What's Next for Highland Park Theatre?

It has been ten days since was to begin her term. So why hasn't the City of Highland Park hasn't sold its yet?

I'm kidding. Mostly. 

Rotering campaigned in part on a position that the city . The theater was, in fact, one of the most central themes of her campaign, cited by many supporters as an example of how Rotering will approach things differently.

The question is, what happens now?

Holding out for live theater

I believe the issue is nowhere near as simple as it was viewed during the campaign. The theater was purchased in 2008, by unanimous vote of the then-City Council, as a way to save the facility. The owner wanted to sell the property as a tear-down, with an intent toward dense office space. The city staff and elected officials, with strong community support, spent just shy of $2 million -- from development and general funds -- to acquire the building and adjacent property. The vision was to attract a live theater company to set up shop, and keep customers coming into downtown Highland Park for both entertainment and the multiplier effect of shopping or dining.

Reality hasn't quite matched the vision. A poor physical plant and projection system, smelly ventilation problems and a decline in ticket sales have all made the movie part less appealing, and no live theater company has materialized.  

I'll admit that the last two times I went to see a movie there, I walked out early (though the first of those was decades ago during a showing of the uncomfortably awful Raising Arizona). I harbor no notion of historic preservation or a city goldmine. But I also absolutely do not believe the theater is an albatross, nor is it really costing taxpayers any money. The $1800 the city was receiving annually in property tax has been more than offset by continued sales tax from the theater and the retailers that also occupy the building. The multiplier effect, where people who come to the theater spend more money elsewhere in town, is hard to measure but passes the sniff test to me. The $2 million spent will be recouped in part or in whole if/when the city sells. And the open parking acquired, which would have vanished under a new structure, adds to the attractiveness of going downtown for all.

Other options

Rotering has a challenge ahead. Essentially, to live up to campaign promises, she must sell the property, which at this point in time will certainly be a money-losing proposition. In fact it is almost self-fulfilling in that regard, since potential buyers know there is pressure in town to act.

Which begs the question: should the city sell the movie theater?

In talking with friends, neighbors, city staff and elected officials, I see several options for what to do next: 

Return to the original vision and try to attract a live theater company.
Outcome: More arts in Highland Park is a good thing, but finding a theater company has proven difficult. There are other spaces in town that are just as available for live theater.
Rating: 1 star

Privatize the movie theater as-is.
Outcome: In current economy and density, no takers for this option, I believe. If there was, the theater would need updating to current industry standards, which would be costly.
Rating: 2 stars.

Sell the property as the owner intended, turn it into an office building.
Outcome: The city will lose some money, but has some control over what happens. Plus, the increase in public parking spaces has turned into a net plus. No sales tax revenue, no multiplier.
Rating: 3 stars

Sell the property as-is to someone who will turn the space into something new and unique.
Outcome: Surely someone creative could make this an interesting new space -- a restaurant a-la Sally's Stage of yesteryear, a loft residential space or a boutique bed and breakfast. I'd vote for this.
Rating: 4 stars

As said during the campaign, the decision to buy the movie theater . The city should pursue thoughtful re-use of this space, soliciting creative ideas and unique solutions. Rather than confining ourselves to thinking about it as a movie theater, surely we should be able to do something visionary with this space. 

That's the leadership we should expect from our newly elected officials.