Hilliard Square Theater - What's Going On?

[todd heckeler]

It looks like JOB said the city would help pay for DEMO, the owner got it ready for demo but the city ran out of money.

I'm all for preservation, but it's been too late to save for many years.

JOB? I read they got funding but didn't cover it all. Wonder if the city could sell it for $1, the new owner would be required to demo it, and build something on the property. Might catch the interest of someone with that.

[Paul Schrimpf]

This is what Jim O Brien said earlier in this post:

"The city had promised to help tear it down if the owner gave it up. He moved people out, and was ready to go and the City said they no longer had the money."

[todd heckeler]

This is what Jim O Brien said earlier in this post:

"The city had promised to help tear it down if the owner gave it up. He moved people out, and was ready to go and the City said they no longer had the money."

Got ya, sorry didn't know that JOB was Jim.

[todd vainisi]

Got ya, sorry didn't know that JOB was Jim.

Not to be confused with GOB...

[todd heckeler]

I emailed and asked Tom Bullock for an update on the progress and he responded with something from the Lakewood Planning Department and they said this, which is great news:
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--The city has received $200K in grant funding through the Cuyahoga County Demolition Program, and is currently being considered for an additional $200K from the US EPA Brownfield Subgrant Program to abate the nuisance
--The total cost of abatement and demolition will be $900K-$1M. The state bid to remove asbestos from the building is $500K alone.
--Our target to have the building down, and the site cleared, is fall 2016

Then he added his own personal comments:
--After years of neglect, Hurricane Sandy damaged the roof (holes large enough to "drive a Volkswagon through") to the extent that the Lakewood Fire Department declared it unsafe for their own personnel to enter and the Lakewood Housing and Building Department condemned it.
--The site could be redeveloped for a number of different purposes, none of which have been determined yet. Currently, the property is still privately owned. The City likely will have a role, yet to be determined, in managing the redevelopment (but this is not yet confirmed).
--I highly doubt the site will be another theater, given the challenges for all theaters these days, and due to the lack of parking for that site (sold off years ago by the private owner to develop the Silver Coast Apartments).
--Like many in Lakewood, I prefer historic renovation and restoration. The window of opportunity for this property passed many years ago, and any doubt of that fact has now been settled by Hurricane Sandy damage and subsequent polar vortex winters.
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I hoping we get something from Skindell in the next couple days on what his plan is for saving and renovating it because it seems like a lost cause to me.

[Jim O'Bryan]

I emailed and asked Tom Bullock for an update on the progress and he responded with something from the Lakewood Planning Department and they said this, which is great news:
------------------------
--The city has received $200K in grant funding through the Cuyahoga County Demolition Program, and is currently being considered for an additional $200K from the US EPA Brownfield Subgrant Program to abate the nuisance
--The total cost of abatement and demolition will be $900K-$1M. The state bid to remove asbestos from the building is $500K alone.
--Our target to have the building down, and the site cleared, is fall 2016

Then he added his own personal comments:
--After years of neglect, Hurricane Sandy damaged the roof (holes large enough to "drive a Volkswagon through") to the extent that the Lakewood Fire Department declared it unsafe for their own personnel to enter and the Lakewood Housing and Building Department condemned it.
--The site could be redeveloped for a number of different purposes, none of which have been determined yet. Currently, the property is still privately owned. The City likely will have a role, yet to be determined, in managing the redevelopment (but this is not yet confirmed).
--I highly doubt the site will be another theater, given the challenges for all theaters these days, and due to the lack of parking for that site (sold off years ago by the private owner to develop the Silver Coast Apartments).
--Like many in Lakewood, I prefer historic renovation and restoration. The window of opportunity for this property passed many years ago, and any doubt of that fact has now been settled by Hurricane Sandy damage and subsequent polar vortex winters.
------------------------
I hoping we get something from Skindell in the next couple days on what his plan is for saving and renovating it because it seems like a lost cause to me.

Todd


Thanks for posting, I just got this through another source at the City.

Not the video, but hey, I like videos in messages too.

.

[cameron karslake]

I've been to a couple L2L meetings with the mayor and he has been saying for a long time now that the city wants the building gone. It's become a hazard and the owner is derelict. After repeated attempts to work with them, the city is just going to go ahead and demolish it. The problem is the asbestos inside. I believe there is a grant to take it down but the asbestos issue makes the project TWICE as expensive, so the city cannot afford it as of yet. They are working on it, and have been for quite some time. It is a shame because it is such an eyesore!

[bob dobush]

In reading these posts, wanted to correct some errors. This theater property never owned the adjoining parking lot. The long term lease for this property disappeared when the Silver Coast was built. Secondly , I have owned the property for 15 years, not 30. Also, in being tagged as "derelict" - I wonder what is meant. I have no tenants, no water, no heat, yet am at property almost every night, picking up around it as best I can, checking to make sure doors are secured, am not delinquent on my taxes, and my neighbors can attest my walks are always shovelled within 8 hours of any appreciable snow. Since building was vacated, there have been no police calls. The theater structure is still better than the Ohio theater downtown before it was renovated. I have no plans to abandon the building as many in my position would have done.

[todd heckeler]

In reading these posts, wanted to correct some errors. This theater property never owned the adjoining parking lot. The long term lease for this property disappeared when the Silver Coast was built. Secondly , I have owned the property for 15 years, not 30. Also, in being tagged as "derelict" - I wonder what is meant. I have no tenants, no water, no heat, yet am at property almost every night, picking up around it as best I can, checking to make sure doors are secured, am not delinquent on my taxes, and my neighbors can attest my walks are always shovelled within 8 hours of any appreciable snow. Since building was vacated, there have been no police calls. The theater structure is still better than the Ohio theater downtown before it was renovated. I have no plans to abandon the building as many in my position would have done.

Thanks for the corrections. Since you seem to be working with Skindell to renovate the building can you tell us his/your plans for saving the theater?

[bob dobush]

I have no idea who told you this- I am not "working " with Mr. Skindell and am not familiar with his opinion if it should be saved or not. I would only trust that any administration in office would treat commercial and residential property owners fairly. Please elaborate on where you got this info- bob

[Valerie Molinski]

I saw a post on the FB page for "The Historic Hilliard Theater" a few days ago... dated October 23rd. It said that Mr. Skindell has pledged to "work with us" to save the theater. I just read in the thread here today on the theater that Mr Dobush, the owner of the theater knows nothing about it, so I myself was very confused and asked the FB page admin who is running that page and why the owner of the property in question knows nothing about this pledge to save his property. No response yet.

[todd heckeler]

I saw a post on the FB page for "The Historic Hilliard Theater" a few days ago... dated October 23rd. It said that Mr. Skindell has pledged to "work with us" to save the theater. I just read in the thread here today on the theater that Mr Dobush, the owner of the theater knows nothing about it, so I myself was very confused and asked the FB page admin who is running that page and why the owner of the property in question knows nothing about this pledge to save his property. No response yet.

It would be nice if Skindell would confirm that he is or isn't saving it as well, seems there is a lot of misinformation out there, on Facebook and on the Deck.

[Lori Allen _]

All,

I think that Summers has a lot more to explain to the citizens of Lakewood than Skindell does. Is the theater really that important compared with the other situations that are facing this city in next weeks election? We have a lot bigger fish to fry. Just my opinion.

[Valerie Molinski]

All,

I think that Summers has a lot more to explain to the citizens of Lakewood than Skindell does. Is the theater really that important compared with the other situations that are facing this city in next weeks election? We have a lot bigger fish to fry. Just my opinion.

Sure. Let's switch back to posting about street lights, garbage collection scofflaws, and the egregious number of bars in Lakewood.

[todd heckeler]

All,

I think that Summers has a lot more to explain to the citizens of Lakewood than Skindell does. Is the theater really that important compared with the other situations that are facing this city in next weeks election? We have a lot bigger fish to fry. Just my opinion.

You know as well as I do there are other issues and topics for a candidate than just one. Is the hospital issue important? Yes, but even though I'm not voting for him, I'm sure people like my neighbors would like to hear him talk about other topics than the hospital. Just my opinion.