Buy the house: A new twist in the Hollywood Theatre saga

Redeveloping the Hollywood Theater might look like a better prospect to developers in the future, if a city staff proposal goes forward. The idea is to add two other pieces of property to the project the house next door and the empty lot across the street.

Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) staff member Sharrin Miller Bassi told the audience at an Aug. 4 Audubon Neighborhood Association (ANA) meeting that the city is proposing to establish a project area consisting of the house at 2819 Johnson Street (just north of the theater), the Hollywood (which the city owns), at 2815 Johnson St. NE, and the lot at 2800 Johnson St. NE.

In the meantime, staff is working on an interim use plan and developing marketing strategies. Miller Bassi said interim uses might include a photography or art studio, architectural offices, or other arts-related uses.

ANA president Cindy Schulte pointed out that the fire codes have changed, and the Hollywood “as is” can’t meet them anymore. “Having one door in the front and another one on the back alley isn’t safe. There needs to be a door on the side. That’s the main reason for the purchase of the house,” she said, because adding another door would require more space than the Hollywood presently has.

ANA agreed that “tying up the 2800 vacant lot to assure that there would be parking” was a good idea, she added, and the group also likes the fact that Miller Bassi is working to get money to market the project.

First Ward City Council member Paul Ostrow, who also attended the meeting, said that in the future, the 2800 Johnson St. NE property (the vacant lot) would not be developed for housing “unless the Hollywood was developed to its highest use.” (Meaning, if whatever ultimately ends up at the Hollywood doesn’t need the parking, the lot might be made available for other things.)

The Hollywood draft redevelopment plan will soon go before the city council’s community development committee, he said, adding, “A theater use has long been the dream of the community, but what’s important is to get a positive use that will work financially.”

Miller Bassi said that Hillcrest Development currently owns the 2819 Johnson St. NE house.

In a later Northeaster interview, she said there is no redevelopment plan in place for the Hollywood. “We need a plan in place to give us the legal authority to carry out certain development activities. The reason we’re putting it in place right now is because we think we’re going to pursue purchase of the house. Hillcrest bought it because they thought it would be helpful to have it for the project. We are negotiating that [the sale] with them right now.” After the city gets the house, it will likely tear it down, she added.

(In recent months, Scott Tankenoff and Charlie Nestor of Hillcrest Development have been working as pro bono consultants, in an effort to help the city and neighborhood get the Hollywood project going.)

“The goal is as it has always been,” Miller Bassi added, “to sell the Hollywood for a suitable long term redevelopment.” If the plan goes forward, there could be a public review period on it as early as mid-October, she added.