two bays is also enhanced by a small break in the belt course. The window’s arch is mirrored on the bay’s first story, which consists of an entrance recessed within an arched entryway. The arch is comprised of composite pilasters that are topped by alternating brick and concrete pieces on the outside of the arch and narrow concrete pieces on the inside. A storefront occupies the eastern two first-story bays of the west section. The easternmost bay is glazed with a large, plate glass display window resting on a tiled wall. The central bay has an angled, recessed pedestrian door. The remaining storefront wall is clad in vertical wood siding.

The east, west, and south elevations consist of brick walls with minimal fenestration. The east elevation has a stepped parapet near the center of the elevation. A pair of one-over-one sash windows is located on the second story of the north end, with a single one-over-one sash window below.To the south of the paired windows is an enclosed porch with a doorway and two plate glass windows, and is clad in horizontal siding. A window is located below that has been infilled. A single one-over-one window is located towards the south, rear portion of the east elevation, and several paired doors are located below grade along the elevation. The rear, south elevation has paired doors on the east and west ends of the first story, and a long, narrow window above a concrete block-filled portion towards the west side. The west elevation has a stepped parapet that mirrors that on the east elevation, and paired, single windows towards the north end. The approximate northern one-third of the west elevation has been covered in stucco.

Interior The main entrance of the theater, located below the marquee in the central pavilion section, opens onto a long, narrow lobby. The floor is tiled and the ceiling is coated in plaster with a rough finish. The side walls are divided into sections by pilasters, which are topped by an entablature with ornamental plaster running the length of the lobby. Within each segment is a rectangular panel, with ornamental plaster along the edges and glass-front display units in the center, which are also surrounded by ornamental plaster and topped by hooded light fixtures. To the rear of the lobby is a small foyer with an arched ceiling and ornamental plaster along the cornice. Small restrooms are located on the east and west sides of the foyer. The projection room is located above the foyer.

The original theater auditorium is located behind the foyer. The interior of the auditorium has been heavily altered from its original configuration. In 1975 and 1976, the theater was divided into two separate screening rooms? This was accomplished by bisecting the main theater down the center, from north to south. A partition wall was installed by cutting directly through the oval, coffered, plaster ceiling. The coffered ceiling contains ornamental plasterwork along the interior margins, and decorative stenciling is located between the coffer and exterior corners of the auditorium. In addition to loss of original material, there are many holes and other damaged areas in the ceiling. Other alterations have included installing a new wall at the front of the theater for the projection screen, installing fabric panels on the walls, and installing a ventilation system and drop ceiling, which also resulted in significant damage to the plaster ceiling. Some ductwork, and the metal skeleton of the drop ceiling and several ceiling panels remain. No theater seats remain in the building.

Behind the projection screen wall is the original stage/screening area of the theater, which was not as impacted by the interior remodel. Segments of the original plaster on the walls remain, including fluted pilasters and large panels outlined in ornamental plaster that reach from the floor to the ceiling. A large pilaster on each side, with paired brackets, supports a large arch spanning the width of the theater that has ornate plasterwork. A portion of the large, coffered ceiling is visible, although it was also bisected by the projection screen wall. To the front of the coffer is an ornate ventilation grill surrounded by stenciling.

The stage is surrounded by a large, wide proscenium arch that is covered in ornamental plaster, which is painted in many places. Above and to the front of the stage is an oblong ceiling coffer. To the sides, and slightly in front of, the stage, are two opera boxes. These are also set within arches that have ornamental plaster, and above each arch is a decorative plaster wreath and garland."

Bibliographic References:“Park I and II Theater.” Accessed April 1, 2015. www. http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/7439. RECORD LOCATION Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin

LouRugani
LouRugani on February 14, 2021 at 2:16 am

As demolition looms, Racine group holds out hope for theater By Bret Lemoine, FOX6 News, Milwaukee RACINE, Wis. - The wrecking ball is inching closer to a Racine theater built in 1928. Weather may have stalled demolition for now, but it’s not stopping one woman’s determination to save it.

If you’re surprised to see Racine’s Capitol-Park Theater still standing, don’t tell Judith Schulz.

“It will stand forever if no one knocks it down,” Schulz said.

Schulz continues her fight to keep the wrecking ball away. The city issued a raze order, and it was expected to be torn down this week.

“For me, my family built it. But my heart opened up to this whole thing when I started seeing how many other people care about this,” said Schulz.

In January, FOX6 News was there as Racine police kept Schulz and members of her Capitol Theater Friends group from going inside. Crews had just finished asbestos abatement and deemed the nearly 100-year-old building unsafe.

“Give this building a chance to relive its history in Racine forever,” said Joanne Haysmer-Wachs.

Schulz’s group announced in January that it had raised $40,000 in pledges to repair the building’s roof and brick walls. City officials said that wouldn’t come close to covering the $157,000 in unpaid property taxes that have accumulated over the last decade.

“The county has given us a couple of processes we can use. One is a payment plan – a monthly payment plan over five years,” said Schulz.

The city also estimates restoration costs could reach $9 million or more. Schulz, though, disputes that.

A city spokesman tells FOX6 that the crews contracted to tear it down have a total of 15 days to complete the project. Schulz envisions the space as a cultural arts center for the community.

“We submitted to the city on Feb. 5 a development plan. Yes, we should have submitted it sooner,” Schulz said.

Every day it stays untouched is another day Schulz can dream of an encore for the once majestic venue: “There’s always hope! It’s still standing.”

Schulz said her group has entered into a purchasing agreement with the building’s current owner. The 15-day demolition timeline started on Tuesday, Feb. 9 – leaving less than two weeks to be torn down.

Statement from the City of Racine:

“The City of Racine appreciates the dedication and enthusiasm of those individuals who want to preserve the Park Theatre. Unfortunately, the current owner of the building is engaged in what we call demolition by neglect. He has allowed the building to fall into terrible disrepair, has not paid taxes in many years, and is now looking to off load the property to avoid his responsibilities. While the group from West Racine has the best intentions, they have not been able to raise enough funds to cover the cost of repairs, take on the tax liability from the current owner which is necessary to acquire the property, or begun the capital campaign to raise the 9-13 million dollars to restore the building. The process the group outlined to the City includes hopes that the County will forgive the back taxes, foreclose on the property, transfer it to the City, and assumes the City would be willing to take on the liabilities owning a property in that condition. Even if this process were possible, it would require multiple votes from the County Board and City Council, and would take a significant period of time. While we understand that local residents have asked others to review the condition of the building, City elected leaders and staff must trust and rely on the 30 years of expertise that our Chief Building Inspector has in evaluating structures. He takes no pleasure in having to take down a building like this, but does not believe the structural integrity of the building will withstand harsh winds or heavy snows, let alone, the pounding and shaking of road construction set to begin adjacent to the building this spring. We hope the local residents will find other buildings which are less far gone to invest in and preserve, and that as a City, we must find ways to hold property owners responsible so that this scenario does not continue to repeat itself.”

LouRugani
LouRugani on February 13, 2021 at 1:40 am

Preservationists say they have the money to save the Capitol-Park Theater; seek meeting with city leaders

RACINE — The contract that authorized Azarian Wrecking to demolish the Capitol-Park Theater on behalf of the City of Racine went into effect on Tuesday. On Thursday afternoon, the building was still standing, the reason for the delay unknown. The demolition authorization lasts until near the end of the month. Sam Azarian, owner of Azarian Wrecking, did not return calls Thursday. Jonathan Eeg and Reme Bashi — members of the community trying to save the historic theater — were out in front of the building on Thursday, despite the freezing temperature.

“We’re still hopeful,” Eeg said.

The Friends of the Capitol Theater announced this week they had raised the money in pledges needed to address the city’s most pressing concerns, 1. That the building is dangerous, and 2. The city would be liable if anyone were hurt as a result.

“We can start next week,” Eeg said of the plan to secure the building.

They also submitted a 7-page development/restoration plan to the city.

They continue to seek a meeting with city leaders, namely Mayor Cory Mason.

Growing response

The group Friends of The Capitol Theater released a photo this week of the snow accumulated on the Capitol-Park’s roof, an aerial photo that showed the roof had not collapsed under the first serious snowfall of the winter.

Ken Plaski, the city’s chief building inspector, predicted the roof could collapse in the first big snowstorm. But the historic building withstood the storm, again.

Bashi said pledges and contacts continue to come in — not only from the U.S. but from other countries, as well.

Musicians especially are interested in the Capitol-Park Theater because it is where Waukesha-native Les Paul — then known as Red Hot Red — allegedly “got the bug” to be a performer and musician. Paul went on to invent the solid body electric guitar and is now enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Bashi said she only recently became aware the theater was in trouble. So, she went to work contacting people and trying to get the word out.

She said there were so many uses for the old theater, including the potential for a Racine Cultural Art Center.

“It costs the city nothing to wait,” Eeg said, explaining if the group just had three months, they could demonstrate for the city that the building could be saved.

City leaders have repeatedly expressed concern that the building could collapse and injure someone or damage property. Were that to happen right now, prior to anyone else taking over the building, the city (and thus taxpayers) could be held liable.

LouRugani
LouRugani on February 10, 2021 at 4:29 pm

https://cyinterview.com/judith-schulz-fellow-concerned-citizens-working-to-save-landmark-theater-in-racine-wisconsin-unclear-why-city-set-on-demolishing-it/?fbclid=IwAR0nNU7gp_sX4QbwOwfu-P1lcXQhCVCZ1hGQVx99MXDjGt3EEGTwzmove8M

LouRugani
LouRugani on February 7, 2021 at 4:31 am

https://www.wpr.org/listen/1757036 Wisconsin Public Radio report.

LouRugani
LouRugani on February 2, 2021 at 11:30 pm

(Jan. 30, 2021 by Bret Lemoine, FOX6 News, Milwaukee) Group seeks to stop demolition of historic Racine theater - Eleventh-hour efforts are underway in Racine to try to save the historic Capitol Theater, which later became The Park. City leaders said it’s too late, and it will be demolished in a matter of days. The latest, and possibly last, chapter for the theater plays out like a Greek tragedy. “There has been neglect. We admit that. The building does need work,” said Judith Schulz. Schulz and members of her Capitol Theater Friends group were met by Racine police Friday morning, Jan. 29 – stopping her or anyone else from getting inside the nearly 100-year-old building. The city’s building inspector posted notices on all of the theater’s entrances, saying the building is not condemned. Schulz said supporters have made pledges to restore it, but “not enough” money has been raised thus far but there is “enough to do the roof repairs.” The $40,000 they have been able to generate so far would only dent the $157,000 in unpaid property taxes that have accumulated over the last decade. “We could fix this. We could fix this in no time,” Jonathan Eeg said. Supporters are asking for a three-month extension to the raze order. “It’s never too late,” said Schulz. “The inside, the proscenium, the stage, the orchestra pit are still there. It’s like walking into time. And now, there’s a strong possibility that time has run out. The city is telling the group that representatives from the historical society will come and photograph the building’s interior before it is torn down on Feb. 9. In a statement, listed in full below, the city acknowledged the group’s good intentions, while providing some hard truths:

“The City of Racine appreciates the dedication and enthusiasm of those individuals who want to preserve the Park Theatre. Unfortunately, the current owner of the building is engaged in what we call demolition by neglect. He has allowed the building to fall into terrible disrepair, has not paid taxes in many years, and is now looking to off load the property to avoid his responsibilities. While the group from West Racine has the best intentions, they have not been able to raise enough funds to cover the cost of repairs, take on the tax liability from the current owner which is necessary to acquire the property, or begun the capital campaign to raise the 9-13 million dollars to restore the building. The process the group outlined to the City includes hopes that the County will forgive the back taxes, foreclose on the property, transfer it to the City, and assumes the City would be willing to take on the liabilities owning a property in that condition. Even if this process were possible, it would require multiple votes from the County Board and City Council, and would take a significant period of time. While we understand that local residents have asked others to review the condition of the building, City elected leaders and staff must trust and rely on the 30 years of expertise that our Chief Building Inspector has in evaluating structures. He takes no pleasure in having to take down a building like this, but does not believe the structural integrity of the building will withstand harsh winds or heavy snows, let alone, the pounding and shaking of road construction set to begin adjacent to the building this spring. We hope the local residents will find other buildings which are less far gone to invest in and preserve, and that as a City, we must find ways to hold property owners responsible so that this scenario does not continue to repeat itself.”

LouRugani
LouRugani on January 30, 2021 at 1:31 am

Group seeks to stop demolition of historic Racine theater (Bret Lemoine, FOX6 News Milwaukee)

Eleventh-hour efforts are underway in Racine to try to save the historic Capitol Theater, which later became The Park.

City leaders said it’s too late, and it will be demolished in a matter of days. The latest, and possibly last, chapter for the theater plays out like a Greek tragedy. “There has been neglect. We admit that. The building does need work,” said Judith Schulz. Schulz and members of her Capitol Theater Friends group were met by Racine police Friday morning, Jan. 29 – stopping her or anyone else from getting inside the nearly 100-year-old building. The city’s building inspector posted notices on all of the theater’s entrances, saying the building is not condemned. Schulz said supporters have made pledges to restore it, but “not enough” money has been raised thus far but there is “enough to do the roof repairs.” The Capitol Theater, renamed The Park, in Racine The $40,000 they have been able to generate so far would only dent the $157,000 in unpaid property taxes that have accumulated over the last decade. “We could fix this. We could fix this in no time,” Jonathan Eeg said. Supporters are asking for a three-month extension to the raze order. “It’s never too late,” said Schulz. “The inside, the proscenium, the stage, the orchestra pit are still there. It’s like walking into time. And now, there’s a strong possibility that time has run out. The city is telling the group that representatives from the historical society will come and photograph the building’s interior before it is torn down on Feb. 9. In a statement, listed in full below, the city acknowledged the group’s good intentions, while providing some hard truths:

“The City of Racine appreciates the dedication and enthusiasm of those individuals who want to preserve the Park Theatre. Unfortunately, the current owner of the building is engaged in what we call demolition by neglect. He has allowed the building to fall into terrible disrepair, has not paid taxes in many years, and is now looking to off load the property to avoid his responsibilities. While the group from West Racine has the best intentions, they have not been able to raise enough funds to cover the cost of repairs, take on the tax liability from the current owner which is necessary to acquire the property, or begun the capital campaign to raise the 9-13 million dollars to restore the building. The process the group outlined to the City includes hopes that the County will forgive the back taxes, foreclose on the property, transfer it to the City, and assumes the City would be willing to take on the liabilities owning a property in that condition. Even if this process were possible, it would require multiple votes from the County Board and City Council, and would take a significant period of time. While we understand that local residents have asked others to review the condition of the building, City elected leaders and staff must trust and rely on the 30 years of expertise that our Chief Building Inspector has in evaluating structures. He takes no pleasure in having to take down a building like this, but does not believe the structural integrity of the building will withstand harsh winds or heavy snows, let alone, the pounding and shaking of road construction set to begin adjacent to the building this spring. We hope the local residents will find other buildings which are less far gone to invest in and preserve, and that as a City, we must find ways to hold property owners responsible so that this scenario does not continue to repeat itself.”

LouRugani
LouRugani on January 22, 2021 at 5:49 pm

Azarian keeps contract for demolition of The Park, illegal padlocking of doors was a ‘misunderstanding’ - (Dee Hölzel Jan 21, 2021, Journal Times) RACINE — Azarian Wrecking will retain the contract to demolish The Park-Capitol Theater, 3017 Washington Ave. The Public Works and Services Committee recommended on Jan. 12 to award the contract to the second-lowest bidder, Veit & Co., rather than the lowest bidder, Racine-based Azarian Wrecking, which had bid $199,777 for the project. Concerns were raised about Azarian Wrecking after a company representative put padlocks on the doors to The Park, thus locking out the building’s owner. Owner Sam Azarian said the city failed to communicate the antiques in the building would not be part of the salvage. However, Azarian’s low bid was made with his understanding he would be able to offset the low bid by selling the antiques in the building. Apple was in the process of removing his belongings from the building when the doors were padlocked. Azarian said he could see through the windows that items were disappearing. Initially unaware that it was Apple removing the property, and concerned about protecting his bid, Azarian padlocked the doors. City Building Inspector Ken Plaski cut the padlocks off personally when he learned what was going on. Alderman Jeffrey Peterson, who made the motion to keep the contract with Azarian Wrecking, said the situation was a “misunderstanding” that should not cost Azarian Wrecking the contract. Additionally, if the contract were awarded to New Berlin-based Veit & Company, that would cost the city more than $25,000 more than the contract with Azarian. Aldermen voting in favor of the motion to keep the contract with Azarian were Peterson, Maurice Horton, John Tate II, Edwin Santiago, Jason Meekma, Jennifer Levie, Marcus West, Mary Land, Melissa Lemke and Sam Peete.

LouRugani
LouRugani on January 22, 2021 at 4:25 am

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10158922372623620&id=742633619 This is a petition to delay demolition in order to allow the Save The Capitol Theatre group more time to effect preservation.

LouRugani
LouRugani on January 20, 2021 at 12:11 am

November 13, 2020: Review of conditions at the Capitol Theater, Racine, Wisconsin. This brief report has been developed based on the conditions observed on November 6, 2020 without any consideration to the social and cultural importance of the theater to the Racine community, and what it represents as a valuable historical asset. For instance, we have recently been made aware that Les Paul performed on this stage at the age of 14 in the 1930s. We believe that the story of the place should also be fully explored and documented. The meaning of the effort and the building’s connection to the community can be amplified exponentially, but only if the building is fully restored and the effects of decades of neglect are reversed. Our review included a physical survey of the conditions onsite and a comprehensive visual review of the conditions of areas with minimal access utilizing a drone. We have over 30 years of experience in evaluating buildings for conditions that make them unsafe for the public. Our experience also includes the evaluation of stabilization and restoration needs for buildings in distress, and the determination of the potential costs required to complete the required work. The goal of our recent review was to determine the overall soundness of the subject building to a reasonable degree of professional certainty. We must reiterate that the work completed to date must be followed up with a full and extensive review. The cost for this work must be included in any budgeting prepared for the full restoration of the theater. Despite the obvious, egregious neglect of the structure over the past 10 or more years, the building does not appear to be in a state of imminent collapse. To be clear, substantial work must be completed without further deferral to avoid the continued deterioration of the building’s structural components. The building envelope has been breached for some time and water has been entering the building in several locations. The nature of the construction is, in our experience, more than able to withstand the leakage that has occurred. There has been obvious and substantial damage to interior finishes, but a significant amount of the original, historic and remarkable finishes remain intact. The structural elements of the building enclosure while stressed, are showing only minor to moderate deterioration to a level that is relatively easy to stabilize, not particularly difficult, to fully restore and very restorable. We have been involved with buildings that have been in much worse condition that have been successfully repurposed with new uses. The most significant of which is the Garver Mill project in Madison, Wisconsin. Details of the project are available online. We do not believe that the structure is in danger of catastrophic failure. Nor is it likely to reach that point within the next 1 to 3 years even with a continuance of the neglect that has caused so much damage over the course of the recent past. Apart from significant events, or “acts of God”, such as fire or extraordinary high winds the building appears to be able to withstand the elements in the near-term equally when compared to other buildings in the neighborhood as well as Racine as a whole. Assessing the building’s immediate needs we have determined a recommended scope of work to be completed during the reconstruction/restoration’s first phase (1 to 3 years) to include emergency work at the building’s roofs in the amount of $15,000. The full cost of roofing replacement, to be completed as soon as funds are available (but in no more than 10 years) is approximately $250,000. Similarly, the cost of all emergency repairs to several structural anomalies, the stucco on the building’s west side, the parapets, and other masonry issues is approximately $88,000. The full restoration of the building’s exterior which should also be completed as soon as funds are available (but in no more than 10 years) is $475,000. None of these estimates address the needs identified previously in discussions regarding the full restoration of the theater to a functioning condition. As stated previously, the work to complete a full historic restoration of the theater is in the order of magnitude of $10 to $15 million. Budgetary figures were developed with contractor/partners each of whom have completed more than 10 projects, in their primary trades, in the Racine region with ICA. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call. Best regards, InSite Consulting Architects Stephen E. Mar-Pohl, A

LouRugani
LouRugani on January 19, 2021 at 1:54 pm

(Racine Journal Times, Jan.19 2021) An inside look: The Park doesn’t appear to be in imminent danger of collapsing as city debates demolition.

RACINE — Two structural engineers examined The Park theater on Thursday, each independent of the other, and concluded the historic theater is in no imminent danger of collapse.

The Park, originally known as The Capitol Theater, has been under a raze order for more than two years after the city’s building inspector determined it was a threat to the safety of the community.

The engineers were Jeanne Denney of Racine — who worked as a structural engineer for 15 years before leaving to pursue other endeavors, according to her website — and John Gotter of Milwaukee.

According to Judith Schultz, of the Friends of the Capitol Theater, the two engineers welcome members of the Racine City Council to call with any questions they may have.

Schulz said both reported while the building needs work, it isn’t in danger of collapse. She added her hope the findings of the engineers would convince the City Council to put a pause on the process and give the community time to act.

The groups working to save the building say they are in the process of obtaining insurance. If they do acquire that, the City of Racine would no longer bear the fiscal responsibility if something were to happen to the building or someone were to be hurt by it — such as if part of the roof falls off and injures someone or damages property, at which point the city could be liable. “We’re not asking (the City Council) to stop and walk away,” Schulz said while pleading for more time. “We understand that if we can’t raise the money they will raze it.”

Architect’s report The theater has now been examined by two engineers and an architect specializing in historic restoration, Stephen E. Mar-Pohl of InSite Consulting Architects; all three agreed the building is not in danger of imminent collapse.

Here is an excerpt from the report by InSite Consulting/Stephen E. Mar-Pohl on The Capitol-Park Theater. InSite Consulting has been to the site three times and has flown a drone over the top to examine the roof.

Mar-Pohl has 30 years of experience that includes evaluating the structural integrity of buildings; identifying factors that make buildings unstable, stabilization, restoration; and determining potential costs.

The report prepared by Mar-Pohl indicates while the roof of the building has allowed water to enter the structure, the construction of the building was such it was able to withstand the impact of the water.

Mar-Pohl’s report indicated the structural elements while stressed were “showing only minor to moderate deterioration to a level that is relatively easy to stabilize, not particularly difficult to fully restore, and are very restorable.”

Although the estimated cost of a full restoration is $10 million to $15 million, the cost of emergency repairs is much less, the report said.

The Mar-Pohl report estimates the roof would need $15,000 in repairs within the next 1 to 3 years and a new roof within the next 10 years at a cost of about $250,000. The exterior would need about $88,000 in immediate repairs to the stucco on the west side, the parapets and the masonry.

Outside of extraordinary events, Mar-Pohl concluded, the building was in no danger of catastrophic failure within the next three years.

Mar-Pohl indicated InSite has been involved in the restoration of buildings in much worse condition that have been given a second life, such as the Garver Mill project in Madison.

When it was constructed in 1928, the building was known as the Capitol Theater. When it was remodeled into a movie theater, it was renamed The Park.

That reconstruction involved building, in 1976, what is functionally a second, smaller structure for showing movies within the larger brick structure.

The movie structure consists of false walls and a dropped ceiling. Schulz noted, during a tour of the building with a Journal Times reporter, that the internal structure is what is falling down and that the full structure isn’t collapsing.

There is no electricity inside The Park, so she shined a large flashlight over the dropped ceiling to show a metal framework where the ceiling tiles, which have now fallen to the floor, used to reside.

“I’ve seen in the newspaper (that) the building inspector said there’s more holes in the ceiling than ceiling,” Schulz said. “That’s what he’s talking about (the false ceiling) and it gives you the wrong impression because it isn’t the structural ceiling, it’s that false ceiling, and it has to go anyway.”

She explained during the process of restoring the theater, this second structure would likely be removed.

The tour was conducted by Schulz and Pippin Michelli, two preservation/history enthusiasts, with permission from the building’s owner, John Apple.

The preservation activists have begun to refer to it as the Capitol-Park Theater.

Due to the false wall that was built to hold the movie screens, the part of the building that housed the proscenium stage where plays were performed has been sealed off for 45 years.

A hole has been cut in that wall that allows visitors to step through and see the 1928 portion of the building.

“We’ve just stepped back in time,” Schulz said stepping through. “I had no idea this existed until last year.”

Painted plaster within the dilapidated and potentially doomed former Capitol Theater are one of the unique features of the historic building that later became The Park movie theater.

The proscenium that frames the stage is entirely intact, the curtains are believed to be the originals from 1928, and even the colored bulbs used to set the mood for vaudeville shows and silent movies remain.

Michelli, who described herself as an architectural historian, pointed to plasterwork on the proscenium arch, explaining that the painted plasterwork is one of the features that make the theater special.

There are similar types of plasterwork in European buildings, she said, but the decorative features are never painted.

Paul Zens, who also is involved in the effort to save the historic theater, noted that the fly infrastructure remains, which is usually not the case with historic theaters. The fly infrastructure supported the theatrical rigging system that allowed scenery, curtains, and sometimes objects to be raised and lowered.

The realities Along with the special architectural features are other realities of historical preservation. Schulz recalled someone saying the building needed to be cleaned up. “He is right,” she said with a laugh.

The birds that have been living in the theater loft have left a mess. The city’s building inspector noted in a report that “accumulation of feces in the basement level resulting (in) related odors emanating from the building at the sidewalk.”

But, Schulz attested, “that is no reason to tear down a building.” While there is a mess, the mess can be cleaned up and the history preserved, according to Schulz.

Michelli claimed that the interior of the Horlick Malted Milk campus was described as being in much worse condition than the theater, but the Horlick is getting a second life thanks to $100 million of planned investment. That level of investment, or anything close to it, has been lacking for The Park.

Other communities, too, have pulled together and saved their old theaters. Just across the Illinois border in Waukegan, for example, $23 million was spent to restore the historic Genesee Theater, which opened one year before The Capitol.

LouRugani
LouRugani on January 18, 2021 at 5:05 am

Azarian Wrecking could lose the contract to raze The Park, formerly The Capitol Theater, over allegations of misconduct after Sam Azarian padlocked the doors to the theater before the demolition bid had technically been awarded.The padlocks essentially locked out the building’s owner, John Apple. Sam Azarian, however, maintains the city’s bid documents were flawed and its representatives did not communicate with him.

The Public Works and Services Committee voted 3-1 on Tuesday to recommend the City Council award the contract to Veit & Company, located in New Berlin, who was the next lowest bidder after Azarian. Alderman Mary Land voted against the motion without comment. Alderman Henry Perez was excused from the meeting.

— Allegations of misconduct — The city issued a raze order on The Park, 3017 Washington Ave., due to concerns its deteriorated condition represented a health and safety risk to the public.

Apple said he was in the process of removing his property from the building when he suddenly found himself locked out around Dec. 16.

Apple was unable to access the building because someone — at that time he did not know who — had attached a large hasp to the door and padlocked it.

Ken Plaski, the city’s chief building inspector, said when he learned of the situation, he personally cut the locks off the doors.

However, Apple was locked out of the condemned building he owns, filled with his property, for three weeks.

A report has been filed with the Racine Police Department over the incident due to the alleged vandalism caused to the door and for allegedly trespassing on the property.

— A claimed misunderstanding —
Azarian Wrecking was the lowest bidder on the demolition contract at $199,777.00.

In an interview, Sam Azarian explained he intended the low bid to be offset by his ability to salvage what was inside the building and sell it. Normally, 100% of the salvage would go to the wreckers.

Apple had long used the building for storing antiques he has collected, which could be seen from the sidewalk.

Azarian said the city’s paperwork associated with the bid did not advise applicants that they would not be able to salvage the building’s contents, nor was he informed of the fact verbally.

Usually, bidders are notified if items associated with the building were not going to be available for salvage. For example, if a company was going to raze a church, they would be notified in advance if the stained glass was not going to be left in the building.

The items stored in the building were considerations that went into the bid, according to Azarian. “The bidders should have been made aware that none of that was included,” he said.

Azarian said he had been keeping an eye on the building and noticed items inside were disappearing.

He decided to put padlocks on the doors because, he claimed, he did not know it was Apple who was removing his property.

“I wanted to protect my bid,” he said.

However, when he checked back, those padlocks were cut and more items were taken.

“We put new padlocks on there, so they would not take any more,” Azarian said.

Azarian claims he advised Monica Santos, from the city’s finance/purchasing office, that property was disappearing from the building. He alleges Santos said she would advise Plaski, the building inspector, but Azarian did not hear back from any city representative.

He said he did not understand why no one called him and told him to remove the padlocks; however, as was noted at the meeting, the city said it didn’t know who was putting the locks on the doors.

Azarian expressed consternation that the city might spend close to $30,000 more on the contract than was necessary over what he thinks was a misunderstanding. Members of the committee expressed two primary concerns at Tuesday’s meeting.

The first was that Azarian padlocked the doors before the company was actually awarded the demolition — barring the legal owner from his property.

The second concern was the consequence of not using Azarian and going with the next lowest bidder, Veit & Company, which would represent nearly $30,000 in increased spending.

Alderman Jennifer Levie called the extra spending “fiscally irresponsible.”

Levie made a motion to recommend that Azarian be awarded the contract, which failed when both Aldermen Edwin Santiago and Mollie Jones voted against it.

Both were troubled by Azarian putting padlocks on the door before the company had actually been awarded the contract for the job, and questioned whether he could still be considered a responsible bidder.

— How contracts are awarded — State law does require municipalities to award public contracts to the lowest responsible bidder, with some exceptions.

John Rooney, commissioner of public works, explained that it was usually staff who determined who the responsible bidders were based on information companies submitted in their bid documents.

For example, if a company did not submit a bid bond with their documents, they could be disqualified from the process on the grounds they were not responsible contractors.

Scott Letteney, city attorney, echoed this comment, noting the city has been doing business with the Azarian company for 30 years and nothing in their bid documents caused the staff to be concerned about their responsibility.

As for the padlocked doors, Letteney said, “We all wished they hadn’t done that, but it may have come from a misunderstanding.”

The real issue, Letteney continued, was whether the company could complete the project responsibly.

If the committee opted not to go with the lowest bidder, there would have to be a finding that Azarian could not complete the job responsibly.

Jones noted that as long as Azarian has been in business, he certainly knew when he had been awarded a contract and was in a position to put locks on doors. Santiago agreed.

He expressed concern that Azarian may have broken the law by putting the padlocks on the door, which would have called into question whether he was a responsible contractor. Santiago made the motion that the committee recommend the next highest bidder, which passed. However, the motion would still need final approval from the City Council. — Annother option — The matter will go before the City Council for full consideration on Jan. 19.

The Council has several options before them. They could vote to accept the recommendation of the Public Works & Services Committee, or they could keep the project with Azarian.

However, there is a third option. The City Council could vote against funding the demolition.

Alderman Land specifically asked what their options were and was told by the city staff the raze order would stand no matter what — largely suggesting she had no options. However, the raze order was not an issue that was before the committee. The funding of the raze order was before the committee, and the aldermen retain the right to deny funding for a project they have reservations about. As such, the raze order could still stand, but without funding it would be moot.

Several aldermen have expressed reservations about the demolition of the old building.

As was noted by Jones, there is a large difference of opinion between Plaski and a private architect with 30 years of experience in historic preservation who inspected the building.

Plaski has stated there are portions of the building in imminent danger of collapsing. The architect has stated the building is in no danger of an imminent collapse. Regardless, without a change to the situation, if there is a collapse or the building’s dilapidation leads to injury, the city could be liable since it had assessed the building as being dangerous and did not act.

The Council also has the option to deny funding for the contract until such a time as they have more information.

DEE HÖLZEL

LouRugani
LouRugani on January 11, 2021 at 5:56 am

Here’s a new funding appeal: https://www.capitoltheaterracine.com/pledge/

LouRugani
LouRugani on January 8, 2021 at 5:49 am

On December 15, 2020, the low bidder was not awarded the raze contract because the Common Council sent it to committee for review. The vote was 11-3. This creates a brief opportunity to save the Capitol Theatre.

There are other options besides razing:

  1. Defer (table) the raze contract approval.
  2. Debate the need to spend $200,000 of taxpayer money to end up with an empty lot while citizens want to acquire the building.
  3. Verify the original inspector’s report for specifics vs. hearsay before making a decision.
  4. Review the licensed architect’s report provided by the Capitol Theater Friends which sets out the building’s actual conditions from on-site evaluations showing that it is stable and can be restored. (The Chief Building Inspector said it is repairable at the Commission meeting, Oct. 28, 2020.)
  5. Pause the raze order and work out a plan with citizens to protect, repair, and restore the theater as a historic landmark, public venue, and economic benefit to the City. The Public Works Commission Alders voted YES for Landmark status and to send the raze contract to committee. The Public Works Commission meets again on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. The City of Racine Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CityOfRacineWI/

The Capitol Theater Restoration Committee is affiliated with the West Racine Alliance (501-c-3 non-profit).

The Public Works Commission meeting is 5:30 pm, Jan 12, 2021. Members include: Edwin Santiago, Jr. (262) 822-8302 Henry Perez (262) 676-2364 Mollie Jones (Chair)(262) 634-2971 Mary Land (262) 456-6585 Jennifer Levie (414) 364-2192 Mayor Cory Mason (262) 636-9111

https://capitoltheaterracine.com/contact

https://facebook.com/friendsofthecapitoltheater

LouRugani
LouRugani on December 29, 2020 at 3:35 pm

A condemned historic theater, the subject of a struggle between the City of Racine and local preservationists, has received a midnight reprieve from the wrecking ball. Alderman Jeff Coe successfully argued recently that the city did not follow proper procedure in seeking funds to carry out the raze order on The Park.

The Council voted 9-3 to send the matter back to the Public Works and Services Committee for consideration on funding for the demolition of the building.

Aldermen Melissa Lemke, Jeffrey Peterson and Marcus West all voted against the measure. The same three earlier voted against giving the building historic landmark status.

The move to send the matter back to committee likely only buys The Park about eight days.

By law, the Wisconsin Historical Society has until Jan. 11, 2021, to photograph the old building because it has historical landmark status, which was granted on Dec. 3, 2020. Six companies have submitted bids for the demolition of The Park:

Azarian Wrecking LLC $199,777.00 Veit $225,000.00 Dore & Associates Contracting, Inc $227,600.00 The MRD Group $236,400.00 Jaramillo Contractors, Inc $245,000.00 Vassh Excavating & Grading $248,972.00 Before the voting could be conducted, Coe raised two issues. This first was the potential abatement cost for some of the environmental issues connected to the building, such as asbestos. As it turned out, that has already been contracted out. The second issue was that of process. “I would like this item sent back to committee,” Coe said. “It should not have come before us without having gone through Public Works.” Mayor Cory Mason countered, saying the matter never needed to go through committee; it was allowed by law to come before the council on a direct referral. However, Mason conceded, it was also true the City Council could vote to send it back. There has been some dispute on the structural integrity of the building: Ken Plaski, the city’s chief building inspector, condemned the building in part due to his concerns in that area.

At the Dec. 15 meeting, Plaski raised an issue that he has raised in the past: The masonry is in such bad condition that it could fly off in a storm and potentially create a hazard on Washington Avenue.

“This building needs so much money to be restored, it’s such a danger now, if there should be a heavy snow load, if there should be a strong wind, you have four sides of that building that could shed its brick façade and come down,” Plaski said.

City Attorney Scott Letteney confirmed the lack of structural integrity represents a potential liability for the city. If the city knew of the potential danger, took no action and someone were hurt as a result, the injured person could sue the city for damages. Coe countered that experts brought in by preservation activists disputed that claim, and he wanted to hear the opinion of a structural engineer. The Park has been under a raze order since July 2018. The owner, local resident John Apple, has been able to delay the process of razing the building — first by taking the matter to court and then by seeking a historic landmark designation.

Friends of The Capitol Theater, a group interested in saving the historic building (which was known as The Capitol Theater before becoming The Park), have delayed the raze order by organizing a response from the community to saving the building.

Friends of The Capitol Theater has brought in experts to counter the findings of Plaski, who issued the raze order on the grounds the building is a public hazard.

The group maintains it has accepted pledges from the public toward possible stabilization and restoration of the building.

LouRugani
LouRugani on December 4, 2020 at 4:26 pm

ood and bad news for the former Capitol Theater, 3017 Washington Ave. in Racine: despite getting landmark status this week, it’s still under a demolition order. (Bobby Tanzilo, Senior Editor/Writer, OnMilwaukeel - On Tuesday, the City of Racine bestowed landmark status on the theater, designed by architects Dick and Bauer – who designed Milwaukee’s Oriental, Tower and Garfield Theaters, too – and built in 1928 (the year after the Oriental opened). However, there is still a raze order in effect for the property, which means it could be torn down, depriving Racine of another vintage movie house. A website has been created to raise awareness and funds to help preserve the theater. The theater was built as a cinema and Vaudeville venue and was twinned in 1976, when much of the interior plasterwork was covered over and the Wurlitzer organ removed. In 1981, it was purchased by Marcus Cinemas and renamed the Park, due to its location across the street from Washington Park. It closed six years later. “The Capitol Theater was opened May 30, 1928 as a neighorhood vaudeville and movie theatre the interior was beautifully finished with ornate plasterwork and stencilling,” according to Cinema Treasures (from which we share the photo below). “A large indirectly light oval covers three quarters of the auditorium ceiling. The proscenium is decorated with plaster ropes flowers and twists. Two pipe chambers complete with false boxes are located on either side of the stage. At one time the theater boasted a 2/8 Wurlitzer pipe organ. … it has since been allow to suffer much decay and water damage.” According to the website, funds raised will help with much-needed exterior work to keep the building watertight. “If we can gather enough pledges for immediate repairs to the roof and tuckpointing ($110,000) maybe we can convince the city to pause the raze order,” reads the site. You can make a pledge. If the goal is not reached, your pledge will not be collected. “The Capitol is a part of Racine’s history,” the site notes, “with silent movies, talkies, vaudeville, newsreels, festivals, contests, radio broadcasts, comedy, performances and many memories.”

LouRugani
LouRugani on December 1, 2020 at 5:06 am

New CAPITOL Theatre website: www.capitoltheaterracine.com

LouRugani
LouRugani on November 18, 2020 at 2:44 am

On Wed. Nov. 18, 2020 at 4:30 pm CST, the Racine Planning, Heritage, and Design Commission will consider landmark-status for the CAPITOL Theatre via an internet virtual meeting as the 5th item on the agenda.

Access the meeting by phone via 1 (844) 992-4726 and use access code 132 475 2485

Prior to the meeting and public hearing questions can be submitted and/or plans can be requested by contacting the Department of City Development at (262) 636-9151, by facsimile (fax) at (262) 635-5347, or via email at .

Agenda: https://cityofracine.legistar1.com/cityofracine/meetings/2020/11/9126_A_Planning_Heritage_and_Design_Commission_20-11-18_Meeting_Agenda.pdf?id=a957229a-65eb-4789-9b8c-11eaf2a87c63

Committee members include Mario Martinez, Sam Peete, Christina Hefel, Marvin Austin, Mayor Cory Mason, Alderman Trevor Jung.

LouRugani
LouRugani on April 19, 2019 at 12:09 am

The city ordered the demolition of West Racine’s former Park Theatre eight months ago, and for that span of time, it has seemed like a sure thing. It is run down, condemned, vacant and in dire need of repairs. But a small group of city residents is hoping to give the theater a second act before wrecking crews knock down yet another one of Racine’s 20 former movie theaters, of which just seven remain standing today. Originally opening as The Capitol Theatre in 1928, the Park went on to show movies for 59 years. The property, purchased in 2006 by John Apple, is currently used as storage. “I’d like to save this one, if nothing else,” said Nancy Simonson, treasurer of the neighborhood group West Racine Alliance and one of the organizers of Friends of the Capitol Theater, the group looking to salvage the theater. “This city needs a theater.”

Saving the decaying structure would be a tall order, according to city officials. Apple owes $140,975.16 in delinquent taxes on the building dating back to 2008, records show. If the Friends of the Capitol Theater group were to purchase the building from Apple, it would still need to pay all delinquent taxes and invest more than $800,000 to get the building into a basic usable state before any renovations could be done, said Ken Plaski, the city’s chief building inspector. “There’s more holes than there is ceiling, actually,” Plaski said. A flock of birds has also been living in the building for a decade or more, and there is 3 to 4 inches of bird excrement piled up where they nest, he added.

The entire property is assessed at $150,000, but the theater itself contributes only $107,800 of value to that total. “You’re looking at a structure that not only has low value and hadn’t been maintained, but has actively been demolished by neglect of the current property owner,” said Amy Connolly, director of city development.

Simonson acknowledged “there’s a whole slew of things to get done” with the theater, but said she still wants to salvage it. “It’s not in great shape, but it’s doable,” Simonson said. “If we do it right and we do it right the first time, we might be able to save it.”

While saving the theater would be ideal, Mayor Cory Mason said, it does not seem to be in the cards right now. “I applaud the sentiment of the folks from West Racine who would like to see this building saved,” Mason said. “I’d like to be in a place where it could be saved, too. … It is an unfortunate outcome that we would like to prevent from recurring moving forward. The Park Theatre is just the latest example of demolition through neglect by an irresponsible landlord who’s let it get to this point. I would love to see the theater saved, too, but I can’t ignore what Ken (Plaski) has found there in terms of the structural integrity of the building — or the lack thereof — that would jeopardize health and safety.”

The topic of saving the theater will be brought up at the West Racine Alliance’s neighborhood meeting 6 p.m. Thursday at Wilson Funeral Home, 1212 Lathrop Ave., Simonson said. she plans to start a fundraiser by the end of the week with the goal of raising $2 million. By the time the group could raise that money, it may be too late. The demolition order is currently on hold after Apple filed for a temporary restraining order against the city. His lawyer, Peter Ludwig, erroneously filed the suit against the Village of Wind Point in August after the deadline, and Racine successfully argued the case was improperly filed, resulting in a dismissal. Apple appealed the dismissal in October and the case is still in appellate court waiting on a decision. The city is expecting a decision in April; if the case is again dismissed, Plaski said he expects demolition to begin in June. If Simonson’s group acquires the building and brings it up to regulation before the case gets out of court, the city may have further discussion with the group, City Administrator Jim Palenick said. “We wouldn’t have the conversation until that occurred,” Palenick said.

On August 28, 2017 the city issued a list of 24 repairs and inspections that needed to be done for the building to be habitable again. Apple did not fulfill any of the orders, Plaski said. In a phone call with The Journal Times, Apple claimed that he never received the list, the building is in fine shape and he “did a lot of” repairs. He also denied the city’s report that there was a pipe backup that filled the basement with 5 inches of raw sewage, claiming it was just water from a toilet overflow. “These people have their head up their (expletive), as far as that goes,” Apple said.

Apple declined to let a Journal Times reporter see the condition of the theater’s interior. Court records show that Apple was ordered not to let anyone in the building besides his son and himself, and is not allowed to put anything more into storage in the building. He paid $130,000 for the building in 2006. When asked twice what he would be willing to sell it for, Apple did not give a price and instead said he would like to stay involved with the building in some way. He added that he hopes the building does get saved. “I like old buildings. I like old houses, antiques. I like saving things,” Apple said. “I would hate to see it get torn down. It’s a solid building.” But city officials said Apple was wholly neglectful of the property, not reverential as he painted himself to be. “That would be like saying, ‘I bought this dog and decided not to feed it for three weeks because I love dogs,’” Palenick said. “Really? Come on.” Plaski said the theater stuck out as one of the worst buildings he has inspected and condemned. The exterior walls have not been maintained and the steel roof structure is compromised — and the whole building could have collapsed from a heavy load if winter had produced a massive snowfall, he said. “I didn’t feel safe being in there,” Plaski said.