The Observation Deck

Fellow Lakewoodites:

With all the talk of whatever development we might be able to wring out of this built-out city of ours, I had a modest idea that I thought I might float here, regarding the presently-being-demolished Hilliard Square Theater.

On another thread, there was talk of rescuing the so-far un-crumbled former apartments and retail operations that line Madison Avenue just behind the Hilliard ruins.

I looked at all that today and thought gee whiz, maybe we could even go one better!

Solstice Steps South!!!!!!!!

No kidding....

Here's how!

The old theater's stage is still intact for the moment at least, as the shovels are currently removing the other debris....so what about this as a last-minute save idea?

Keep the stage as is, and develop what's in front of it into an open air Roman Amphitheater!

Meanwhile, re-furb the apartments and storefronts into upscale living and retail areas. All of this would probably cost a great deal less than tearing it all down and waiting to see who comes along to do who-knows-what.

One of my "homes away from home" was in Gadsden Alabama. Many years ago, forward-thinking people in that community built a Roman-style outdoor theater out of stone and it worked well! It became a regional destination for plays and shows of all kinds, and it was a very inviting part of downtown Gadsden. Having relatively low maintenance, to the best of my knowledge, it is still used and appreciated by just about everyone today.

Now, with the elevation difference already existing between Hilliard and Madison Avenues, and having a great stage already in place, Lakewood can now have a super outdoor "Solstice Steps South" sort of thing going on right there- where all sorts of outdoor plays, musical performances, political speechifying and stuff could go on! Talk about cool!

Just a thought....

Back to the banjo...

Sorry Gary,

I am sure that Summers and Extended Company have had this "project" of demolishing the theater planned out for a long time. Any money that may be left over after their "friends" have been paid off will be sent to Bermuda.

None for us. We are only the residents and tax payers of Lakewood to all of them. Nothing else.

Gary your idea is very appealing and exciting! What a wonderful draw for that areas economy.

I don't think solstice steps will add to Lakewood's economy unless the city charged admission. Of course, they would have to charge double so Summers and Company could collect money for their alleged accounts in Bermuda!

Hi Gary!
Funny enough I had the same fleeting thought as I considered the irony of the theater being of an "atmospheric" design i.e., it was designed to look like an outdoor amphitheater. An now it really is!

I like the idea! Plus, it's so simple to accomplish.
Turning lemons to lemonade. We could do worse!

Howdy Terry,

If we could convince some of Lakewood's great and caring people to stop ripping each other apart and start rolling up their sleeves and start working together, this sort of thing would be a shoe-in.

Go to the information regarding Gadsden, Alabama's awesome Amphitheater. Built in the 1930's as part of a public works program, it is now a national treasure and an arts and music magnet that continues to put that city in the spotlight.

An outdoor playhouse might not be quite as visionary as Savannah's peninsula, but viable? This I do believe, especially if we could retain the magnificent building behind it on Madison...

I might be wrong here, but way back in 1921, seems to me that a few dedicated Cleveland doctors started a clinic in a building just about that size, and that turned out to be a pretty successful enterprise for them, and for Cleveland too.

Back to the banjo...

Here's just one link to the history of the Gadsden Amphitheater:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mort_Glosser_Amphitheater

They reportedly used sandstone from Lookout Mountain to build it.

(Now THAT'S quite a mountain, by the way. )

But, we've got some pretty nice Berea sandstone, not far away from us, do we not?

There's a really personal reason that I'm close to that amphitheater.

Not only have I attended numerous events there over the years, and met some great luminaries who have performed there, but there's even more...

During WWII, my dad performed there many times with the Army band, and I'm pretty sure that's the EXACT place where he met my mom.

Yup, the Yankee and the Rebel; together at last...

Whether the finally Civil War ended there or continued on? You would needed to have asked Mom and Dad...

...but I was the result of their efforts to reconcile all of that.

Is there any doubt left in your minds that I HAVE to be all about compromise?

Any place that brings people together, particularly these days, is terrific, but I digress here.

Back to the banjo!

Gary Rice wrote:Howdy Terry,

If we could convince some of Lakewood's great and caring people to stop ripping each other apart and start rolling up their sleeves and start working together, this sort of thing would be a shoe-in.

Mr. Rice,

The owner of the Theater cried for help for years and none of Lakewood's great and caring people came to help him. In fact, many at City Hall were downright nasty to him and he claims they fought and obstructed his efforts to save the building. In the end, they even charged him with 28 criminal charges to extort transfer of the title to the property over to the city. I understand that Judge Carroll was not pleased with the Law Department and Building Department for having to deal with 28 cases instead of just one.

I am told the city got something like $800K of taxpayer money--nearly $200K from Lakewood taxpayers to tear down the building.

If we could only convince more of Lakewood's great and caring people to stop defending mistakes, stop denying and hiding the truth, and stop hiding documents, stop fighting citizens, i.e. treat citizens according to the law, then we we could all sing together in one big happy band with banjos.

I guess there are great and caring people, and then there are great and caring people.

If only everyone could all be great and caring at the same time.

Back to the banjo...

Gary Rice wrote:I guess there are great and caring people, and then there are great and caring people.

If only everyone could all be great and caring at the same time.

Back to the banjo...

Mr. Rice,

There can be no doubt that you are a great and caring person who puts your greatness and caring into action.

Back to my rolled up sleeves, hammer and tongs.

There have been plenty of great and caring people working hard for a couple of years now, and have exposed much of the Summers and Extended family's wrong doings here on the Deck.

Why else would Summers hate the Deck so much and have his team of cheerleaders on Deck Watch 24/7?

There just appears to be some people, who, no matter what he does, stand behind Lord Lakewood.

I believe that in the future, they may see the light, and the truth.

I don't know why I hadn't heard of this issue with the Detroit Theater until it was too late. last August, September I saw the building just standing there, vacant, and I posted about it, how interesting the carving were, then there was a fence, I posted that I was going to go at night and remove some of the artifacts, the roof top ladders, old porcelain sinks, and Bob replied, he seemed cooperative, but nothing came of it.

I'm just saying, had I been in Bob's position, I would have sit there at night in my pajama's, with a tent, with my grill and with Rufus, my dog, a battery operated radio, and waited for the press or the cops to come and question me. It was his property, he can sit there if he wants. Can't he? I would have brought so much attention, every resident in Lakewood would have heard my pleas, I'd ask for donation to help save the historic landmark. Citizens, residents, rich old widows, friends of Lakewood would have come thru and donated. The property would be under renovation.

I am willing to help save whatever we have left, if your facing demolition, reach out to me, to the community, scream it loud, let me hear from you, let Lakewood hear from you. We'll see what we can do. The Theater should have been save, imagine if the Beck Center would have moved in there, how great that would have been? weren't we close to losing the Beck Center, to Westlake a couple years ago? IDIOTS!

Twenty -eight criminal charges, wow! It appears that Summers and Extended Company seized this property the way they have done so many others.

Why help a Lakewood citizen? Why help to save a historical landmark?

No, not Summers and Extended Company. What "friend" needed a job? How are Summers and Company benefiting from this demolition? I believe this was all planned.

Drive around Lakewood. Are Council and Summers doing anything as far as housing, crime, graffiti, etc.. Ahhhh, no!