Hillard Theater Coming Down

[Valerie Molinski]

Also, I was googling to see if I could find any more pics from the house tour year (Fall 2008) or thereabouts and found this old thread. This is a topic that has certainly been ongoing in the city and chronicles some the struggles with the building's upkeep. It is from 2007-2008:

http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/deck/vi ... sc&start=0

[jackie f taylor]

Great post Valerie, thank you for sharing, wish I had been a member back in the day. I would have helped Bob live his dream.

[jackie f taylor]

Bob, why not pave the now empty lot where the Hilliard theater once stood, turn it into a parking lot, you collect the money from the meters, can't you have your own parking meters? Lakewood needs parking, Write your own tickets, or sell the lot to the city of Lakewood for $275,000.00.

[jackie f taylor]

The city of Lakewood should have done everything possible to save the Hilliard theater, everything. you idiots.... you sold out the Detroit Theater because of an "auto repair" shop ? idiots, assholes,

[jackie f taylor]

Even to save some of the artifacts, My 1923 commercial building had an event, long before I became the owner, one of my storefront doors was replaced with an ugly modern 1968, 3 lite window door, I wanted one of the many original doors that were in the old Hilliard Theater property, to replace the ugly replacement, NO, all the worthy useable doors, maybe 6, maybe more, that adorned the property are now trash. Why couldn't they have been saved, salvaged or repurposed?

And now someone suggest that council members become full time salaried employees of the city of Lakewood? The same culprits who aloud the demolition of so many historic properties in Lakewood, without any regard for preservation of something, anything, nothing? If we allow the city to compensate full time council members, then they better be of the character that considers Lakewood, all of it, above and beyond replacement. Put me in that seat, it will be over my dead body that another classic building be destroyed for a drug store or auto part store, or McNasty. A salvaged door from any salvage company would cost $1000.00 or more, the city just threw away $6,000.00 worth of history and preservation. And that is only the tip of the iceberg, I'm just saying. We need someone in that seat who will put Lakewood first, protect old original Lakewood properties. I get so flustered. I gotta go before I say something I may regret.

[jackie f taylor]

Well said Jackie, I agree with all you said, if you run, I will vote for you. done. lol ? but seriously.

[jackie f taylor]

Well, that makes two of us in your court.