Senator Theatre RFP: Proposals Due Before Noon Tomorrow!

Senator Theatre RFP cover sheet

The Baltimore Development Corporation’s window for RFP proposal submissions closes at noon on Friday, November 20, 2009!

Proposals must have theirs in the hands of the BDC by noon!
Not postmarked, but literally, physically at the BDC offices in order to be considered in the evaluation process.

Community groups located in and around The Senator have been promised a voice in this process and now that Baltimore City owns the theatre, every citizen of the city has a right to voice their opinion about what should happen to our internationally recognized, last historic single screen theatre in the city.

Let officials (both community association AND those elected to public office) know what you think should happen to the iconic art deco theatre, that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, in her 70th year of operation.

Should it be handed over to commercial developers? To a new owner who plans to continue the same business model that eventually led to her foreclosure? Or, should there be consideration for a community-owned non-profit model that could include arts, education & entertainment that would aid community businesses and neighborhoods like many others have done across the U.S.? It’s your chance to chime in on the future of The People’s Theatre – don’t miss out!

BDC Press Release: 09.21.09 – BDC Issues RFP For Senator Theatre

SENATOR Theatre RFP Pre-Proposal Q&A Posted

Late yesterday, the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC) posted the answers to the Q & A from the Senator Pre-Proposal Conference as well as those submitted by potential respondents in writing:

http://baltimoredevelopment.com/files/pdf/rfp/upload/Questions%20and%20Answers-Senator.pdf

This is just an alert, as we haven’t read it yet ourselves. We hope this document will clarify issues presented at the meeting, but some considered not fully answered.

Our comments (if any) will be included as an update later today or as a fresh post tomorrow.
Feel free to submit questions and/or comments!

SENATOR RFP Pre-Proposal Conference: Groups Interested Gather for Meeting

Updated: Oct 6, 4:45pm – Attendees list

Yesterday, on the 70th anniversary of the opening of The Senator Theatre, the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC) held their scheduled pre-proposal meeting for parties that had registered their interest in the Request For Proposal (RFP) process. One of these (or a conglomeration) may ultimately become the next owner or leaser (with Baltimore City as the landlord) of the historic 1939 theatre.

We are aware of at least a dozen groups that were represented.
Locals:

• AB Associates
• Belvedere Improvement Association (BIA)
• The Charles Theater
• Charm City Enrichment
• Conits Group, Inc.
• GWWO, Inc.
• Herndon Contracting, Inc
• James Posey Associates
• The Music Workshop
• Noch – Noch, Productions
• Personal Electric, LLC
• Rita St Clair Associates, Inc.
• SCT (Senator Community Trust)
• SRI (Site Resources, Inc)
• UCAM (United Community Access Media)
• Urban Information Associates
• WEI (Worcester Eisenbrandt, Inc.)
• WTMD 89.7FM (Towson University)
• Ziger / Snead LLP

Out of state groups:

• John Milner Associates (PA & VA)
• Majestic Star Entertainment (NJ)

It should be noted that absence of a group from yesterday’s meeting does not preclude them from submitting a proposal. The occasion created a forum in which the BDC could deliver a briefing and allow groups to pose questions about the process and tour the theatre.

Said questions we were told were being recorded and would be disseminated, with answers, on the BDC website by October 13, 2009. We’ll include a link here when the page becomes available.

We’d like to take the opportunity to thank:

• Maryland State Senator Joan Carter Conway for attending and posing some important questions regarding timing and community involvement when proposals are to be evaluated.
• Eddie Leon of the Commission for Historical & Architectural Preservation (CHAP) for clarifying the situation regarding interior designation proposal approved by the CHAP commission back in May. Said proposals still have to gain approval during public meetings of the Baltimore City Planning Commission and then City Council before coming into effect. Mr. Leon stated that this could perhaps be completed by spring 2010.
• Kristen Mitchell and Kim Clarke of the BDC for taking the time to present this opportunity, answer questions and for the refreshments.
• Tom Kiefaber for providing access to this great facility for the event & to his family’s 70 years of unbroken presentation excellence.
• Gayle Grove for the Senator Theatre 70th anniversary cake (sorry the camera phone didn’t do it justice).

Senator Theatre RFP Pre-Proposal Meeting: Doors Open @ 9AM

UPDATE (Oct 1): Early morning style refreshments will be provided.
So, come early, tour the building, have a bit of a nosh and meet other parties interested in the future of The Senator!

This just in from the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC):

I wanted to let you know that we plan to open the doors to the Senator
at 9:00 a.m. on October 5, though the meeting still won’t start until
10. We thought that it was important to give people the opportunity to
look around the building, and to network with others who are also
interested in the RFP process.

Kristen Mitchell
Senior Economic Development Officer
Commercial Revitalization
Baltimore Development Corporation
410-837-9305

Parties interested in submitting proposals should RSVP to the BDC by this Friday (October 2).

Any further updates on the Pre-proposal Conference will be posted here.

BDC Issues Request For Proposals (RFP)

Updated (Sept. 24, 2009) – More links (scroll to bottom)

Senator Theatre RFP cover sheet

The Baltimore Development Corporation has officially issued a Request For Proposals for the purchase or lease of the historic Senator Theatre today, on behalf of Baltimore City.

Announcement excerpt

The goals of BDC in offering this RFP include, but are not limited to, the following:

A) Solicit a respondent who will purchase or lease the Senator for use primarily as a movie theater and/or performing arts venue, though additional uses are also welcome
B) Maintain a schedule of events which keeps the Senator active throughout the week
C) Reinforce the mutually beneficial relationship between the Senator, Belvedere Square, surrounding communities, and the Govanstowne business district by serving as a positive economic generator for the area
D) Respect and capitalize on the building’s rich history
E) Complement and maintain the property’s unique historic interior and exterior features
F) Achieve the highest quality of architectural and interior design
G) Renovate the Senator to ensure the comfort and safety of patrons and employees enhance patrons’ experience and incorporate the services, amenities, and support facilities necessary to attract and accommodate a range of events and patrons (per event)
H) Achieve positive impact for the City including quality jobs increased tax revenues community stabilization opportunities for minority and women owned businesses and contribution to the City’s long term economic growth objectives and
I) Create a primarily privately-funded project with minimal public sector financial support.

The RFP document can be downloaded from the BDC’s web site at: http://www.baltimoredevelopment.com/proposals.aspx

A “pre-proposal conference” is scheduled to be held:
Monday, October 5, 2009 @ 10AM
The Senator Theatre
Notification of attendance required
[note: we asked for clarification regarding who can attend. Kristen Mitchell (BDC Senior Economic Officer) responded quite promptly:
“The October 5 meeting is open to anyone who is interested in submitting a response to the RFP.”]

Additional information and/or notice of intention to attend the Oct. 5 conference:
Kristen Mitchell
BDC Senior Economic Development Officer
410-837-9305

LINKS:

• WBAL: Proposals Accepted For Senator Theatre & interview audio with Kim Clark (Executive Vice President of the BDC) by Anne Kramer
• Baltimore Sun: City seeks proposals for using Senator Theatre by Lorraine Mirabella
  Excerpt: On Monday, [David] Cordish said in an e-mail that his company would not submit a bid, but would step in to help keep the theater going.
  “What we’ve said is that if the city is stuck, call us; we will form a nonprofit,” Cordish said.
• MD Daily Record:  City seeks buyer to run Senator Theatre by Robbie Whelan
• City Sets Guidelines for Senator Theatre by Luke Broadwater
• BDC Seeks Senator Theatre Encore by Daniel J. Sernovitz
• City Seeks Someone To Run Historic Movie House – WJZ TV (Maryland AP news)

City’s Ownership Could Spell Extinction of Film Presentation Excellence in Baltimore

Barring any challenge to the validation of Baltimore City’s foreclosure auction of July 22nd, the city’s Circuit Court is expected the formalize the city’s ownership of the historic Senator Theatre by the end of the day. A mere 17 days shy of the theatre’s 70th anniversary… Yes, for me it is a Black Friday.

In any case the BDC (Baltimore Development Corporation) expects to release their RFP (Request For Proposals) the this Monday, September 21 and has stated it will accept proposals through November 20, 2009.

Whatever you may think of the situation or how it came about, I’d have to challenge anyone who would argue that there has been a better venue in Baltimore in which to experience a motion picture than at The Senator Theatre.

I have never experienced the level of presentation excellence anywhere in the Baltimore area  (since I began attending The Senator in the mid-80’s) – Not to mention I’ve never had issues trying to simply watch a film without interruptions/distractions, I have, at least once, in every other movie venue I’ve patronized… In many cases, the first was the last.

And perhaps that is a contributing factor as to why even the multiplexes are experiencing financial difficulties? Why put up with rude audiences, below par projection and sound? I mean really. Compared to many local venues, I’ve seen better presentation staying at home watching a DVD (or if you’ve got the TV & player for it, Blu-ray)!

Think I’m imagining or alone in this?

Consider the following quote from Gavin Hood, director of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, at the recent Fox press event for the film’s Blu-ray release (reported on thedigitalbits.com):

“What’s great about Blu-ray is that it really comes as close as possible to that first original screening [of your film],” he noted, after complaining about how often he’s suffered through screenings of his films and been disappointed by the presentation quality, even in most theatres.

Tyler Perry's "I Can Do Bad All By Myself" - See the crystal clear presentation while you can!

So, I invite you to read Baltimore’s Last Chance for Film As It Should Be Seen?
and strongly encourage you, your friends, your neighbors to experience for yourself, award-winning film exhibition on a monstrous 40ft screen, with an amazing sound system,  in Baltimore’s last historic single screen movie house…
While you still can.

A fading art… In an endangered species.

My sincere thanks to Tom Kiefaber, Gayle Grove, Bill Hewitt, as well as all the past Senator staff for more than 20 years of wonderful memories.
And to the volunteers that have been helping to keep things going since March!

-Tom Harris

BDC practices attract some scrutiny

For those who aren’t familiar, the Baltimore Development Corporation (also known as the BDC), has been given the job by Baltimore City government to handle the Request For Proposals (RFP) process in the case of The Senator Theatre.
That is, once the city’s winning bid – from their own foreclosure auction – has been ratified. This is expected to happen this coming Friday, September 18, 2009 (barring any objections filed over the auction’s validity).

Apparently, BDC actions (recent and past) have some folks questioning their operations.

• Baltimore’s Shadow Government- The Baltimore Development Corporation – Examiner.com
  Citizens respond in the Comments section below the article (start from the bottom & read upwards).
  

  Proposed Slots Parlor Site

• City OKs Gateway land for slots parlor – Baltimore sun
  

“Had we known the City planned to make this land available to any bidder, this would clearly and dramatically affect our appraisal of the location, as it would have for other potential bidders.” [John Cordish of Cordish Co.]

When the city awards land to a private developer it usually goes through a competitive bid process. Frank, the deputy mayor, acknowledged that this deal was “unusual.”

The deal included a payout of at least $3 million from BCEG to Cormony as an incentive for the development firm to bow out of its project [a $250 million “sportsplex”], according to a person familiar with the negotiations.

• City Gave No-Bid Contract For Slots Site Work – WJZ TV
  Instead of advertising the work, the [BDC] approached a handful of companies and asked them to provide prices to knock down the Maryland Chemical Building on Russell Street…
  [To] pave the way for a proposed $212 million casino near M&T Bank Stadium.

• City awarded demolition contract at proposed slots site without public bidding – Baltimore Sun
  City Comptroller Joan M. Pratt, who sits on the five-member Board of Estimates panel that approves city contracts, says she believes… “An open process allows for more competitiveness and allows for the City of Baltimore to get better service at the best price.”

  Arnold Jolivet, the managing director of the Maryland Minority Contractors Association, criticized the process – even though the… demolition was awarded to an African-American owned firm that he called “well qualified.”
  

• BDC cancels demolition contract – Baltimore Sun
  [M. J. “Jay”]Brodie said he consulted with some of his BDC colleagues who believed that the quasi-governmental agency had the authority to go outside the regular city bidding process with demolition contracts, as it does for other types of contracts. “I didn’t question that,” he said. “I don’t know to what degree they checked.”

  Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon announced Tuesday that BDC would no longer award demolition contracts.

Those concerned for the future well-being of The Senator Theatre may well consider these reasons to pay extra attention to the BDC’s handling of theatre’s situation.

Senator Theatre RFP Update: Notice of Auction Sale issued August 19

From the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC):

• The Circuit Court must issue a Notice of Sale once an auction has ended, at which time there begins a 30-day period in which the current property owner can contest the sale.
  In the case of the Senator Theatre, the Circuit Court issued the Notice of Sale on August 19, so the 30-day period expires on September 18.
• The Notice of Sale is required to appear once in each of three successive weeks in a local newspaper, on or before September 9. The notices will be published in the Daily Record.
• The RFP is therefore expected to be released the week of September 21.

In the meantime,
Tom Kiefaber and his volunteer staff are continue to offer programming.
i.e. the theatre REMAINS OPEN!

Senator Theatre RFP already in 2nd draft!

While the auction was just over a week ago and the result still remains to be ratified, the BDC has wasted no time. They’ve already created a 2nd draft of their Request For Proposals, intended to attract interested “Respondents” to buy or lease our historic Senator Theatre.

We have to admit, the language appears to use quite a different tone – more marketable, one might say – than that used leading up to and including the auction, when it describing The Senator to potential buyers.

Baltimore City District 4 Councilman Bill Henry states that the following community groups have already been  given copies of the RFP and asked for feedback:

• York Road Partnership
• The Senator Community Trust
• Belvedere Improvement Association
• Govanstowne Business Association

And although it would seem like a train quickly gaining momentum, he also said, “We had a meeting [Monday, July 27] and it was agreed that pushing back the release of the RFP [final draft] would allow additional circulation of the draft for comment.”

After a quick review the 2nd draft questions sprung to mind, which have been emailed to Kristen Mitchell (BDC Sr. Economic Development Officer), Councilman Henry and David Goldstein (Senator Community Trust) for comment.

Among these are requests for clarification regarding the BDC’s “sole discretion” to:

• “Abandon the RFP process” if the 1st Respondent awarded doesn’t work out
• “Recommend the award of a contract… without prior discussion or negotiation“
• “Right to accept or reject any/all proposals“

We also asked how community members will be selected as representatives on the BDC’s Senator Theatre “Advisory Panel“.

According to a Community Comment document (containing feedback thus far from the aforementioned groups) that accompanies the RFP draft, this Advisory Panel “is the group that reviews all of the proposals, interviews respondents and gives the BDC Project Committee (a subset of BDC’s board) a recommendation.”

Other notes that may be of interest from the Community Comment document…

Comment: Define “appropriate community associations”
Response: Rather than list the associations… we will require the selected owner/operator to hold a public meeting for the community. Individual community associations can request additional presentations…”

Comment: Need to commit to presentations to community/business groups during – not after – the process
Response: We are trying to figure out how best to do this and will have additional information shortly

Comment: RFP is asking for proposals for uses which are not permitted by Zoning.
Response: Agree. This is awkward but anavoidable. The community has expressed interest in having The Senator used for performing arts, but Zoning does not automatically permit this. Zoning permits auditoriums and concert halls in B-2 zones as a conditional use requiring City Council ordinance, so it might be possible to do some sort of live entertainment without actually rezoning or creating a PUD.

More as the process develops…

Senator Theatre Auction: 2 Views “from the inside”

Yesterday’s Letters to the Editor in The Baltimore Messenger spotlighted views of the auction from:

Paul Cooper of Alex Cooper Auctioneers

• Paul Cooper of Alex Cooper Auctioneers
  “Decision to hold Senator Theatre auction outdoors was ‘good call'”
  “I was happy to see you report that a comedian was asked to say a few words before the sale. Tom Keifaber overlooked the fact that this was a foreclosure sale and not a roast.”
• Tom Kiefaber, owner and whose family built and has operated The Senator Theatre for nearly 70 years.
  “The initial determination to hold the auction sale in The Senator’s auditorium resulted from a specific request from Paul Cooper, a principle of Cooper Auctioneers. We concurred after Cooper’s request was seconded by Larry Jenkins, an attorney for Baltimore City and the auction trustee.”
  “It was a shock when Mr. Jenkins declared that the sale was to be moved outdoors at the last minute, triggering the regrettable chaos that ensued. While we don’t challenge Mr. Jenkins’ authority to order an abrupt change to what had been agreed upon, no reason was given.”
  “…Larry Lancaster, a gifted performer and friend, was there to serve as a gracious emcee to welcome the crowd and set us all at ease prior to the main event.”
  [Editors note: Mr. Lancaster is the comedian referred to in Mr. Cooper’s letter]

We emailed some questions to Alex Cooper Auctioneers this past Monday (July 27) asking them to confirm/deny the “indoor auction” agreement as well as clarification of Baltimore City’s ability to “pause” the auction after bidding had begun. We’ve received no response as yet, but Paul Cooper’s letter appears to acknowledge that there was an previous “indoor” agreement.
Update: Paul Cooper’s response to our email:

To answer your questions:

1. It is customary to consult with the sale trustees before a sale is finalized.
2. Our clients, the substitute trustees, requested the sale be held outside.

Any other questions should be directed to the substitute trustees named in the legal advertisement.

Thank you for your interest in preserving the future of the Senator Theatre.
Paul Cooper

What is expected next?

1. Ownership will transfer to Baltimore City when/if the courts ratify the auction results.
2. The Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC) has been given the job of formulating (with the input of community & business associations located around the theatre) a Request For Proposals (RFP) in which the city seeks “qualified Respondents for the purchase or lease of The Senator Theatre”… More on that tomorrow.

A few more recent links to other Senator auction/”End of an Era” stories:

• Rewind: Last scene in Senator Theatre’s ‘first life’ by Larry Perl, Baltimore Messenger
• The Senator’s Day in the Sun by Jamie McCoy, Baltimore Magazine