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An architecture exhibition titled What’s Next: New Visions for Clinton Theater features the drawings and plans of three concepts that envision the future of the historic Clinton Theater and its adjacent properties, all of which are now facing impending demolition. Conceived and created by Columbus-based architect, Tim Lai, the three proposed concepts seek to transform the theater’s site into a community-focused space and (re)create a landmark in the Clintonville neighborhood.
Located in the heart of Clintonville, just south of E. North Broadway on N. High Street, the once neighborhood theater opened in 1927 and continued to operate until 1973 when it was turned into a warehouse for the Clinton Electric Company. In recently years, the theater’s structure has significantly deteriorated and the public has declared it as an eyesore. Being cited for building code violations, the owner of the Clinton Electric Company and the theater buildings has planned to take down the faltering structures.
The theater’s uncertain future has divided the Clintonville community. While some members have promoted an adaptive reuse of the aging building, others have preferred its immediate destruction. Although a variety of development ideas have been proposed, none is being actively pursued to date.
A long-time resident of Clintonville, Lai has recognized both the theater’s historical significance and its potential for adaptive reuse. The three concepts showcased in the exhibition were inspired by Lai’s discussions with many passionate groups and individuals from the Clintonville community. The first concept proposes adapting the historical theater for the use of a public market, one that focuses on the promotion of local food. The second concept visualizes a park/ playground for the site, emphasizing the importance of a family-friendly green space for Clintonville. The third concept pursues a commercial and residential complex, which will lay the foundation for a future vibrant business corridor in Clintonville.
What’s Next: New Visions of the Clinton Theater will be on view from September 15 to October 14 at the Starbucks in Clintonville, 3416 N. High Street.
Image credit: Matthew Carbone
More info can be found online at www.laiarchitect.com.
I love the tilt-shift effect in that photo!
Nice ideas! My question is who will fund these projects?
I’m glad to see others interested in this block too.
The answer for me is obvious: REUSE IT!
I REALLY REALLY REALLY want this to happen….or make this a mobile food court.
Underdawg Says: My question is who will fund these projects?
That’s always the rub. Finding a private developer willing to take something like this on.
Honestly, I’d love if our city government had some sort of economic development arm capable of reacting more quickly in creating spin-off non-profit management entities and injecting them with funds to take on projects like this. If we could whip up a nonprofit to buy the theatre and take it over and give them a paltry $1 million to get started, I think some of these re-use ideas could have some legs.
Multiply that across 50 different similar projects and it wouldn’t really be a huge deal if half of them failed… we’d still have half that succeed and turn into new community anchors and points of pride for our city.
I’m a member at Columbus Landmarks, I know they talk about the theater quite a bit. Actually, they have been for some time. I know they got a structural review commissioned recently.
http://columbuslandmarks.org/advocacy/clinton-theater.php
Sounds like demo permits are in place.
What would a park/playground accomplish when the Park of Roses is just a few blocks north? Too bad Glimsher (sp?) couldn’t vault the original plans for taking care of this mess. What an eyesore! It gives Clintonville a bad name.
I hate to poo-poo anything that could improve my own community, but the Clinton Theater and surrounding block has been an eyesore for nearly 25 years with few accolades. When I was a kid, even with Clintonville Electric actively in that building, the block was poorly kept and the buildings looked terribly dated and worn down. With all the lovely new growth in the community and the opportunity to either add some greenspace or a more permenant home for the beloved and prosperous Clintonville Farmer’s Market, it seems a waste to suddenly try to repair a place that the community was willing to let go for more than 25 years.
It seems to me that the Clintonville Area has a perfectly lovely theater at Studio 35 on Indianoloa that has been sorely ignored by the community when it comes to restoration efforts and improvments. I am not involved with the theater personally, but I am an occassional patron and would love to see that theater built up to be a better reflection on the community. It seems almost unfair to bring another theater into the picture if we can’t keep up the first.
I worked on the recently completed Clintonville Neighborhood Plan, and focused considerable energy on the N Broadway/High intersection. We collected lots of quality data from the community and found that a mixed-use redevelopment was desirable.
On a personal level, I’ve presented ideas to several developers and even non-profits for exploring this property. Walker is spot on, it needs some incubation-style capital.
Don’t know if they considered a community theatre. Would be a waste to tear it down.
Ezmerelda74 Says: I hate to poo-poo anything that could improve my own community, but the Clinton Theater and surrounding block has been an eyesore for nearly 25 years with few accolades…. it seems a waste to suddenly try to repair a place that the community was willing to let go for more than 25 years.
The Lincoln Theatre was an empty eyesore for nearly 40 years. So I don’t think there’s any specific time frame that a venue like this needs to be closed for it to be deemed no longer worthy of renovation.
Saw the architect’s drawings today at the Starbucks at East North Broadway. These are all outstanding and “do-able”concepts. I urge everyone in and around Clintonville to check these out. I especially like the one that would create space for a year-round Clintonville Farmer’s market, but I wouldn’t be opposed to any of them.
What impresses me about the efforts of Tim Lai and his team the most is that they found a way to incorporate the old theater into the design either in whole or as a facade. As I said, any of these would be huge improvement over what is there now.
Thank you, yankee. The exhibit is on veiw now through October 16.
For more info: http://www.laiarchitect.com/#601731/Exhibit-What-s-Next
So, the rumor was that demolition was going to start today (Monday, the 27th). Can anyone in Clintonville confirm that it is happening?
Demolition a done deal for old theater
By KATHLEEN L. RADCLIFF
Published: Thursday, September 30, 2010
The yellow demolition signs are up, and the preliminary work — including asbestos mitigation and sewer line capping by contractors — on the former sites of Clintonville Electric and the Clinton Theater, is now nearly complete.
Demolition of the buildings, originally scheduled for Monday, now is scheduled to take place today, Sept. 29, a representative from Loewendick and Sons said Monday, Sept. 27.
READ MORE: http://www.columbuslocalnews.com/articles/2010/09/30/multiple_papers/news/allbodemol_20100930_0933am_3.txt