Edwardsville’s Wildey Theatre may reopen
By Terry Hillig
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
12/14/2007
EDWARDSVILLE â€" Two Missouri companies say they want to renovate and reopen the Wildey Theatre in downtown Edwardsville in time for its 100th anniversary in 2009.
Mayor Gary Niebur said Thursday the city had entered into a six-month agreement that will allow Lloyd and Bennett LLC access to the building to study feasibility of the purchase and renovation of the building. Lloyd and Bennett LLC is a joint venture of MBL Properties and St. Louis County Realty.
Niebur said the project, if undertaken, would ensure renovation and preservation of the theatre’s auditorium, a key goal of city officials.
The Wildey, at 250-254 North Main Street, opened as a vaudeville house in 1909 and later became a movie theater. It closed in 1984. A private owner had plans for renovation that never came to fruition and the city, with the help of a state grant, bought the property in 1999.Advertisement
The city repaired the roof, took other steps to maintain the building’s integrity and had the Wildey marquee restored while looking for a private developer to renovate the property.
Lloyd and Bennett LLC proposes to renovate the auditorium for movies, live theater, lectures and the like, and renovate the rest of the three-story structure for retail and office use. Two spaces on the building’s ground floor would be renovated for retail or office use and the building’s second and third floors would be renovated for office or cultural uses.
MBL Properties President Matt Librach said the announcement marked the beginning of what he believes will be “a major redevelopment and an anchor of strength in downtown Edwardsville.”
The Wildey was built by local members of the International Order of Odd Fellows, a fraternal and civic organization. It was named after Thomas Wildey, one of the order’s founders.
Edwardsville Alderman Rich Walker said the building’s construction was nearly complete 99 years ago this week.
“Its star has been a little dim recently,” he said. “One day, we hope to see this star on Main Street shine again.”
Join the Granada Theater group on Yahoo! to read current events or to post questions, comments, stories, or pictures concerning the granada Theater in downtown Mt.Vernon, Illinois.
I wish I was still in the area so I could volunteer to help restore the Granada Theater. I am so proud of the work that has been do so far. I wish you all the best of luck in re-opening the theater and finding events that will make the Granada the social hub of downtown Mt.Vernon, Illinois.
Good Luck with the renovations. I hope you are able to open and find success. Hart Theater in Effingham and Plaza Theater in Mt.Vernon are also struggling. Maybe a special theater-owners group should be formed to share information with each other?
I drove past the Cinema 4 today and was sad to see it in this condition. I noted that Dormont’s Liberty Ave was very much like a downtown Main Street in any number of communities accross the United States. I witnessed heavy traffic (vehicular and pedestrian) and very few empty storefronts. This area could support the re-opening of this theater if parking arraingments could be made with nearby church or other property owners. Residence should confront their community leaders and encourage them to build a parking garage.
Is there a formula for knowing what location could support a movie theater? With so many MegaPlex locations going up…I would like to bring cinema back to some smaller towns. I’m not sure how large a community would need to be to support a twin screen complex or how far away from another theater.
I am a Horror Movie fan also and think it would be awsome to visit a theater like this. But, a yearly pilgramage would not support your efforts to keep the theater alive.
Maybe if the theater were part of a museum of horror movies or if it included a wax museum, restaurant, and book store. The restaurant would allow repeat customers for local townspeople and the bookstore could allow for personal meet/greet or book signing opportunities.
Could you tell us were you live or what location you are thinking about? I would say a large city or tourist area (Salem, MA ?)would be neccessary.
The Jimmy Stewart Museum has a screening room and regularly shows movies from his career. Every year a co-actor is given a “Harvey Award” at the museum also. You can learn more about these events by visiting the museum website or the local tourist bureau’s website.
Indiana, Pennsylvania is the hometown of actor James Stewart. You will find a James Stewart Museum downtown and the community celebrates “It’s A Wonderful Life” each Christmas season.
I also miss the old Drive-In. The last movie I can remember watching at the Mt.Vernon Drive-In was Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I don’t think the theater could reopen in the same location but it would be nice to have a drive in in the area again.
I think most theaters make a profit from the sale of popcorn and drinks. That doesn’t leave much in the way of huge returns. I think it would be an added bonus to run a theater if you had a storefront restaurant or bookstore adjacent. Otherwise, it’s not much of living.
For those of you who are interested in reviving theaters just because you see the community value in these treasures…then I suggest forming a non-profit group to save and restore these theaters.
Edwardsville’s Wildey Theatre may reopen
By Terry Hillig
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
12/14/2007
EDWARDSVILLE â€" Two Missouri companies say they want to renovate and reopen the Wildey Theatre in downtown Edwardsville in time for its 100th anniversary in 2009.
Mayor Gary Niebur said Thursday the city had entered into a six-month agreement that will allow Lloyd and Bennett LLC access to the building to study feasibility of the purchase and renovation of the building. Lloyd and Bennett LLC is a joint venture of MBL Properties and St. Louis County Realty.
Niebur said the project, if undertaken, would ensure renovation and preservation of the theatre’s auditorium, a key goal of city officials.
The Wildey, at 250-254 North Main Street, opened as a vaudeville house in 1909 and later became a movie theater. It closed in 1984. A private owner had plans for renovation that never came to fruition and the city, with the help of a state grant, bought the property in 1999.Advertisement
The city repaired the roof, took other steps to maintain the building’s integrity and had the Wildey marquee restored while looking for a private developer to renovate the property.
Lloyd and Bennett LLC proposes to renovate the auditorium for movies, live theater, lectures and the like, and renovate the rest of the three-story structure for retail and office use. Two spaces on the building’s ground floor would be renovated for retail or office use and the building’s second and third floors would be renovated for office or cultural uses.
MBL Properties President Matt Librach said the announcement marked the beginning of what he believes will be “a major redevelopment and an anchor of strength in downtown Edwardsville.”
The Wildey was built by local members of the International Order of Odd Fellows, a fraternal and civic organization. It was named after Thomas Wildey, one of the order’s founders.
Edwardsville Alderman Rich Walker said the building’s construction was nearly complete 99 years ago this week.
“Its star has been a little dim recently,” he said. “One day, we hope to see this star on Main Street shine again.”
Join the Granada Theater group on Yahoo! to read current events or to post questions, comments, stories, or pictures concerning the granada Theater in downtown Mt.Vernon, Illinois.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/granadatheater
I wish I was still in the area so I could volunteer to help restore the Granada Theater. I am so proud of the work that has been do so far. I wish you all the best of luck in re-opening the theater and finding events that will make the Granada the social hub of downtown Mt.Vernon, Illinois.
Good Luck with the renovations. I hope you are able to open and find success. Hart Theater in Effingham and Plaza Theater in Mt.Vernon are also struggling. Maybe a special theater-owners group should be formed to share information with each other?
I drove past the Cinema 4 today and was sad to see it in this condition. I noted that Dormont’s Liberty Ave was very much like a downtown Main Street in any number of communities accross the United States. I witnessed heavy traffic (vehicular and pedestrian) and very few empty storefronts. This area could support the re-opening of this theater if parking arraingments could be made with nearby church or other property owners. Residence should confront their community leaders and encourage them to build a parking garage.
A new Drive In Theater was opened in Salem, Illinois in recent years but I’m not sure of the name.
Is there a formula for knowing what location could support a movie theater? With so many MegaPlex locations going up…I would like to bring cinema back to some smaller towns. I’m not sure how large a community would need to be to support a twin screen complex or how far away from another theater.
I am a Horror Movie fan also and think it would be awsome to visit a theater like this. But, a yearly pilgramage would not support your efforts to keep the theater alive.
Maybe if the theater were part of a museum of horror movies or if it included a wax museum, restaurant, and book store. The restaurant would allow repeat customers for local townspeople and the bookstore could allow for personal meet/greet or book signing opportunities.
Could you tell us were you live or what location you are thinking about? I would say a large city or tourist area (Salem, MA ?)would be neccessary.
The Jimmy Stewart Museum has a screening room and regularly shows movies from his career. Every year a co-actor is given a “Harvey Award” at the museum also. You can learn more about these events by visiting the museum website or the local tourist bureau’s website.
Indiana, Pennsylvania is the hometown of actor James Stewart. You will find a James Stewart Museum downtown and the community celebrates “It’s A Wonderful Life” each Christmas season.
“www.indiana-co-pa-tourism.org”
I also miss the old Drive-In. The last movie I can remember watching at the Mt.Vernon Drive-In was Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I don’t think the theater could reopen in the same location but it would be nice to have a drive in in the area again.
I think most theaters make a profit from the sale of popcorn and drinks. That doesn’t leave much in the way of huge returns. I think it would be an added bonus to run a theater if you had a storefront restaurant or bookstore adjacent. Otherwise, it’s not much of living.
For those of you who are interested in reviving theaters just because you see the community value in these treasures…then I suggest forming a non-profit group to save and restore these theaters.