Hilliard Theatre (not political propaganda)

[Rhonda loje]

THIS IS WRITTEN BY MICHAEL LOJE
____________________________________________________________

The Hilliard Theater was designed by architects Braverman and Havermaet. It opened in 1927 as a movie house, probably showing silents for at least a year before converting to sound. It was also designed to accomodate vaudeville.
A remodeling in the early fifties resulted in "paneling over" of the original lobby elements. The original tile work is apparently intact, under this paneling. The auditorium, however, still shows its original art deco influenced design.
It is important to note, that of all the existing theater buildings in Lakewood, this is the most attractive AND the most intact.

[robert dobush]

Thanx for the interest in the theater. Firstly, I bought it to save it as there was a big push to raze it and put in a drugstore, with an offer pending. Mission accomplished. As far as the roof goes, this is not a money-making endeavor, with the real estate tax being one third of the gross rent., so there is no money available, but I do what I can. The theater needs plaster, as it did when I bought it. There have been many interested parties -with ideas ranging from a youth center, restaurant, vintage film theater, church, parking facility, and video production facility, all rejected by in one way or another by the city. The video production facility was very close , with verbal approval given for loan from First Federal, then a delay of over a year before the idea was rejected by the bank, with the reason given as they didnt like the plan. This man spent fifteen thousand dollars on this project before being rejected. It was a project that required very little parking, and also was initiated by a man who had a similar facility on the east coast, and had contracts with CNN and ESPN. He was willling to put 5OOK into the building immediately.
I have never been contacted by Tom George's office, and would have loved to know about a seminar regarding theater restoration, but was never informed. Also, the parking lot next door was never owned by the theater as one writer mentioned. There was a long term lease that was cancelled when the Silver Coast was built with the approval of the city of Lakewood. It is at this time that I feel the city should have purchased the building since they effectively crushed any ability for the property to survive financially. Efforts at having a billboard on the property or a cel-phone tower-both ideas that can keep a property such as this viable, were rejected by the building department.
Ryan Demro contacted me and was very interested in the place and felt something should be done soon-either razing it or restoring it-not the limbo it has been in for the last twenty years. If, through twenty years and two owners nothing has been developed or approved by the city, then it seems obvious to me that indeed the city has no interest in anyone succeeding at this location. This property has generated almost one hundred thousand dollars for the schools of the city of Lakewood since I have owned it, with no children ever living here. Perhaps this was and is the goal of the city for this property- mainly a cash cow for the schools. Police are never at the property, but at the Silver Coast almost nightly. Since I have owned it, there have seldom been problems here, except for the occasional vandalism.
Ed Fitzgerald recently stopped over and was very helpful in his ideas for the property. It is a large parcel and surely there must be something that can be done here.
I am no longer sure that a restored theater would be the best for this property but hold out hope that it will. In the meantime, I do the best I can and keep the tenants secure and safe. I have an apartment here and am very vigilant about tenant safety. This is all I can do for now.
Please feel free to respond or contact me regarding the property.
thanx, bob dobush

[Bill Call]

I have never been contacted by Tom George's office, and would have loved to know about a seminar regarding theater restoration, but was never informed.

How serious is a seminar about this theater's restoration if the owner was never informed about the seminar?

[Richard Cole]

I have never been contacted by Tom George's office, and would have loved to know about a seminar regarding theater restoration, but was never informed.

How serious is a seminar about this theater's restoration if the owner was never informed about the seminar?

Reading the thread, it sounds as if Mayor George asked the Planning Director to attend a seminar in Cincinnati on Theater Restoration. It was not a seminar on the restoration of the Hilliard. Personally, I was pleased to hear that the Planning Director had attended a seminar on theater restoration.

The restoration of the theater in Berkhamstead http://www.therexcinema.com/therex/photos/album.asp referenced earlier in the thread is a wonderful example of what can be done.

http://www.therexcinema.com/therex/prog ... 7a5mag.pdf is the July 07 flyer.

[Bill Call]

I have never been contacted by Tom George's office, and would have loved to know about a seminar regarding theater restoration, but was never informed.

How serious is a seminar about this theater's restoration if the owner was never informed about the seminar?

Reading the thread, it sounds as if Mayor George asked the Planning Director to attend a seminar in Cincinnati on Theater Restoration. It was not a seminar on the restoration of the Hilliard.

The Mayor responded to this thread with the information that he is right on top of the concerns for the future of the Westwood Theater. If the trip to Cincinnati was intended as a serious effort to develope the Westwood Theater you would think that the owner of the Theater would have been contacted regarding the City's interest.

Since the owner says he has heard nothing from the Mayor's office I have to conclude that the trip to Cincy was simply political theater.

[dl meckes]

Since the owner says he has heard nothing from the Mayor's office I have to conclude that the trip to Cincy was simply political theater.

Bill-

Are you sure that the owner has not talked with Tom Jordan?

And would there be any reason why a Planning Director would go to a seminar to learn more about old theater spaces other than "political theater"?

God forbid that the mayor would want Jordan to have the best information possible regarding such things, especially since we have a number of old theaters in Lakewood that are not presently being used for their original purpose. Isn't he supposed to be current on job-related issues?

[Richard Cole]

I have never been contacted by Tom George's office, and would have loved to know about a seminar regarding theater restoration, but was never informed.

How serious is a seminar about this theater's restoration if the owner was never informed about the seminar?

Reading the thread, it sounds as if Mayor George asked the Planning Director to attend a seminar in Cincinnati on Theater Restoration. It was not a seminar on the restoration of the Hilliard.

If the trip to Cincinnati was intended as a serious effort to develope the Westwood Theater (my emphasis added).

Since the owner says he has heard nothing from the Mayor's office I have to conclude that the trip to Cincy was simply political theater.

Interesting clause you've inserted there. Equating attending a seminar with "serious effort to develope (SIC)" is a little far fetched. Kudos to the city for attempting to gain knowledge on theater restoration.

[Frank Murtaugh]

Private owners of theaters may check numerous internet sites to learn the dates and locations of restoration seminars. I am sure the City will share what helpful information, if any, was gleaned at the recent seminar.

[dl meckes]

I found a link to a City Council agenda, in April 2005 regarding the approval for the study that was performed...

http://ci.lakewood.oh.us/citygovern_cou ... 2005b.html

Stan Austin mentioned it in his column, as well:

http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewt ... lliard#144

[Teresa Andreani]

Rhonda - thanks for posting your photos.

I have fond memories of many, many late nights at the Rocky Horror Picture Show! It was nearly a weekly pilgrimage during high school. Let's do the time warp, again!!

[Dan Shields]

It's just a step to the left...

[Mark Crnolatas]

If anyone remembers the Hilliard in it's prime, it has to be restored.

My mother even took cross-town trips to see movies there when she was a kid, back in pre-WWII times. Apparently it was on par with some of the best.

As a few have posted, while it was the Westwood, even with the Silver Coast there, there were full houses, so people found a place to park. I used to go there often, when it was the Hilliard and the Westwood.

It's a landmark and would be tragic to let it just "go". Look at all the effort posted on the deck here to save a private person's house?

That was basically a lost cause up front apparently. This is not.

I hope we can get behind this and do something positive so we can have a fine old historic theater back to running movies, shows and arts of all kind.


Mark Allan Crnolatas

[Dee Martinez]

The Hilliard Theater, the Hall House, the Christian Science building on Lake & 117th. It sounds so cruel but they all remind me of the old TV sets my ex kept in the garage because he was going to "restore them some day."

I thank Mr. Dobush for posting here and sharing his story. I have to say I agree with his doubts that the building will ever be a theater again, just as the building on Lake will never be a bookstore and the Hall House wont likely be anything but a dangerous eyesore.
Mr. Dobush says after 20 years, the city has "no interest" in restoring the theater. Apparently, the private sector has none either.

As the song says, "time to say goodbye" and allow this person to recoup his investment as he sees fit, with our thanks for trying.

[Ed FitzGerald]

Does anyone know how long the theatre at Gordon Square was vacant before it was restored? I wouldn't quit on these properties- and there has been occasional interest from private developers in all of the sites listed above.

[Dee Martinez]

Does anyone know how long the theatre at Gordon Square was vacant before it was restored? I wouldn't quit on these properties- and there has been occasional interest from private developers in all of the sites listed above.

At this point, as long as the building is well-maintained and safe, the call is 100% the owners to make. If he wants to hold out for a theater restoration, good for him. If he wants to sell to CVS tomorrow, in my book thats fine too He put his money where his mouth was.