Resident Still Fighting for Theater In Spite of Blaze

By Hollie Gibbs

Many Parma residents watched their childhood memories go up in flames like so much cellulose nitrate film Friday, November 16, as smoke billowed out of the Parma movie theater. However, don’t count theater supporters out just yet; many are hoping to see a phoenix rise from the ashes.

After being up for sale for close to a decade, the historic theater closed at the end of the summer season, and residents jumped to action. Michael Maxim formed SaveParmaTheater.org in hopes of establishing a non-profit to maintain the building as a theater, following a business model similar to the Cedar Lee and Capitol Theater.

“We feel that there is importance about preserving a city’s history,” he said. “It is one of the few remaining classic free standing movie houses left in Northeast Ohio. It would be a shame to let something that has stood and entertained the people of Parma and the surrounding communities through the Great Depression, WWII, the ’60s movement, the Vietnam war, etc. just wither away to become an eyesore right in the middle of the city.”

 His goal is to restore the theater close to its original state with updated projection equipment, seating, and bathrooms.

“We are looking to explore a hybrid business model similar to the one you see with Children’s Television Workshop (non-profit) and Sesame Street (for profit),” Michael explained. “The theater itself will show classic, independent, and cult classic movies and operate the concession stand as a for profit business sustaining the cost of keeping the theater open as well as help fund our non-profit side, which will be focused on working with, educating, and helping the independent film industry (which has boomed here in Northeast Ohio since Hollywood has begun shooting films in the area).”

Another group of concerned citizens and Parma business owners formed Friends of the Parma Theater in hopes of developing a creative arts district and multi-use facility for cinema, theater, music, and the performing arts at the former theater. They are working in collaboration with Ward 2 Councilwoman Deborah Lime and Old World Parma.

Neither group has given up in spite of the recent fire, which has caused significant damage to the lobby and subsequent smoke and water damage elsewhere. Early estimates set the damage at approximately $750,000.

“We hope after talking with those that have been advising us for a while now we will be able to get some sort of report on the damage from the fire department so we can estimate costs,” Michael said. “Until we get those numbers, we cannot say either way what our future plans will be. I am guessing with what I’ve seen and already know it will take over a million just to acquire the theater and bring it up to state and federal codes. That doesn’t include any restoration costs of turning it back into a theater. I have talked with others that have seen other buildings in similar situations where rehab costs could get into several million dollars. We are trying to remain optimistic since talks with potential investors pre-fire were going well. Nothing concrete yet, but it looked like they would end on a positive note for us. Now we want to remain hopeful and crunch as many numbers as we can and go from there.”

Friends of the Parma Theater released this statement. “The committee is meeting as a group to determine the next course of action, but you can rest assured we are not throwing in the towel.”

Meanwhile, the Parma Theater faces Ridge Road boarded up and posted with a sign declaring arson, already making it the eyesore the groups hoped to avoid.

For more information, visit:
http://saveparmatheater.org
https://www.facebook.com/#!/saveparmatheater?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/#!/FriendsOfParmaTheater

 

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