The Observation Deck

Like so much of the world today, it seems like years ago we talked of the Hillard Westwood Theater coming down. Only a couple weeks, and only half done.

So we stopped, paused, observed, and thought back.

peace/love

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great PICTURE Jim, thanks for sharing. and I agree.

Once the Theater is gone, the "Silver Coast" apartments will have center stage as you drive west on Madison Ave. or Hilliard Blvd., not a pretty picture.

I would sell what is left of my soul for that Rocky Horror Picture background.

Missy Limkemann wrote:I would sell what is left of my soul for that Rocky Horror Picture background.

Missy - Jim is Photoshop wizard. (give the pups a hug for me?)

Jim - Brilliantly done!

Speaking of going, going, and gone, today we're seeing the last of the old Hilliard theater building. Did not have time to grab any photos, but that, and the building on Madison, are both piles of rubble by now.

Back to the banjo...

I'd love to see those old photos, post them if you have any. If I'm able, I will maybe organize, a group of people who are willing to voice their opinion, some authority on preserving what Lakewood has left. I don't understand, if you want to build in Lakewood, take the worst of what we have, not the best.. Take down those ugly 60's apartment buildings, splattered across the avenue's. occupied by who knows who, and doing what? don't take the Detroit Theater. NOT THE DETROIT THEATER. you idiots.

I can understand a little about letting the Hilliard Theater go, it was so far gone, I blame whoever was in charge at the time, and aloud it happen. that person would have a headache.. me. the city should have demanded, every possible avenue should have been utilized, every grant, storefront renovation program, donations, whatever possible to save it. Who aloud the Hilliard Theater get to such a state, that it had to go. WHO........ idiots.

such a SHAME, I've lost loved ones, family, friends, I admit, the Hilliard Theater is not as severe, but just as devastating, once their gone, their gone forever

jackie f taylor wrote:I can understand a little about letting the Hilliard Theater go, it was so far gone, I blame whoever was in charge at the time, and allowed it happen. that person would have a headache.. me. the city should have demanded, every possible avenue should have been utilized, every grant, storefront renovation program, donations, whatever possible to save it. Who allowed the Hilliard Theater get to such a state, that it had to go. WHO........ idiots.

Mr. Taylor, the story that I've gleaned here on The Deck is that the owner had plans to rehabilitate and save The Hiliard Theatre, but that city leadership had different ideas and, through the years, actively denied permits and prevented the owner from saving the structure, up to the point of the city suing the owner. Others here surely know the story better, or can point you to the threads that already tell the story. Some blame belongs to city hall. Replace city hall.

cmager wrote:

jackie f taylor wrote:I can understand a little about letting the Hilliard Theater go, it was so far gone, I blame whoever was in charge at the time, and allowed it happen. that person would have a headache.. me. the city should have demanded, every possible avenue should have been utilized, every grant, storefront renovation program, donations, whatever possible to save it. Who allowed the Hilliard Theater get to such a state, that it had to go. WHO........ idiots.

Mr. Taylor, the story that I've gleaned here on The Deck is that the owner had plans to rehabilitate and save The Hiliard Theatre, but that city leadership had different ideas and, through the years, actively denied permits and prevented the owner from saving the structure, up to the point of the city suing the owner. Others here surely know the story better, or can point you to the threads that already tell the story. Some blame belongs to city hall. Replace city hall.

No, that is not what I have gleaned from the information shared here about the demise of the theater. No one kept the owner of the theater from fixing the giant hole in the roof that got even bigger during Hurricane Sandy in 2012- the thing that probably did the most to destabilize the building and ruin much of it beyond repair. Rehabbing is one thing- keeping a building stabilized/mothballed is another. (Also why we just lost the old power plant on the shoreway- FE did nothing to stabilize it and let it rot.)

I am sure that the owner had the best intentions for the property, but stabilizing it, let alone rehabbing it, was big money that was not easy to come by. I do feel that the loss of this building was certainly a tragic one. But this was private property whose responsibility lay with the owner.

The roof issue is in dispute, from what has been posted here. According to Terry Tekushan:

Bob told me that he had contracted to put a 5-7 year roof over the whole thing at that point but the permit was denied. Complete rebuild right then or nothing.

From this thread:http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/forum/v ... rd+theater

If that is true, it would indicate that the city actually discouraged the attempts to stabilize the structure. I understand that a short term roof is just a patch and a long term solution would eventually be needed, but it could have given the owner time to find financing for the better roof. In the interim, the place would be dry.

Bridget Conant wrote:The roof issue is in dispute, from what has been posted here. According to Terry Tekushan:

Bob told me that he had contracted to put a 5-7 year roof over the whole thing at that point but the permit was denied. Complete rebuild right then or nothing.

From this thread:http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/forum/v ... rd+theater

If that is true, it would indicate that the city actually discouraged the attempts to stabilize the structure. I understand that a short term roof is just a patch and a long term solution would eventually be needed, but it could have given the owner time to find financing for the better roof. In the interim, the place would be dry.

Not sure if it is true either, but we only have one side here. If I remember correctly, the hole in some form was already there and the structure beneath was likely already compromised. There was a tarp up there even before Hurricane Sandy made it worse. So to say they actively discouraged stabilization might be incorrect because you cannot just slap a new roof on something that is already damaged. This begs the question, though- if something was an ongoing problem or issue, how many chances do you give an owner to do truly meaningful fixes instead of stop gaps that only short term solutions, often after a period of inaction? The hole got bigger and damage was already done- so doing a five year roof may not have been an appropriate solution based on the condition it was already in.

I remember talking to Jeff Heinen at the opening of the downtown Heinens in the old Cleveland Trust building on E9th. I marveled that the original murals not only were intact, but looked great. He said that the building was in remarkably good shape after years of vacancy and he attributed it strongly to the fact that the heat had been kept on even when not in use.

Maintaining temperature makes a big difference in this area as freezing weather can do so much damage.

Ms. Molinski, to which "tarp" are you referring? bob d.

bob dobush wrote:Ms. Molinski, to which "tarp" are you referring? bob d.

Am I mis-remembering? It's been a while. I know there was a large blue tarp up on the roof after the Hurricane Sandy damage, but I thought I remembered one that you could see on the west facing roof even before that?

I thought I also remembered something being up there in 2008- I went there on the tour during the Lakewood House tour that year. Either way, it was a very cool building and I am saddened that it is now gone. Some of the things I saw on the house tour and in pics of it in its heyday were fantastic. I have training in historic preservation- while I don't think that every old building should be saved, that one was certainly something special.