SENATOR Theatre RFP: Baltimore Heritage, Inc. Echoes Call for Experts in Letter to Mayor Rawlings-Blake

Adam Meister has broken news that a letter signed by Baltimore Heritage‘s Executive Director, Johns Hopkins, has been sent to Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

In the letter, dated March 11, 2010, Mr. Hopkins states:

The Senator Theatre is a recent example of where the lack of preservation perspective is ham-stringing the BDC. Letters to you from the Theatre Historical Society of America and the Friends of The Senator Theatre request that the city add someone with experience in redeveloping historic theatres to the review panel that will decide on the competing proposals. We support these requests and concur that someone with preservation and historic theatre experience is a necessary component to review proposals for this historic landmark.

It further explains that previous BDC projects such as the West Side “Superblock” development has suffered from a similar lack of expertise:

The Superblock is another ongoing example of where the BDC would benefit from having a board member with historic preservation experience. For too long this critical area downtown has languished as proposals have ignored the preservation requirements for the site and its redevelopment potential based on preserving the historic buildings.

We encourage everyone interested to read the entire letter (PDF format), click the following link: http://888mail.net/glory/heritage_letter.pdf

We also encourage everyone to join the growing call on City Hall to ensure that the decision regarding our internationally recognized historic landmark is properly evaluated by (appropriate experts) and transparent one.
Add your voice by contacting the Office of The Mayor yourself!

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Mayor
City Hall, Room 250
100 N. Holliday Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
Phone (410) 396-3835
Fax (410) 576-9425
Email the Mayor
or
use our ready-made form letter!

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

O’Malley Passes the buck, as does DBED, etc.

While we’re on the subject of politicians and what appears to be their, “I don’t want to get involved” stance on The Senator’s situation, let me share another response. This one from Maryland’s top executive… Or rather, should have been.

Maryland Governor (& former Baltimore Mayor) Martin O'Malley

I wrote a letter to Maryland’s Governor Martin O’Malley regarding The Senator and asked for his aid in helping the “community-owned non-profit, multi-purpose entertainment & educational” vision move forward.

One would think that the former mayor of Baltimore City, home of The Senator Theatre, would be more than willing to step up and at least vocalize support for the theatre and all the good it has done for community and business in the area.

Especially when the area includes Belvedere Square, a an area across the street from the theatre that stood dormant for more than a decade and O’Malley himself called, “a stark symbol of decline”.

An area that was revitalized with city and state funding that Mayor O’Malley backed (with urging from the community, including Senator staff) and even got in a bit of hot water trying to convince citizens to patronize.

Christian Johansson, Secretary, Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development

Instead, what I received was a letter from Christian Johansson, the Secretary of Maryland’s Department of Business & Economic Development (DBED), in which I am thanked for contacting the governor and am told what an iconic treasure The Senator is.

Hannah Bryon, Assistant Secretary; Tourism, Film & the Arts

I am then referred to a Ms. Hannah Byron of the Division of Tourism, Film and the Arts, who is representing DBED on Mayor Sheila Dixon’s steering committee that is charged with determining the viability of the theatre as a non-profit.

Okay, so I send a series of questions to Ms. Byron via email and shortly receive a response!

I am forwarding your questions to Bill Henry.

That’s it.

Bill Henry, Balto. City District 4 Councilman

I’m not kidding here. District 4 Councilman Bill Henry. The man who told supporters present at the March 16 Town Meeting (called by the SCT) to contact their state officials and ask why they haven’t gotten involved.

Well, Bill, I went “straight to the top” of Maryland state government and after one letter and one email I’ve been sent down the political sliding board, right back to you. Any other suggestions?

To other supporters: Have you received responses from state or local officials? If you have and you would like to share them with others, send them to me and I’ll post them on the Politician’s Responses to Senator Plight page. Or, if you’ve put them online already, just send me the link!