Bloggin’ on the Edge

Posted by Scott Spielman at 11:14 AM | Comments (2)

Before the Wayne City Council voted to accept the deed for the Historic Wayne Theater, the city administration warned that it would essentially be the proverbial white elephant.

The structure is too dangerous and expensive to save, they said, and City Manager John Zech threw out a bunch of numbers. Those expenses are starting to come in. On the agenda for the city council meeting tonight is about $5,000 to take care of some asbestos issues in the 80-year-old structure.

I still think this is a fascinating opportunity for the City of Wayne. The council—or the administration—is determined to tear this thing down. It has sparked a little debate in our forums here on the web and I generally like to stay out of those since I have other avenues to voice my opinion.

I do, however, want to point out a couple of things. Those who were at the last city council meeting or who have since seen it on cable will notice the questions Zech asked about the theater: where will the city come up with $4 million to restore it and what then (who would run it and all that). He also asked if it was the city’s responsibility.

Nobody has ever suggested the city spend $4 million—or even $1 million—on it or take it over. The question has always been whether it’s cheaper to save it or demolish it. A renovation or restoration project was always talked about in the context of a private developer aided by grant funds.

There is also the concept that it would compete with the city-owned State Wayne Theater or depend on the residents of Wayne as its target audience. Neither is the case. I’ve always thought it would be a regional draw, not a place for movies but concerts and other types of performances. You can’t find an 800-seat theater anywhere near here.

No investor has come forward in the last 20 years in part because of the people involved. They were all good-hearted, well-meaning people, but it’s a different situation when you can sit down with, say, a city’s community development director and look at, say, an 100-plus page conceptual plan for a new downtown (The Andrews University study).

Who would you be more likely to listen to?

Comments (2)