Community Meeting on The Senator Theatre

Maryland State Senator Joan Carter Conway has called a

COMMUNITY MEETING

THE SENATOR THEATRE
May 20, 2009, 6 pm at
The Senator Theatre

Area media outlets are reporting that Baltimore City now owns The Senator Theatre.

This is not accurate.

It has also been widely reported that The Baltimore Development Corporation [BDC] will choose the new owner or operator of The Senator Theatre and determine its future entertainment programming through the RFP process.

This is not accurate.

The ownership of the landmark Senator Theatre will be solely determined by the outcome of a public auction, expected to take place later this summer. The successful bidder at the public auction will own The Senator and proceed to determine its future use within certain parameters.

In a timely effort to separate fact from fiction and clarify the situation regarding The Senator Theatre, Maryland State Senator Joan Carter Conway, who represents the 43rd legislative district in which The Senator Theatre is located, has called a public meeting in response to constituent concerns.

The open public information session will take place at The Senator Theatre on Wednesday evening, May 20th from 6pm to 8pm.

Please spread the word!

State Senator Conway has invited City and State economic development representatives to attend the meeting.

Scheduled government representatives to date include:

* Clarence Snuggs, Maryland's Deputy Director of Housing and Community Development representing Raymond Skinner, Secretary of Housing & Community Development

* Kim Clark, Executive Vice President of The Baltimore Development Corporation, representing Deputy Mayor Andrew Frank, Neighborhood and Economic Development

Representatives of Preservation Maryland, Baltimore Heritage, The Baltimore City Historical Society, The Commission for Historic and Architectural Preservation [CHAP] and media representatives have also been invited to attend.

North Baltimore business and community leaders are invited along with all others who are concerned about the uncertain future of The Senator Theatre.


Topics to discussed include:

~The State of Maryland's financial investment in The Senator Theatre;

~The State of Maryland's position in Baltimore City's upcoming foreclosure proceedings;

~ The City of Baltimore's purchase of the 1st Mariner mortgage note secured by The Senator Theatre;

~ Baltimore City's public auction process intended to transfer ownership of The Senator Theatre;

~ The rising concerns of the extended North Baltimore residential and business communities as to The Senator's uncertain future.

In recent years the theater's present owner, Tom Kiefaber, has called The Senator "The People's Theatre". Apart from The Senator Theatre's inaugural opening on October 5th, 1939, the upcoming transition from 70 years of continuous family ownership and operationis the most pivotal event in the renowned theatre's rich history.

Please mark your calendars and encourage your family, friends and neighbors to attend the upcoming meeting at The Senator!

For further information visit:
www.senator.com or
www.thesenatorcommunitytrust.org or
friendsofthesenatortheatre.wordpress.com

Maryland Daily Record Feature on The Senator

There's a feature today in the Maryland Daily Record, which outlines the parallel but differing efforts being taken by Baltimore City and the local community as represented by The Senator Community Trust LLC. I want to bring out a couple of quotes from the article here:

At this stage, the committee is not seeking community input, said councilman and committee member Bill Henry, who represents the district in which the Senator is located.

“None of us know anything about actually running [a theater], so we’re saying let’s not focus on that right now,” Henry said. “Right now we just need to make sure we save the real estate so someone can have a crack at it.”

And then compare that to this...

Ideally, Brescia said, the trust could work out a temporary refinancing of its loan with First Mariner, then as a nonprofit immediately begin fundraising with the help of the city and state to take it off of the bank’s books.

“The idea is to get everybody off the hook,” he said. “While we’d like the city and state involved, they need to be off the hook for the long term and we can’t burden our taxpayers.”

Susan McCarter, former executive director for the League of Historic American Theaters and now a Johns Hopkins University professor, said that most historic theaters that have survived have done so as a nonprofit. But the successful ones have been a marriage between community and government ideals.

“If you involve a community in some way in maintaining the theater, it has a chance of being healthy,” she said. “I think the problem arises when people who don’t have a local stake in it are making the decisions.”

And this...

As far as the Senator Theatre is concerned, there’s no lack of community and business interest; just one of time and agreement between two groups that believe they have the property’s best interests at heart.

“There is definitely a disconnect with the city’s way of trying to figure out a solution to this problem and our thinking,” said Brescia. “It’s a good indicator of intent that they established this task force — now we’re looking to bridge the gap between the community’s idea and what the city’s exploring.”

Food for thought.

Press Releases from The Senator Community Trust LLC

The Senator Community Trust LLC is a new community-based organization with a mission to preserve and protect the historic Senator Theatre. The group put out two press releases in the past 24 hours. I'm just going to quote them.

********************FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***********************

Baltimore Community Organizes To Support Historic Senator Theatre

Community and business leaders announce the formation of The Senator Community Trust LLC
to ensure the survival of the cherished historic landmark Senator Theatre.

Baltimore, Maryland, February 25, 2009 – A group of local community and business leaders announced today that they have organized to realize the goal of community-based non-profit ownership and preservation of the historic Senator Theatre.

Recognizing the need for the community to take the leadership in implementation of the vision to establish The Senator as the premiere community-based entertainment and educational venue in the area, the group has formed The Senator Community Trust LLC, which is now in the process of seeking non-profit status.

This vision is based on extensive feedback during a series of public meetings that began in early 2008.

“We’re encouraged by the city’s willingness to get involved. We take that as a very positive sign of their belief in this transition to community-based entertainment and educational facility,” says Sean Brescia of Clearpath Management, who has stepped up to help coordinate the goals of Senator management and The Senator Community Trust.

Brescia adds, “We are grateful for the city’s support of this vision and identification of economic development funds that could be allocated to help with the stabilization and transition process, and look forward to continuing this dialogue with them as we proceed.”

Efforts to preserve and protect the historic Senator Theatre have garnered national attention, most recently when actor David Arquette drew attention to the issue on his MySpace blog. Arquette writes, “Why do I care? Because I’ve seen it, I’ve walked through its sacred halls, I love it and I want my daughter to see it, wander through it in awe, and love it as I do someday soon.”

About The Senator Community Trust LLC: To foster the vision of the Senator Theatre as a community-based non-profit organization, a group of local community and business leaders has organized The Senator Community Trust, LLC. The Senator Community Trust has as its mission the preservation, protection, and restoration of Baltimore’s cherished landmark, the historic Senator Theatre. The Senator Community Trust is working with theatre management toward community ownership of the theatre building.

Contact:

Sherry Holland-Senter
The Senator Community Trust LLC
P.O. Box 39781
Baltimore, MD 21212
senatorcommunitytrust@gmail.com

Sean Brescia
Clearpath Management
1000 Fell Street, Suite 623
Baltimore, MD 21231
443.708.3084
sbrescia@clearpathmanagement.com

# # #

and...

February 25, 2009

************FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE************

Ace That Assessment: Senator Theatre Offers “Edu-tainment” Program for Area Schools

Baltimore, Maryland, February 25, 2009 – Beginning today for the next two weeks, The Senator Theatre will be hosting a series of “Test Preparation Shows” to area school children through a program sponsored by Amped Up: Family Amphiteater. The program is part of the developing vision of The Senator Theatre as a venue for educational, cultural and entertainment events.

The Senator Theatre management team has recently expanded the theatre’s offerings to demonstrate the Senator Theatre’s future as the premiere multi-purpose entertainment venue in the area, working with Sean Brescia of Clearpath Management to showcase a wide range of local musical talent. Through the “Test Preparation Shows,” the Senator Theatre is also demonstrating its potential as an enhanced learning destination for students.

A motion picture screen used for entertainment purposes can serve as a "graphic interface for enhanced learning" when utilized for educational purposes. Another key aspect of the experience has to do with the special purpose, controlled environment nature of the facility itself. Attention is seized and distractions are minimized in this unique enhanced learning environment that represents a scaled up version of the illuminated screens that they have been conditioned to direct their attention to from early childhood.

.
About The Senator Community Trust LLC: To foster the vision of The Senator Theatre as a community-based non-profit organization, a group of local community and business leaders has organized The Senator Community Trust, LLC. The Senator Community Trust has as its mission the preservation, protection, and restoration of Baltimore’s cherished landmark, the historic Senator Theatre. The Senator Community Trust is working with theatre management toward community ownership of the theatre building.


Contact:
Sherry Holland-Senter
The Senator Community Trust
senatorcommunitytrust@gmail.com

Michael Amrhine
Amped Up!, Inc.
A+ Assemblies, LLC
info@2ampedup.com
877-226-7338

PDF versions can be downloaded here:

SCT announcement
Edu-tainment at The Senator

Save the Senator Theatre

I was just at the Senator Theatre in North Baltimore for an emergency community meeting about the plans to convert the historic 1939 Art Deco theatre into a nonprofit, community owned arts venue. The situation appears to be this: the plans are stalled because the theatre is in imminent danger of closing, and the staff has all it can handle to just keep the theatre operating at this time. The current owner, Tom Kiefaber, who has striven for 20 years to keep the theatre open and provide entertainment and a community gathering place, cannot turn the theatre into a nonprofit if he can’t clear the theatre’s debts first.

The positive side to all this is, there is a great feeling that the community can expand the theatre’s role as a real place of community building. Many potential uses were mentioned, including a place for schools to show educational films related to their curriculums, a place for local filmmakers to showcase their work, and a place for live performances of many kinds.

There is a plan in the works for local bands to stage a fundraiser for the theatre, although those plans are not finalized. Some lawyers have made offers of free legal help for the theatre’s efforts to transition to a nonprofit as well.

I am new to the area, so I don’t have the fond memories of the history of the place that many members of the community have. I haven’t been there for the annual showing of “It’s a Wonderful Life” during the holidays, for instance, or the many fundraisers for community nonprofits.

Several members of the community who were at the meeting mentioned in particular that the recent gathering at the Senator to witness the inauguration of President Barack Obama was an outstanding example of the kind of community-building function that the Senator Theatre can serve, and currently serves --- bringing neighbors together in a spirit of celebration to witness a historically important event, and to gather food donations for the needy at the same time. The standing-room only event truly was a special moment for this community.

The recent national and international economic crisis has put the Senator’s survival in grave jeopardy. The failure of the theatre would also endanger the businesses in the surrounding area, which have a symbiotic relationship with the theatre, the prosperity of each contributing to the prosperity of the others. It would also negatively affect the community psychologically and in terms of home values. With support from local and state government for the goal of turning the Senator into a nonprofit, the theatre need not close. It is clear there is broad support within the community for the theatre. The question is really whether government leaders will come to the table to discuss how the conversion into a nonprofit can become a reality.

I ask elected representatives in the Baltimore area to come together and help save the Senator and the positive impact it has on the economy and the quality of life in North Baltimore.

Tom Kiefaber told us at the meeting that it is not a question of raising a specific dollar amount, but a question of getting enough institutional support behind the project for it to move forward. That said, he did also say that he would be grateful for any angels who wish to come forward. When he said it, I pictured angels all around him.

Residents of the Baltimore area can help keep the Senator in business by going to movies there, of course. The next film shown will be Defiance, starting Friday. Check the theatre’s web site for times. Let’s pack the house!

Elizabeth Edwards answers my question on John's call for national service

It's NOT a draft. Let me say that right away.

A recent report that John Edwards was calling for mandatory national service confused some people, so when Elizabeth Edwards posted a diary tonight on Daily Kos, I asked her to clarify her husband's position.

Here's her response:

NOT a draft (12+ / 0-)

John is not in favor of a military draft. Never has been. When he was in the Senate and in the 2004 campaign, he proposed a national community service program for high school students, modeled on the program at the public school our older children attended. The habit of public service is one that we want to encourage. Whether that means that high school program or a national public service program for all of us -- even those out of high school -- we know we need to think about it, to get all Americans committed in a real and meaningful way in making America as strong and as compassionate as we can. He saw on the Gulf Coast what committed Americans can accomplish, and he dreams big about how much more we could do.

Join me at http://blog.johnedwards.com

by elizabethedwards on Tue May 22, 2007 at 06:08:17 PM PDT

Here's a link to both the question and the answer.

Mrs. Edwards visited Daily Kos because she was announcing that her husband will attend the Yearly Kos blogger conference in August. She stayed around and answered a lot of questions, so be sure and read her diary and the comments.