[Peace-discuss] News-Gazette article Boardman ART Theater

Mon Jul 21 15:05:24 CDT 2008

I've been to the current incarnation of the Art Theatre. What I suggest is
that we encourage the Virginia theatre to show more movies. In terms of
architecture and comfort the Virginia is better suited for preservation. At
the Art Theatre I tend to feel cramped in the lobby and I don't like their
seats. .

I understand that the current developments in downtown have flaws, however I
wonder how many people remember when the area was overrun by prostitution.
My father worked for the unemployment office for years before he retired and
in the old location on Randolph and Hill it wasn't unusual to see employees
leaving the building at 5PM and the local prostitutes line up against the
building.

It was an area that really suffered a major downturn when the mall opened.
The only department store that did not move to the mall was Robesons and
eventually they closed down. The News-Gazette occupies a building that used
to house JC Penney and the building on the corner of 1 Main used to be
Sears.

One room movie houses included the Virginia, The Rialto, and the Orpheum.
The bank that occupies the northwest corner of Mattis and Springfield
(Country Fair) is also a former movie house. Urbana Cinemas used to show
movies until the early part of the 1990's. As another respondent pointed out
the technology has played a huge role in how theaters have managed to become
obsolete.

Given the choice I would prefer to see an active vibrant downtown with
restaurants than to see the buildings deteriorate and for the place to be
overrun by prostitution and drug deals.

The only way that a progressive community will be able to retain a resource
such as the Art Theater would be to find an individual or group who is
willing to assume responsibility for the theater for the purpose of
providing alternative entertainment. If anyone is able to do so more power
to them.

Peace, Marti

On Mon, Jul 21, 2008 at 11:30 AM, Stuart Levy <slevy at ncsa.uiuc.edu> wrote:

> On Mon, Jul 21, 2008 at 05:51:11AM -0500, Marti Wilkinson wrote:
> > I hate to say this, but I have grown to prefer the crass commercialism of
> > multiplex cinemas. The only thing I really remember about the Art Theater
> > growing up is that it was one of two movie houses that showed snuff
> films.
> > Personally  I think Champaign is better off focusing on keeping the
> Virginia
> > Theater going with a combination of plays, movies, and the local Ebert
> Fest.
>
> Oh, they sure don't show snuff films these days.   (Though they do show
> some
> commercial films -- the new Batman one is there now.)   You should look at
> what they do bring to town.   Most of them are things that we'd never have
> a chance to see otherwise in a town this size, and many of those are
> really fine films.
>
> And as Robert says, Boardman has often brought films that local
> progressives
> have asked for, like Taxi to the Dark Side.  They even supported AWARE when
> we (Karen) asked to hold an in-theater discussion about that film after one
> of
> the performances, giving us time in the theater between shows and the
> use of their PA system.  We are not going to get that sort of treatment
> from the commercial theaters.
>
>
> The only good note from this article is that Boardman's lease runs through
> the end of 2009.    But that'll come all too soon.
>
> >
> > If anyone does decide to take the place over...it still needs a lot of
> > work............
> >
> > On Mon, Jul 21, 2008 at 12:29 AM, Stuart Levy <slevy at ncsa.uiuc.edu>
> wrote:
> >
> > > On Mon, Jul 21, 2008 at 02:42:42AM +0000, jandurl at comcast.net wrote:
> > > > It's your business: Owner looks at options for the Art
> > > > Sunday July 13, 2008
> > > > David Kraft figures it's going to take some time to find the right
> person
> > > to
> > > > take over his historic downtown Champaign movie theater.  So he's
> > > starting
> > > > his search early.  Kraft said Greg Boardman, the current operator of
> the
> > > > 240-seat Art Theater at 126 W. Church St., has declined to continue
> after
> > > his
> > > > contract ends at the end of 2009.  "I offered it to him for three
> more
> > > years,
> > > > and he was not interested," he added.  That three years would have
> been
> > > at a
> > > > higher rate, Kraft said, but not nearly the level of increase the
> city
> > > > imposed on downtown parking.
> > >
> > > "not nearly the level of increase"?  So he's patting himself on the
> back
> > > for
> > > not tripling the rent?  Maybe he's only doubling it.  What rubbish.
> > >
> > > > Boardman, who has operated the theater since
> > > > 2003, didn't respond to questions regarding the theater.  Kraft, who
> once
> > > > operated the Princess Theatre in LeRoy, contends the Art is in a
> > > desirable
> > > > location, given all the redevelopment taking place in the vicinity.
>  He's
> > > > looking for "an experienced, credible, financially stable" operator
> > > willing
> > > > to pay market or near-market rent, he said.  His first choice is to
> see
> > > the
> > > > vintage movie house remain a theater, he added, but he'll consider
> all
> > > > options, including a sale that would involve a different use of the
> > > property.
> > >
> > > It'll be a sad day if that theater is taken over to become another
> pricey
> > > restaurant
> > > just to fatten Kraft.  He drove out Tom, the previous New Art operator,
> and
> > > now
> > > it may well be that he's happy to drive out Greg Boardman too.
> > >
> > > >
> > > > -------------- Original message --------------
> > > > From: "C. G. Estabrook" <galliher at uiuc.edu>
> > > >
> > > > >> I hear that the Art Theatre is on the block or that (perhaps)
> Boardman
> > > himself
> > > > > just wants out. Either way, if true, it's not good news. --CGE
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
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