First, let me tell the usher that I saw Star Wars at the Terrace, in ‘81 or '82 as a rerun after “The Empire Strikes Back” was released.
Anyhow, I would love to see the Terrace fixed up and used as a theater or similar venue. I have seen a lot of other people come and go that would also like this. It seems like everyone who wants it has no way to pay for it. Some even think the city should pitch in. I am not a fan of government intervention in such things, and I also know that the City of Robbinsdale does not have the resources to finance it at this time.
Maybe a group could start raising funds for it and get something going. I would love to meet with interested parties, if they are willing to do the work.
It sounds like you have something. Centro Watt will probably be coming back in a few months with their public subsidy proposal. I did vote to allow them to draw up a proposal, just to see how they justify getting public money for a project they already have the full funding for. It is not my intention to support the office plan.
If you can find the funding and the expertise to make your idea a reality I would be an ally on the City Council. I think you would find that the other members of the council would probably favor a theater over a medical office building on this site anyway. There just haven’t been any plans that got past the vision phase.
By the way. The owners of the Terrace have had it thoroughly inspected by engineers. It is very sturdy. They said that the building has not shifted at all since it was built. It may be the most sturdy building in town. Their representative said that the building could sit in its current condition for years and still would be fully capable of being renovated without reinforcement. Their plan would light the “TERRACE” sign with neon and would include repairing the dilapidated overhang at the entrance. It really will look nice, but it wouldn’t be easy to restore it to a theater after their remodelling. Also, if they succeed in getting medical tenants the standard initial lease on medical offices is 10 years, so it probably would be locked into that design for at least that long.
The owner of the Terrace, Centro Watt (aka Centro Bradley) presented their plan for renovation on February 13 to the Robbinsdale Economic Development Authority. The plan is to renovate the building into a medical office building. The basic look of the exterior of the building would be mostly restored to tip-top condition, except they are planning to cut windows into the side of the building. The building is probably the most solid building existing in Robbinsdale. Apparently the owners think they can get medical businesses to lease space, even though they haven’t found any ready to jump at it in several years of promoting the idea.
The building is not currently usable as a theater as everything has been removed and it is mostly a shell. Plitt Theater Company took the screens, projectors, seats, and anything else not cemented into the building when they left 9 years ago. There is also no carpeting or furniture or any sort of decor. The walls and floors are bare concrete. The city arranged for asbestos abatement, which was just finished a few months ago.
In response to an earlier comment, I am on the City Council and also the REDA. I would love to see the Terrace as a theater, or maybe as something with a similar layout like a conference center or auditorium or some sort. I don’t personally have the money to do it and I am also not likely to be able to use the City’s money, either. I am not really a big fan of government projects, either. I would prefer a private business taking it over and renovating it as a theater, but right now I can’t ask anyone to do that. It would take millions to restore it and after that it would probably take someone willing to lose a lot more, probably millions more, to get it going again before it might turn a profit years down the road.
I would also favor renovating it into 1 theater, not the tacky 3 theater plan of its later years.
The new owner of the building is going to present a plan for the site to the Robbinsdale EDA, possibly as soon as the February meeting (2/13/07). If anyone has a desire to see it renovated now is the time to speak up. It sounds like the owner wants to put something else there. I personally would like to see it renovated, but right now the City Council is not likely to do anything with city funds (which I agree with for the most part).
I know the idea of renovating the Terrace came up a few years ago but never went anywhere. The cost of demolishing the structure is in the millions of dollars and renovating it is quite a bit more than demolition. With the tax base in Robbinsdale as it is it doesn’t look feasible for the city to do anything at the site.
The building is not in good shape. All of the windows are boarded up and a large number of them are broken under the boards. The last I saw the lobby was still somewhat intact, but I know that the theater part has been completely gutted in preparation for remodelling into medical office space (which never happened). There was a huge project of asbestos abatement, which I think the old owner finished before it was sold a month or two ago.
I would love to see someone come forward with a funding source to renovate the building into a Theater or a conference center or something that would preserve the character of the building. I would champion it on the City Council end.
First, let me tell the usher that I saw Star Wars at the Terrace, in ‘81 or '82 as a rerun after “The Empire Strikes Back” was released.
Anyhow, I would love to see the Terrace fixed up and used as a theater or similar venue. I have seen a lot of other people come and go that would also like this. It seems like everyone who wants it has no way to pay for it. Some even think the city should pitch in. I am not a fan of government intervention in such things, and I also know that the City of Robbinsdale does not have the resources to finance it at this time.
Maybe a group could start raising funds for it and get something going. I would love to meet with interested parties, if they are willing to do the work.
3dRay,
It sounds like you have something. Centro Watt will probably be coming back in a few months with their public subsidy proposal. I did vote to allow them to draw up a proposal, just to see how they justify getting public money for a project they already have the full funding for. It is not my intention to support the office plan.
If you can find the funding and the expertise to make your idea a reality I would be an ally on the City Council. I think you would find that the other members of the council would probably favor a theater over a medical office building on this site anyway. There just haven’t been any plans that got past the vision phase.
By the way. The owners of the Terrace have had it thoroughly inspected by engineers. It is very sturdy. They said that the building has not shifted at all since it was built. It may be the most sturdy building in town. Their representative said that the building could sit in its current condition for years and still would be fully capable of being renovated without reinforcement. Their plan would light the “TERRACE” sign with neon and would include repairing the dilapidated overhang at the entrance. It really will look nice, but it wouldn’t be easy to restore it to a theater after their remodelling. Also, if they succeed in getting medical tenants the standard initial lease on medical offices is 10 years, so it probably would be locked into that design for at least that long.
The owner of the Terrace, Centro Watt (aka Centro Bradley) presented their plan for renovation on February 13 to the Robbinsdale Economic Development Authority. The plan is to renovate the building into a medical office building. The basic look of the exterior of the building would be mostly restored to tip-top condition, except they are planning to cut windows into the side of the building. The building is probably the most solid building existing in Robbinsdale. Apparently the owners think they can get medical businesses to lease space, even though they haven’t found any ready to jump at it in several years of promoting the idea.
The building is not currently usable as a theater as everything has been removed and it is mostly a shell. Plitt Theater Company took the screens, projectors, seats, and anything else not cemented into the building when they left 9 years ago. There is also no carpeting or furniture or any sort of decor. The walls and floors are bare concrete. The city arranged for asbestos abatement, which was just finished a few months ago.
In response to an earlier comment, I am on the City Council and also the REDA. I would love to see the Terrace as a theater, or maybe as something with a similar layout like a conference center or auditorium or some sort. I don’t personally have the money to do it and I am also not likely to be able to use the City’s money, either. I am not really a big fan of government projects, either. I would prefer a private business taking it over and renovating it as a theater, but right now I can’t ask anyone to do that. It would take millions to restore it and after that it would probably take someone willing to lose a lot more, probably millions more, to get it going again before it might turn a profit years down the road.
I would also favor renovating it into 1 theater, not the tacky 3 theater plan of its later years.
The new owner of the building is going to present a plan for the site to the Robbinsdale EDA, possibly as soon as the February meeting (2/13/07). If anyone has a desire to see it renovated now is the time to speak up. It sounds like the owner wants to put something else there. I personally would like to see it renovated, but right now the City Council is not likely to do anything with city funds (which I agree with for the most part).
I know the idea of renovating the Terrace came up a few years ago but never went anywhere. The cost of demolishing the structure is in the millions of dollars and renovating it is quite a bit more than demolition. With the tax base in Robbinsdale as it is it doesn’t look feasible for the city to do anything at the site.
The building is not in good shape. All of the windows are boarded up and a large number of them are broken under the boards. The last I saw the lobby was still somewhat intact, but I know that the theater part has been completely gutted in preparation for remodelling into medical office space (which never happened). There was a huge project of asbestos abatement, which I think the old owner finished before it was sold a month or two ago.
I would love to see someone come forward with a funding source to renovate the building into a Theater or a conference center or something that would preserve the character of the building. I would champion it on the City Council end.