Robert Kirk Headley is retired and living in the Washington D.C. area, and can be reached through the Theatre Historical Society of America (for which he was once Editor of their MARQUEE magazine) at: www.HistoricTheatres.org where on their front page you will find the Ex. Director’s E-mail; contact him and ask him to forward a message to the author asking if him if he happens to have any more copies he could sell you (some publishers will give unsold copies to the author).
I don’t know if it is available internationally, but most all libraries in the USA subscribe to the national Inter-Library Loan Service and are linked electronically. You might ask your nearest large public library to check to see if they are able to obtain a loan of a copy via this service, where your local library acts as the lending agent and assumes responsibility for the book. It is likely that they will ask you for the to-and-fro shipping charges in advance.
The Society does list the book in their BOOKSTORE link, but no source for it.
Mr. Lundy is quite right that the ROXY probably looked “tired” in the late ‘50s, since by then the palaces had been divested by the chains that once owned them, and local or regional owners were in it only for the money and virtually all serious upkeep was discontinued. The corps of ushers disappeared, as soon did the stagehands, and so gradually did the audience as most of those who could afford to, moved to the suburbs in most cities and the big theatres were no longer very profitable. It cost a lot more to keep such huge palaces as the ROXY clean, and lit, and few owners/operators were willing to make an investment in them as they perceived the scene changing to the suburban single screen, soon to be replaced itself with the multiplex and later the automated projection of the megaplex. I tell myself that had the owners/operators tried by investing more for rigorous cleaning (lush drapery was beautiful, but laden with thick dust, it was not so beautiful) and keeping the hundreds or thousands of lights lit, along with usual repairs, that the young audience would have found the palaces a new delight, and continued coming, but now I doubt it. It was the post war generation that was jaded with entertainment, had a plethora of cars (and other entertainments available because of cars), and a social discipline that existed in earlier years was gone, such as buildings representing private property that was to be respected. The forward writer to the late Ben Hall’s book THE BEST REMAINING SEATS… turned out to be right in calling it an “appropriate epitaph” in that the era was even then in 1961 seen to be over, and only a few palaces as 'dinosaurs’ would remain as tokens of those early days. Usually, in those cases where they remained standing it was only because the property value under them had not increased enough in some locations to justify knocking them down, and businessmen are in it for profit, not nostalgia. We must treasure what remains today all the more.
If Mr. Neifer means photos of the GENESEE, he will have to ask those here, or the Theatre Historical Soc. of America via their Ex. Director, Richard Sklenar, at http:\www.HistorioricTheatres.org where they also have the publication “Pictorial History of Marquees” as their ANNUAL for 1980, available for the reduced price of $10 (plus $2 shipping) for a reduced time. This 8-1/2x11-inch publication in the long format is entirely in black and white since color still photography did not exist before the 2nd Wold War, but its many photos in large size will make one long for those good ol' days! For the ANNUAL, click on their sidebar link ‘Back Issue Prices Reduced.’ The Society may also have vintage photos of the GENESEE and can duplicate them for a fee; contact the Ex. Dir.
Can anyone help this man dedicated to opening a vintage screenings venue for local college kinds? His registered non-profit “Brady Street Film Center” is a conversion of portions of his Brady Street Pharmacy which prior to 1954 was the ASTOR theatre, a 1912 cinema. If you are ever in Milwaukee, you must stop by the pharmacy on Brady St. at Astor St. and see the unusual transformation! Contact him directly via his E-mail address if you can be of help.
From: “James Searles” <.com>
To: “Jim Rankin” <>
Subject: Request for Help
Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2004 10:30:04 -0500
Dear Jim,
We finally got an occupancy permit. The sound system is operational. The screen frame is up.
We need a small perforated snow white screen – used. We can re-cut to fit our frame – about 10 x 20' Please pass this on. Perhaps some one knows of a theater that is about to come down.
“GrauMann” is to be praised for the service he has done everyone in preserving on-line for posterity these two souvenir brochures with wonderful photos of the wonderful Chinese Theatre. The earlier one with the finely detailed text by the late Terry Helgesen is especially good, and reveals the changes that have occurred over the years to this theatrical mecca. A memorial biography of him occurs in Marquee magazine of the Theatre Historical Soc. of America, of which he was a member for decades. His vast collection of theatres memorabilia is now preserved at the Archive of the Society in Elmhurst, Ill. ( www.HistoricTheatres.org ) Brochures such as these are often referred to as ephemera since such often disappear after a few years, so they are the more valuable as reproduced here; it is only a pity that there is not some way to enlarge them on screen so as to better read the text.
According to the book “The CORONADO THEATRE, Rockford’s Crown Jewel” the APOLLO is only one among a group designed by Peoria architect Frederic J. Klein. Others in Peoria by him are/were: HIPPODROME, DUCHESS, COLUMBIA, and the MADISON. He is also credited with the PRINCESS in Ottawa, Ill, not to mention the fabulous CORONADO in Rockford, for which alone his name should go down in history.
According to the book “The CORONADO THEATRE, Rockford’s Crown Jewel” we have architect Klein to thank for a number of other theatres also: the HIPPODROME, DUCHESS, APOLLO, and COLUMBIA all in Peoria, as well as the PRINCESS in Ottawa, Ill. I do not know any details of these theatres, but his CORONADO is enough reason to go down in history!
I can’t tell which is better: the image of the HOLLYWOOD itself, or that wonderful sky! Best Wishes, Mr. Grossmann; I look forward to your future achievements, and a book of them all, a la that of Davis Cone.
Jennifer, not to rain on your parade, but there are countless theatres across the nation that deserve to be “renovated” and some of them are very beautiful indeed, as may be the TEXAS you mention. The sad fact is that buildings cannot long exist as monuments since they must ‘eat’ in the sense of doing something useful to bring in some income to pay their way, at least for taxes and upkeep. Just reading through any number of theatre pages on this site will acquaint you with the hundreds of cries-in-the-wilderness of people heartsick at seeing a beloved theatre decay while no one seems to care — financially. That is the problem: if such places were so easy to renovate or rehab to new use, that would be done by those always seeking a place to ‘make a buck,’ the goal of most Americans. Sad to say, the nature of entertainment has changed from the turn of the 19th Century when the TEXAS and many of its kin were built. Today, electronic entertainment is king, and live entertainment is a poor second, as to expected profit to the people who would have to invest their money into such theatres. Therefore, for the amount of live, true entertainment around, there are many venues seeking them as attractions, and such personalities or groups can pick and choose on their terms as to who will host them. Further, the renovation costs —not to mention true restoration— are often, if not usually, prohibitive; tens of millions of dollars are as nothing to such endeavors, and it takes many years of LOTS of ticket sales to recoup that investment. There are many other investments that can be made by those with money that entail far lesser risk; under such circumstances, if you were an investor (especially one responsible to a group of investors), what would you do?
An exhaustive article by the late Gene Gladson (and Maurice O'Hern) about the STATE and this tragedy is in the issue of MARQUEE magazine of Fourth Qtr. 1988, pages 3 through 7, and while likely out of print, it is possibly in a library or available as a photocopy from the Theatre Historical Soc. www.HistoricTheatres.org . Strangely, according to their article: “The Mystery of the State Theatre,” there never was any official determination by the authorities as to the perpetrator. The newspaper accounts of the time related that the arson investigators of the day said that the damage was so extensive that it was impossible to know exactly what had caused the explosion or who set it. They tried to pin the blame on the night watchman for a while, but it quickly became apparent that the man could not have been responsible. It seems obvious to me from the data given in the article that it was definitely a job planned sometime in advance since the only high explosives in that day were dynamite or nitroglycerin, the compact —and far more powerful— plastic explosives of our day not having existed then. Neither of these could have been introduced to the finished theatre in sufficient quantity to cause such an enormous explosion without being seen, so to me it seems that they must have been placed in the plenum under the auditorium floor near the exit doors during construction. I estimate that for damage that extensive, from under a reinforced concrete floor, there would have had to have been in excess of 100 pounds of either of those then high explosives, perhaps disguised as building materials. No reference to a bombing plot was mentioned in the long article, but it does certainly seem likely. It would seem that there is no ‘official’ determination to this day, and if so, it now seems that we will likely never know for sure. The conclusion of the referred to web site article may be accurate, since only a businessman’s interests could have been served by the destruction, since the blast apparently was caused by a long duration fuse likely pushed through one of the ‘mushroom’ ventilators under the seats so that the blast would occur late at night when no one was there. I can envision someone sitting next to those side exit doors and quickly reaching under the seat to light the fuse just as the last of the patrons filed out of the auditorium. This would account for the strange odor mentioned by the night janitor, who escaped just in time.
By the way, the GRANADA theatre referred to in the previous comments said to be in the same building, was not a theatre at all, but, as brought out in the article, a Ballroom. This second floor ballroom eventually became a roller skating rink, but by 1943 insult was added to injury when a huge fire destroyed it and the supermarket below it. What remained of the large building was then demolished. The article has two large b/w photos: one of the pristine exterior, and one of the blast-damaged auditorium.
It should be remembered that the word RIO is Spanish for RIVER, and there could easily be an intended reference by some to nearby rivers. Also, shorter theatre names were much in vogue in the early days of the 20th Century when such as the BIJOU (GEM), FOLLY, STAR and such other almost four-letter-words were popular long before longer names became inevitable. Also, there is the ‘exotic’ factor in choosing an exotic-sounding name to be most memorable — and cheaper when paying for the name signs!
As Hollywood says regarding ‘the name on the marquee’: ‘keep it short and sweet.’ By this dictum it may be that theatre owners thought the same thing, and the iris flower is well known for its regal beauty and is therefore widely cultivated and admired. And one should not forget the costs motive: in the early days, such names as BIJOU (GEM), FOLLY, STAR, and such almost four-letter-words were also much cheaper in making up signs for marquees, and it was only with time that the shorter names were taken, and longer names ensued.
Thanks go to “DavidH” for his memories and clairifications. The first hand experience is often better than what can be obtained through research. It is a pity that David does not choose to list his E-mail on his Member Profile, so that others could contact him about his memories. Clicking on the blue “posted by ____” name at the bottom of a post will take one to a poster’s page where such information is stored. By clicking on “My Profile” at the top of a page, one can go to one’s page and modify it as he pleases.
If it is of any help, there is a lengthy newspaper article about the closing of the local projectionists' union’s office here in Milwaukee in 1994 in the MILWUKEE SENTINEL of May 24, 1994 beginning on page 1 of part A and continuing on page 8 where there is a large photo of the last two members in their office with very large, framed composite photos of the former years and the members. This is not on-line, but it can be copied from microfilm by asking your local library to order the appropriate reel for you via Inter-Library Loan. You could also write to the now MILWAUKEE JOURNAL-SENTINEL and ask for a print of the black & white photo, which they will reproduce for a fee. They may also be willing to send a photocopy of the article off of their own microfilm. Their address and other information is on their web site: www.jsonline.com
You might also ask them to send you a copy of the obituary of second generation projectionist Allen J. Freundl, appearing on page 7B of their paper of Thursday, July 25, 1996, and while there is no photo there, it may be possible that his relatives listed there may have photos of both generations of projectionists. The headline of the obit was: “Freundl was projectionist, stagehand”.
If you ask the newspaper’s curator of the ‘morgue’ (traditional newspaper term for old files or archive), he/she may be willing to look for the many other such projectionist stories they have done over the years, since the on-line search is limited to the preceding four years. Best Wishes, and do give us periodic up dates on the progress of your book, as well as your E-mail address or a mailing address that we might mail you photocopies of such items as mentioned above.
Bryan Krefft would do best to use the lizt published on his web site by the author of MILWAUKEE MOVIE PALACES, Larry Widen, at: http://www.widenonline.com/mmp/list.htm
Though this list does need updating, it is still the best source outside of his 1986 book, which is about to have a sequel.
It was wonderful to read the Buffalo News story about the Shea’s BUFFALO Theatre restoring its vertical sign, even if the reporter did use that vile term “blade” for the handsome Vertical Sign, as any true theatre person would know it. I envy them having the funds to bring back to the streetscape this source of animation and glitter that so enlivened our streets in the early days. Notice from the story and from the photo of the man holding a special type of ‘light bulb’ that this was not deemed possible had they had to use the standard incandescent bulb; no, here it is a new type of clustered LEDs as shown in the photo (more easily seen if you click on the enlargement magnifier icon above the photo). The actual life span of the LEDs is limitless if they were made correctly and if they are suitably protected from electrical surges, thus the cost-out of the life span of the lamps is very low since they may well remain shining for beyond 50 years, though the steel of the sign may be a bit too rusty for safety by then. You will also notice their mention of an “elevator” formerly on the edge of the sign that allowed access for relamping; if this was as they say, it must have been the only one such in the nation since I have never elsewhere heard of such a wonderful contraption on a sign! A note of distinction for the BUFFALO!
“A missing 18-foot-tall facade pediment of ornate baroque design was re-created from photographs by sculptor Leo Lysy of Buffalo Plastering. The terra cotta’s weight had forced its removal in 1933 out of concerns for public safety, so a lighter material – glass fiber reinforced concrete – has been used to mimic its look.” — It is also wonderful to see this ornate and integral portion of the parapet (not the “pediment”) of the facade replaced with a more workable material. Terra cotta would have lasted almost forever if it had been maintained, but too often the owner’s people are remiss in sealing cracks and especially in keeping water off of the steel supporting the terra cotta, which then rusts, and thus much such is lost to us.
“Two rows of lights that outline the grand, curved window above the marquee have been returned to operation for the first time since the ‘40s.” — These Stud Lights, if also of the LED type used on the Vertical and Marquee, will also last almost indefinitely if they installed them in new, stainless sockets that will not rapidly expand and contract as does brass along with its corrosion. Let’s hope that the BUFFALO is also a trend setter in this innovation too.
All in all, a wonderful example for the rest of us of how it can be done (assuming we all could also come up with $4 million for the exterior alone!) {The photo of that crane lifting the sign reminds me of a news photo that THSA has of a crane toppling over as it detached and tried to lift a similar sign from the face of a theatre in Portland, Oregon; seems they are heavier than they look!}
Of course, as the honchos here will testify, the premiere site for document memorabilia (and sometimes memories too) is the THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA at: www.HistoricTheatres.org
See thier ARCHIVE link for research details, but an E-mail to Richard Sklenar, the Ex. Director, might get you an unofficial overview of what they have, though your personal visit by appointment might be best.
Remember, fellows, the way political life in most cities goes: ‘if you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours’ as the politician says to his cronies in the trades/construction, one of the largest contributing bodies in any political arena. Contractors and architects need sites to build on, and as cities get older, there are fewer and fewer of these, so guess who approaches the politicians to get those old buildings torn down so that they can earn money building anew on them? Yes, the politicos: the ones always looking for campaign contributions! Such a mystery, huh? And when new theatres are to be built for millions, guess who sidles up to the politicians about discouraging any ‘bleeding heart liberals’ from wanting to preserve a possible competitor, even if the place has been closed for years. Money talks, people; in fact, it SCREAMS!! Milwaukee may have been known for clean government, but nowhere is THAT clean. And when you add in the human stew of countless egos, origins, and deep pockets, it is little wonder that there may suddenly be a surplus of stages at one time, but a dearth of them after a few years. It’s all called Free Enterprise.
Warren, when I submitted the original article for the WARNER/GAND several years ago, I tried to enter the architects in the space provided, but evidently my Netscape program would not recognize some of their fields. My current Netscape 7.1 version will still not allow me to enter a name if it is not on their drop-down list. I don’t know why, or if it is a problem with their program. Long ago, they told me that they would look into the matter, but suggested that for now I simply use other browsers brands, which I am reluctant to do for personal reasons. I am sure that this will be corrected in time, since the fellows are now very busy with not only the daily maintenance of this site, but also a book to finish, as well as their day jobs!
To Bruce, Dave Williamson, and Porter Faulkner, et al, let me repeat that I am firmly with you in wanting the see the WARNER/GRAND restored, even down to the smallest detail if that is possible; I have merely been pointing out why, in Milwaukee, not much progress has been made, and perhaps on two fronts I have not been as helpful a I could have been. Firstly, to partially quote Bruce’s comment of the 19th: “One theatre downtown does not constitute a theatre district. brucec” He is quite right in that, of course, but Milw. does have an official “Theatre District” in the form of the PABST ( www.pabsttheater.org ) joined to the new MILWAUKEE CENTER wherein there are the modern ‘box’ theatres of the POWERHOUSE PLAYHOUSE, THE STEIMKE THEATRE, and THE STACKNER CABARET (a tiny dinner theatre) (see: www.milwaukeerep.com ). There is also the BROADWAY THEATRE CENTER nearby with three small theatres. And with the opening last October of the new MILWUKEE THEATRE ( www.milwaukeetheatre.org ), as well as the PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (with three theatres) ( www.marcuscenter.org ) plus the RIVERSIDE ( www.newriversidetheatre.com ) taking any shows not yet absorbed by the others, there is very little available to the WARNER/GRAND, even if it did enlarge its 15-foot-deep stage, a size FAR too shallow for any real scenic use. The Milw. metropolitan (4-county) area is, after all, only some 1.2 million, so the market is at best only “medium” in size and most touring groups will therefore assume that only one or two good full-house audiences are possible for them, and will therefore demand the largest seating size available that also has the technical requirements of their group. Believe me, they are NOT interested in the aesthetics of the decor of a venue; only if enough people will come and can be seated. During fair weather there is also the outdoor MARCUS AMPHITHEATRE with some 14,000 seats, and few groups demand more than that, but if so there is also the new moving-roof Brewer’s baseball stadium with 45,000 seats!
As to the present condition of the WARNER/GRAND, it is not as good as just after closing: three years ago a city water main burst and flooded the dark theatre up to the first floor, before anyone noticed and city crews showed up to turn off the water. The damage was extensive. The electrical service rooms are, of course, in the basement and when flooded, the master breakers inside the city’s power vault under the sidewalk behind the stage (another reason it is difficult to extend the stage with only modest expense) blew open, thus denying most all power to the theatre (but not the office building which has a separate feed). Thus, none of the auditorium/projection room lights work anymore, and the African zebra wood and mahogany paneling of the basement lounge is badly warped and virtually not replaceable (current ‘endangered species’ laws). Needless to say, all paint and gilt and much of the ornamental plaster on that level is ruined, thus those major restrooms down there are not accessible. Yes, the dividing floor of 1973 that created the Centre I & II has been removed, but now the open ‘sores’ of that alteration are now visible and need to be restored. The entire balcony front below the first crossover aisle was removed in those days, so that concrete and steel, as well as the original ornamental plaster front with its dozen spotlight holes must be rebuilt and reseated. When the dividing floor was installed, steel beams were thrust through the proscenium arch to connect to the steel columns inside the back stage wall, and this makes the flies totally unusable; this must be removed. The ornate organ screens were completely removed and now are only black acoustic material plainly nailed to a wooden superstructure over the old swell shutter holes; this must be restored somehow, even though the wonderful then 28-rank Kimball was removed to our ORIENTAL theatre long ago. Reportedly, the projection equipment has been removed and sold, so that is another expense for anyone wanting to reuse it for that purpose, though there is no longer any movie screen in the place, along with no draperies. The city steam equipment is now only partially working, and just barely keeps the place above freezing in our sometimes sub-zero climate, though there is some damage to the murals due to mildew, I’m told. The black exploitation audiences of the past tore many of the seats from the floor, and most of them (if not also mildewed) will have to be replaced. There is also visible water damage from rain leaks that need to be fixed. In the forthcoming Second Qtr. of MARQUEE magazine ( www.HistoricTyheatres.org ) will be my article: “Ornamentation Old and New: Grillework in Theatres” and therein will be a photo of one of the ten gilded ceiling grilles in the WARNER/GRAND and near it can be seen in that day-before-closing photo some of the peeling paint in just one inaccessible place that needs to be restored, along with stenciling on the ceiling. No, the theatre is not currently ready for an audience, even though the Symphony’s acoustics consultant said it is excellent acoustically even without the removed draperies. It will still take someone with lots of money to open it, even without adequate parking available. And, no, most Milwaukee area people will not readily walk to a venue, and now expect sheltered walkways connected to a patrolled parking structure within easy reach of a theatre in order to patronize it (remember that this is a heavy winter climate which can swing 135 degrees in temperature in a year). Bruce, maybe they are just spoiled, but that won’t help the WARNER/GRAND. Keep up the good wishes, everybody, and any letters to the mayor or newspaper, whose addresses are:
MILWAUKEE JOURNAL-SENTINEL www.jsonline.com
His Honor the Mayor, Tom Barrett
City Hall, 200 E. Wells St.
Milwaukee, WI 53201 USA
Like Mr. Faulkner, I was at first equally ready to ‘stand on their chests’ and bellow at them for so lame a job, but then I was reminded of the old dictum: ‘He who pays the piper calls the tune.’ While Messrs. Hodgetts and Fung are clearly NOT preservation specialists, one wonders just how much of the blame belongs to the Cinematheque? Did the architects advise conservative approaches to retain most building character, and were overruled? To be as charitable as possible to them, it is their job to accomplish the client’s wishes, and clearly the client in this case wanted a modern projection facility with 3 screens within an existing single screen theatre; short of building more screening rooms/cinemas onto the building, there was no option but to subdivide the available space. Yes, I am still inclined to think that it could have been done more sympathetically, but then it is obvious that not everyone shares our love of the movie palace in general, and this EGYPTIAN in particular. No, I will never recommend these architects based on this job, and likely neither will any other preservation-minded project consider them either, but as they say: ‘money talks’ (or “SCREAMS” as says a character in “Hello Dolly”) which may mean that these men were inexperienced in this specialized area of architecture, but put out the lowest bid. In a sense, you get what you pay for. And perhaps even the brass of the Cinematheque are indeed seething behind the scenes, but what can they do? Sue the architects? To what end? Demolish the “improvements” and start over? Hardly. No, this “restoration” will now stand as an example to frighten future generations as to how badly a “restoration” can be done, even if it is as they say in their text quoted by Mr. Faulkner: “If we have a prescription it is that of efficiency and performance, two words which are unusual only in their exclusion from the day-to-day world.” You will notice that their twofold “prescription” does NOT include aesthetics! Modern day architects are actually rarely qualified to restore historic period structures, since they are now mostly educated in variances of engineering and to become worshipers of ‘Le Corbusier’ or other demigods as denounced in that landmark book: “From Bauhaus to Our House” by Tom Wolfe (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/–/055338063X/qid=1093092642/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-4962368-6877528?v=glance&s=books ), perhaps the most perceptive analysis of the pollution of modern architecture ever written, and my review of it is the 15th down on onto the next page. This is a short read that should not be missed!
If Bryan (who I believe to be Bryan Kreft) is going to steel my thunder in listing Milwaukee theatres, I may have to turn over my collection of data to him. But seriously, I did not list most of the hundred or more theatres under a thousand seats, since they were/are not architecturally interesting, as in the case of the 585 seats in the long-gone OGDEN. Incidentally, it was first named the STUDIO for some time, and later named after the street it was on: Ogden Ave. That odd name is the result of naming the street after the first mayor of Chicago, William Butler Ogden, who had real estate speculations in Milw. There never was a pipe organ or anything else of note in the single floor storefront cinema, but the OGDEN met its demise as a result of the city and state planning the path for the Park East Freeway, only a portion of which was ever built, and just now they have demolished that portion, so the OGDEN, like the JACKSON, was razed for what turned out to be no good reason, not that they were thriving enterprises anyway. The only known image of the OGDEN shows a modest, brick building from a distance.
Will Dunklin says: “ So, I repeat my question from August 6: who was the architect that led the renovation of the Egyptian?” If you will write comments as good as yours, Mr. Dunklin, may I suggest you also carefully read the others here? Just three Comments previous to yours is mine of the 7th wherein I identify the architect of the “restoration.”
Yes, Bruce, I too wish the Powers That Be in Milwaukee were more like those in Minneapolis and a number of other cities, but, as I pointed out at length in my recent Comment on the city’s WARNER/GRAND ( /theaters/1903/ ), that is not to come to be in all likelihood. You are perfectly right: “ I think the City of Milwaukee should come up with a master plan for both the Riverside and the Warner. They need to look at the long term and the rebirth of the downtown core ….” And the city is looking at that in their slow, meandering way, always careful not to spend much of the taxpayer’s money, but it must be remembered that both theatres are in private hands, private hands with lots of money and political clout! No one would dare to try to seize their lands under Eminent Domain statues, and the city would then own the buildings anyway, and when it divested itself of the opulent PABST ( /theaters/2753/ ) a couple years ago, it effectively vowed not to own another theatre, or any other building that could eventually become a burden. There are no munificent budgets here such as there may be in the really big cities for public preservation; a building sinks or swims on its own, for the most part.
If you want to make your voice heard on this matter, why not write to the “Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel” to their Letters column at: www.jsonline.com and possibly they will publish it. If you would rather be more direct and send a letter to the city, here is the address:
His Honor, the Mayor: Tom Barrett
City Hall, 200 E. Wells St.
Milwaukee, WI 53201
You must, of course, let us know if they publish your letter or if City Hall responds in any way.
Robert Kirk Headley is retired and living in the Washington D.C. area, and can be reached through the Theatre Historical Society of America (for which he was once Editor of their MARQUEE magazine) at: www.HistoricTheatres.org where on their front page you will find the Ex. Director’s E-mail; contact him and ask him to forward a message to the author asking if him if he happens to have any more copies he could sell you (some publishers will give unsold copies to the author).
I don’t know if it is available internationally, but most all libraries in the USA subscribe to the national Inter-Library Loan Service and are linked electronically. You might ask your nearest large public library to check to see if they are able to obtain a loan of a copy via this service, where your local library acts as the lending agent and assumes responsibility for the book. It is likely that they will ask you for the to-and-fro shipping charges in advance.
The Society does list the book in their BOOKSTORE link, but no source for it.
Someone or something deleted Jim Searles' E-mail address, which is:
.com
Mr. Lundy is quite right that the ROXY probably looked “tired” in the late ‘50s, since by then the palaces had been divested by the chains that once owned them, and local or regional owners were in it only for the money and virtually all serious upkeep was discontinued. The corps of ushers disappeared, as soon did the stagehands, and so gradually did the audience as most of those who could afford to, moved to the suburbs in most cities and the big theatres were no longer very profitable. It cost a lot more to keep such huge palaces as the ROXY clean, and lit, and few owners/operators were willing to make an investment in them as they perceived the scene changing to the suburban single screen, soon to be replaced itself with the multiplex and later the automated projection of the megaplex. I tell myself that had the owners/operators tried by investing more for rigorous cleaning (lush drapery was beautiful, but laden with thick dust, it was not so beautiful) and keeping the hundreds or thousands of lights lit, along with usual repairs, that the young audience would have found the palaces a new delight, and continued coming, but now I doubt it. It was the post war generation that was jaded with entertainment, had a plethora of cars (and other entertainments available because of cars), and a social discipline that existed in earlier years was gone, such as buildings representing private property that was to be respected. The forward writer to the late Ben Hall’s book THE BEST REMAINING SEATS… turned out to be right in calling it an “appropriate epitaph” in that the era was even then in 1961 seen to be over, and only a few palaces as 'dinosaurs’ would remain as tokens of those early days. Usually, in those cases where they remained standing it was only because the property value under them had not increased enough in some locations to justify knocking them down, and businessmen are in it for profit, not nostalgia. We must treasure what remains today all the more.
If Mr. Neifer means photos of the GENESEE, he will have to ask those here, or the Theatre Historical Soc. of America via their Ex. Director, Richard Sklenar, at http:\www.HistorioricTheatres.org where they also have the publication “Pictorial History of Marquees” as their ANNUAL for 1980, available for the reduced price of $10 (plus $2 shipping) for a reduced time. This 8-1/2x11-inch publication in the long format is entirely in black and white since color still photography did not exist before the 2nd Wold War, but its many photos in large size will make one long for those good ol' days! For the ANNUAL, click on their sidebar link ‘Back Issue Prices Reduced.’ The Society may also have vintage photos of the GENESEE and can duplicate them for a fee; contact the Ex. Dir.
Can anyone help this man dedicated to opening a vintage screenings venue for local college kinds? His registered non-profit “Brady Street Film Center” is a conversion of portions of his Brady Street Pharmacy which prior to 1954 was the ASTOR theatre, a 1912 cinema. If you are ever in Milwaukee, you must stop by the pharmacy on Brady St. at Astor St. and see the unusual transformation! Contact him directly via his E-mail address if you can be of help.
From: “James Searles” <.com>
To: “Jim Rankin” <>
Subject: Request for Help
Date: Sun, 12 Sep 2004 10:30:04 -0500
Dear Jim,
We finally got an occupancy permit. The sound system is operational. The screen frame is up.
We need a small perforated snow white screen – used. We can re-cut to fit our frame – about 10 x 20' Please pass this on. Perhaps some one knows of a theater that is about to come down.
Jim
“GrauMann” is to be praised for the service he has done everyone in preserving on-line for posterity these two souvenir brochures with wonderful photos of the wonderful Chinese Theatre. The earlier one with the finely detailed text by the late Terry Helgesen is especially good, and reveals the changes that have occurred over the years to this theatrical mecca. A memorial biography of him occurs in Marquee magazine of the Theatre Historical Soc. of America, of which he was a member for decades. His vast collection of theatres memorabilia is now preserved at the Archive of the Society in Elmhurst, Ill. ( www.HistoricTheatres.org ) Brochures such as these are often referred to as ephemera since such often disappear after a few years, so they are the more valuable as reproduced here; it is only a pity that there is not some way to enlarge them on screen so as to better read the text.
According to the book “The CORONADO THEATRE, Rockford’s Crown Jewel” the APOLLO is only one among a group designed by Peoria architect Frederic J. Klein. Others in Peoria by him are/were: HIPPODROME, DUCHESS, COLUMBIA, and the MADISON. He is also credited with the PRINCESS in Ottawa, Ill, not to mention the fabulous CORONADO in Rockford, for which alone his name should go down in history.
According to the book “The CORONADO THEATRE, Rockford’s Crown Jewel” we have architect Klein to thank for a number of other theatres also: the HIPPODROME, DUCHESS, APOLLO, and COLUMBIA all in Peoria, as well as the PRINCESS in Ottawa, Ill. I do not know any details of these theatres, but his CORONADO is enough reason to go down in history!
I can’t tell which is better: the image of the HOLLYWOOD itself, or that wonderful sky! Best Wishes, Mr. Grossmann; I look forward to your future achievements, and a book of them all, a la that of Davis Cone.
Jennifer, not to rain on your parade, but there are countless theatres across the nation that deserve to be “renovated” and some of them are very beautiful indeed, as may be the TEXAS you mention. The sad fact is that buildings cannot long exist as monuments since they must ‘eat’ in the sense of doing something useful to bring in some income to pay their way, at least for taxes and upkeep. Just reading through any number of theatre pages on this site will acquaint you with the hundreds of cries-in-the-wilderness of people heartsick at seeing a beloved theatre decay while no one seems to care — financially. That is the problem: if such places were so easy to renovate or rehab to new use, that would be done by those always seeking a place to ‘make a buck,’ the goal of most Americans. Sad to say, the nature of entertainment has changed from the turn of the 19th Century when the TEXAS and many of its kin were built. Today, electronic entertainment is king, and live entertainment is a poor second, as to expected profit to the people who would have to invest their money into such theatres. Therefore, for the amount of live, true entertainment around, there are many venues seeking them as attractions, and such personalities or groups can pick and choose on their terms as to who will host them. Further, the renovation costs —not to mention true restoration— are often, if not usually, prohibitive; tens of millions of dollars are as nothing to such endeavors, and it takes many years of LOTS of ticket sales to recoup that investment. There are many other investments that can be made by those with money that entail far lesser risk; under such circumstances, if you were an investor (especially one responsible to a group of investors), what would you do?
An exhaustive article by the late Gene Gladson (and Maurice O'Hern) about the STATE and this tragedy is in the issue of MARQUEE magazine of Fourth Qtr. 1988, pages 3 through 7, and while likely out of print, it is possibly in a library or available as a photocopy from the Theatre Historical Soc. www.HistoricTheatres.org . Strangely, according to their article: “The Mystery of the State Theatre,” there never was any official determination by the authorities as to the perpetrator. The newspaper accounts of the time related that the arson investigators of the day said that the damage was so extensive that it was impossible to know exactly what had caused the explosion or who set it. They tried to pin the blame on the night watchman for a while, but it quickly became apparent that the man could not have been responsible. It seems obvious to me from the data given in the article that it was definitely a job planned sometime in advance since the only high explosives in that day were dynamite or nitroglycerin, the compact —and far more powerful— plastic explosives of our day not having existed then. Neither of these could have been introduced to the finished theatre in sufficient quantity to cause such an enormous explosion without being seen, so to me it seems that they must have been placed in the plenum under the auditorium floor near the exit doors during construction. I estimate that for damage that extensive, from under a reinforced concrete floor, there would have had to have been in excess of 100 pounds of either of those then high explosives, perhaps disguised as building materials. No reference to a bombing plot was mentioned in the long article, but it does certainly seem likely. It would seem that there is no ‘official’ determination to this day, and if so, it now seems that we will likely never know for sure. The conclusion of the referred to web site article may be accurate, since only a businessman’s interests could have been served by the destruction, since the blast apparently was caused by a long duration fuse likely pushed through one of the ‘mushroom’ ventilators under the seats so that the blast would occur late at night when no one was there. I can envision someone sitting next to those side exit doors and quickly reaching under the seat to light the fuse just as the last of the patrons filed out of the auditorium. This would account for the strange odor mentioned by the night janitor, who escaped just in time.
By the way, the GRANADA theatre referred to in the previous comments said to be in the same building, was not a theatre at all, but, as brought out in the article, a Ballroom. This second floor ballroom eventually became a roller skating rink, but by 1943 insult was added to injury when a huge fire destroyed it and the supermarket below it. What remained of the large building was then demolished. The article has two large b/w photos: one of the pristine exterior, and one of the blast-damaged auditorium.
It should be remembered that the word RIO is Spanish for RIVER, and there could easily be an intended reference by some to nearby rivers. Also, shorter theatre names were much in vogue in the early days of the 20th Century when such as the BIJOU (GEM), FOLLY, STAR and such other almost four-letter-words were popular long before longer names became inevitable. Also, there is the ‘exotic’ factor in choosing an exotic-sounding name to be most memorable — and cheaper when paying for the name signs!
As Hollywood says regarding ‘the name on the marquee’: ‘keep it short and sweet.’ By this dictum it may be that theatre owners thought the same thing, and the iris flower is well known for its regal beauty and is therefore widely cultivated and admired. And one should not forget the costs motive: in the early days, such names as BIJOU (GEM), FOLLY, STAR, and such almost four-letter-words were also much cheaper in making up signs for marquees, and it was only with time that the shorter names were taken, and longer names ensued.
Thanks go to “DavidH” for his memories and clairifications. The first hand experience is often better than what can be obtained through research. It is a pity that David does not choose to list his E-mail on his Member Profile, so that others could contact him about his memories. Clicking on the blue “posted by ____” name at the bottom of a post will take one to a poster’s page where such information is stored. By clicking on “My Profile” at the top of a page, one can go to one’s page and modify it as he pleases.
If it is of any help, there is a lengthy newspaper article about the closing of the local projectionists' union’s office here in Milwaukee in 1994 in the MILWUKEE SENTINEL of May 24, 1994 beginning on page 1 of part A and continuing on page 8 where there is a large photo of the last two members in their office with very large, framed composite photos of the former years and the members. This is not on-line, but it can be copied from microfilm by asking your local library to order the appropriate reel for you via Inter-Library Loan. You could also write to the now MILWAUKEE JOURNAL-SENTINEL and ask for a print of the black & white photo, which they will reproduce for a fee. They may also be willing to send a photocopy of the article off of their own microfilm. Their address and other information is on their web site: www.jsonline.com
You might also ask them to send you a copy of the obituary of second generation projectionist Allen J. Freundl, appearing on page 7B of their paper of Thursday, July 25, 1996, and while there is no photo there, it may be possible that his relatives listed there may have photos of both generations of projectionists. The headline of the obit was: “Freundl was projectionist, stagehand”.
If you ask the newspaper’s curator of the ‘morgue’ (traditional newspaper term for old files or archive), he/she may be willing to look for the many other such projectionist stories they have done over the years, since the on-line search is limited to the preceding four years. Best Wishes, and do give us periodic up dates on the progress of your book, as well as your E-mail address or a mailing address that we might mail you photocopies of such items as mentioned above.
Bryan Krefft would do best to use the lizt published on his web site by the author of MILWAUKEE MOVIE PALACES, Larry Widen, at: http://www.widenonline.com/mmp/list.htm
Though this list does need updating, it is still the best source outside of his 1986 book, which is about to have a sequel.
It was wonderful to read the Buffalo News story about the Shea’s BUFFALO Theatre restoring its vertical sign, even if the reporter did use that vile term “blade” for the handsome Vertical Sign, as any true theatre person would know it. I envy them having the funds to bring back to the streetscape this source of animation and glitter that so enlivened our streets in the early days. Notice from the story and from the photo of the man holding a special type of ‘light bulb’ that this was not deemed possible had they had to use the standard incandescent bulb; no, here it is a new type of clustered LEDs as shown in the photo (more easily seen if you click on the enlargement magnifier icon above the photo). The actual life span of the LEDs is limitless if they were made correctly and if they are suitably protected from electrical surges, thus the cost-out of the life span of the lamps is very low since they may well remain shining for beyond 50 years, though the steel of the sign may be a bit too rusty for safety by then. You will also notice their mention of an “elevator” formerly on the edge of the sign that allowed access for relamping; if this was as they say, it must have been the only one such in the nation since I have never elsewhere heard of such a wonderful contraption on a sign! A note of distinction for the BUFFALO!
“A missing 18-foot-tall facade pediment of ornate baroque design was re-created from photographs by sculptor Leo Lysy of Buffalo Plastering. The terra cotta’s weight had forced its removal in 1933 out of concerns for public safety, so a lighter material – glass fiber reinforced concrete – has been used to mimic its look.” — It is also wonderful to see this ornate and integral portion of the parapet (not the “pediment”) of the facade replaced with a more workable material. Terra cotta would have lasted almost forever if it had been maintained, but too often the owner’s people are remiss in sealing cracks and especially in keeping water off of the steel supporting the terra cotta, which then rusts, and thus much such is lost to us.
“Two rows of lights that outline the grand, curved window above the marquee have been returned to operation for the first time since the ‘40s.” — These Stud Lights, if also of the LED type used on the Vertical and Marquee, will also last almost indefinitely if they installed them in new, stainless sockets that will not rapidly expand and contract as does brass along with its corrosion. Let’s hope that the BUFFALO is also a trend setter in this innovation too.
All in all, a wonderful example for the rest of us of how it can be done (assuming we all could also come up with $4 million for the exterior alone!) {The photo of that crane lifting the sign reminds me of a news photo that THSA has of a crane toppling over as it detached and tried to lift a similar sign from the face of a theatre in Portland, Oregon; seems they are heavier than they look!}
Of course, as the honchos here will testify, the premiere site for document memorabilia (and sometimes memories too) is the THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA at: www.HistoricTheatres.org
See thier ARCHIVE link for research details, but an E-mail to Richard Sklenar, the Ex. Director, might get you an unofficial overview of what they have, though your personal visit by appointment might be best.
Remember, fellows, the way political life in most cities goes: ‘if you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours’ as the politician says to his cronies in the trades/construction, one of the largest contributing bodies in any political arena. Contractors and architects need sites to build on, and as cities get older, there are fewer and fewer of these, so guess who approaches the politicians to get those old buildings torn down so that they can earn money building anew on them? Yes, the politicos: the ones always looking for campaign contributions! Such a mystery, huh? And when new theatres are to be built for millions, guess who sidles up to the politicians about discouraging any ‘bleeding heart liberals’ from wanting to preserve a possible competitor, even if the place has been closed for years. Money talks, people; in fact, it SCREAMS!! Milwaukee may have been known for clean government, but nowhere is THAT clean. And when you add in the human stew of countless egos, origins, and deep pockets, it is little wonder that there may suddenly be a surplus of stages at one time, but a dearth of them after a few years. It’s all called Free Enterprise.
Warren, when I submitted the original article for the WARNER/GAND several years ago, I tried to enter the architects in the space provided, but evidently my Netscape program would not recognize some of their fields. My current Netscape 7.1 version will still not allow me to enter a name if it is not on their drop-down list. I don’t know why, or if it is a problem with their program. Long ago, they told me that they would look into the matter, but suggested that for now I simply use other browsers brands, which I am reluctant to do for personal reasons. I am sure that this will be corrected in time, since the fellows are now very busy with not only the daily maintenance of this site, but also a book to finish, as well as their day jobs!
To Bruce, Dave Williamson, and Porter Faulkner, et al, let me repeat that I am firmly with you in wanting the see the WARNER/GRAND restored, even down to the smallest detail if that is possible; I have merely been pointing out why, in Milwaukee, not much progress has been made, and perhaps on two fronts I have not been as helpful a I could have been. Firstly, to partially quote Bruce’s comment of the 19th: “One theatre downtown does not constitute a theatre district. brucec” He is quite right in that, of course, but Milw. does have an official “Theatre District” in the form of the PABST ( www.pabsttheater.org ) joined to the new MILWAUKEE CENTER wherein there are the modern ‘box’ theatres of the POWERHOUSE PLAYHOUSE, THE STEIMKE THEATRE, and THE STACKNER CABARET (a tiny dinner theatre) (see: www.milwaukeerep.com ). There is also the BROADWAY THEATRE CENTER nearby with three small theatres. And with the opening last October of the new MILWUKEE THEATRE ( www.milwaukeetheatre.org ), as well as the PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (with three theatres) ( www.marcuscenter.org ) plus the RIVERSIDE ( www.newriversidetheatre.com ) taking any shows not yet absorbed by the others, there is very little available to the WARNER/GRAND, even if it did enlarge its 15-foot-deep stage, a size FAR too shallow for any real scenic use. The Milw. metropolitan (4-county) area is, after all, only some 1.2 million, so the market is at best only “medium” in size and most touring groups will therefore assume that only one or two good full-house audiences are possible for them, and will therefore demand the largest seating size available that also has the technical requirements of their group. Believe me, they are NOT interested in the aesthetics of the decor of a venue; only if enough people will come and can be seated. During fair weather there is also the outdoor MARCUS AMPHITHEATRE with some 14,000 seats, and few groups demand more than that, but if so there is also the new moving-roof Brewer’s baseball stadium with 45,000 seats!
As to the present condition of the WARNER/GRAND, it is not as good as just after closing: three years ago a city water main burst and flooded the dark theatre up to the first floor, before anyone noticed and city crews showed up to turn off the water. The damage was extensive. The electrical service rooms are, of course, in the basement and when flooded, the master breakers inside the city’s power vault under the sidewalk behind the stage (another reason it is difficult to extend the stage with only modest expense) blew open, thus denying most all power to the theatre (but not the office building which has a separate feed). Thus, none of the auditorium/projection room lights work anymore, and the African zebra wood and mahogany paneling of the basement lounge is badly warped and virtually not replaceable (current ‘endangered species’ laws). Needless to say, all paint and gilt and much of the ornamental plaster on that level is ruined, thus those major restrooms down there are not accessible. Yes, the dividing floor of 1973 that created the Centre I & II has been removed, but now the open ‘sores’ of that alteration are now visible and need to be restored. The entire balcony front below the first crossover aisle was removed in those days, so that concrete and steel, as well as the original ornamental plaster front with its dozen spotlight holes must be rebuilt and reseated. When the dividing floor was installed, steel beams were thrust through the proscenium arch to connect to the steel columns inside the back stage wall, and this makes the flies totally unusable; this must be removed. The ornate organ screens were completely removed and now are only black acoustic material plainly nailed to a wooden superstructure over the old swell shutter holes; this must be restored somehow, even though the wonderful then 28-rank Kimball was removed to our ORIENTAL theatre long ago. Reportedly, the projection equipment has been removed and sold, so that is another expense for anyone wanting to reuse it for that purpose, though there is no longer any movie screen in the place, along with no draperies. The city steam equipment is now only partially working, and just barely keeps the place above freezing in our sometimes sub-zero climate, though there is some damage to the murals due to mildew, I’m told. The black exploitation audiences of the past tore many of the seats from the floor, and most of them (if not also mildewed) will have to be replaced. There is also visible water damage from rain leaks that need to be fixed. In the forthcoming Second Qtr. of MARQUEE magazine ( www.HistoricTyheatres.org ) will be my article: “Ornamentation Old and New: Grillework in Theatres” and therein will be a photo of one of the ten gilded ceiling grilles in the WARNER/GRAND and near it can be seen in that day-before-closing photo some of the peeling paint in just one inaccessible place that needs to be restored, along with stenciling on the ceiling. No, the theatre is not currently ready for an audience, even though the Symphony’s acoustics consultant said it is excellent acoustically even without the removed draperies. It will still take someone with lots of money to open it, even without adequate parking available. And, no, most Milwaukee area people will not readily walk to a venue, and now expect sheltered walkways connected to a patrolled parking structure within easy reach of a theatre in order to patronize it (remember that this is a heavy winter climate which can swing 135 degrees in temperature in a year). Bruce, maybe they are just spoiled, but that won’t help the WARNER/GRAND. Keep up the good wishes, everybody, and any letters to the mayor or newspaper, whose addresses are:
MILWAUKEE JOURNAL-SENTINEL www.jsonline.com
His Honor the Mayor, Tom Barrett
City Hall, 200 E. Wells St.
Milwaukee, WI 53201 USA
Like Mr. Faulkner, I was at first equally ready to ‘stand on their chests’ and bellow at them for so lame a job, but then I was reminded of the old dictum: ‘He who pays the piper calls the tune.’ While Messrs. Hodgetts and Fung are clearly NOT preservation specialists, one wonders just how much of the blame belongs to the Cinematheque? Did the architects advise conservative approaches to retain most building character, and were overruled? To be as charitable as possible to them, it is their job to accomplish the client’s wishes, and clearly the client in this case wanted a modern projection facility with 3 screens within an existing single screen theatre; short of building more screening rooms/cinemas onto the building, there was no option but to subdivide the available space. Yes, I am still inclined to think that it could have been done more sympathetically, but then it is obvious that not everyone shares our love of the movie palace in general, and this EGYPTIAN in particular. No, I will never recommend these architects based on this job, and likely neither will any other preservation-minded project consider them either, but as they say: ‘money talks’ (or “SCREAMS” as says a character in “Hello Dolly”) which may mean that these men were inexperienced in this specialized area of architecture, but put out the lowest bid. In a sense, you get what you pay for. And perhaps even the brass of the Cinematheque are indeed seething behind the scenes, but what can they do? Sue the architects? To what end? Demolish the “improvements” and start over? Hardly. No, this “restoration” will now stand as an example to frighten future generations as to how badly a “restoration” can be done, even if it is as they say in their text quoted by Mr. Faulkner: “If we have a prescription it is that of efficiency and performance, two words which are unusual only in their exclusion from the day-to-day world.” You will notice that their twofold “prescription” does NOT include aesthetics! Modern day architects are actually rarely qualified to restore historic period structures, since they are now mostly educated in variances of engineering and to become worshipers of ‘Le Corbusier’ or other demigods as denounced in that landmark book: “From Bauhaus to Our House” by Tom Wolfe (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/–/055338063X/qid=1093092642/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-4962368-6877528?v=glance&s=books ), perhaps the most perceptive analysis of the pollution of modern architecture ever written, and my review of it is the 15th down on onto the next page. This is a short read that should not be missed!
If Bryan (who I believe to be Bryan Kreft) is going to steel my thunder in listing Milwaukee theatres, I may have to turn over my collection of data to him. But seriously, I did not list most of the hundred or more theatres under a thousand seats, since they were/are not architecturally interesting, as in the case of the 585 seats in the long-gone OGDEN. Incidentally, it was first named the STUDIO for some time, and later named after the street it was on: Ogden Ave. That odd name is the result of naming the street after the first mayor of Chicago, William Butler Ogden, who had real estate speculations in Milw. There never was a pipe organ or anything else of note in the single floor storefront cinema, but the OGDEN met its demise as a result of the city and state planning the path for the Park East Freeway, only a portion of which was ever built, and just now they have demolished that portion, so the OGDEN, like the JACKSON, was razed for what turned out to be no good reason, not that they were thriving enterprises anyway. The only known image of the OGDEN shows a modest, brick building from a distance.
Will Dunklin says: “ So, I repeat my question from August 6: who was the architect that led the renovation of the Egyptian?” If you will write comments as good as yours, Mr. Dunklin, may I suggest you also carefully read the others here? Just three Comments previous to yours is mine of the 7th wherein I identify the architect of the “restoration.”
Yes, Bruce, I too wish the Powers That Be in Milwaukee were more like those in Minneapolis and a number of other cities, but, as I pointed out at length in my recent Comment on the city’s WARNER/GRAND ( /theaters/1903/ ), that is not to come to be in all likelihood. You are perfectly right: “ I think the City of Milwaukee should come up with a master plan for both the Riverside and the Warner. They need to look at the long term and the rebirth of the downtown core ….” And the city is looking at that in their slow, meandering way, always careful not to spend much of the taxpayer’s money, but it must be remembered that both theatres are in private hands, private hands with lots of money and political clout! No one would dare to try to seize their lands under Eminent Domain statues, and the city would then own the buildings anyway, and when it divested itself of the opulent PABST ( /theaters/2753/ ) a couple years ago, it effectively vowed not to own another theatre, or any other building that could eventually become a burden. There are no munificent budgets here such as there may be in the really big cities for public preservation; a building sinks or swims on its own, for the most part.
If you want to make your voice heard on this matter, why not write to the “Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel” to their Letters column at: www.jsonline.com and possibly they will publish it. If you would rather be more direct and send a letter to the city, here is the address:
His Honor, the Mayor: Tom Barrett
City Hall, 200 E. Wells St.
Milwaukee, WI 53201
You must, of course, let us know if they publish your letter or if City Hall responds in any way.