Please help to save the Capitol-Park Theater!
THIS IS OUR LAST CHANCE: Time is almost up
Despite the raze contract being signed, there are still a few options!
We need your help: 3 things to do now, because –
The raze might start Feb 9, 2021, unless we act.
Please contact all of the aldermen and the Mayor ASAP and ask them to please try again to pause the raze order.
Why try this?
- Because the theater is worth it! It is beautiful inside and outside, and it has the potential to generate income when we have renovated its three apartments and two stores.
- The City could save $150,000 by revoking the contract. (The $50,000 penalty is a lot cheaper than forking out $200,000 to produce an empty and unmarketable lot.) They could even treat this $50,000 penalty as a downpayment on the contract if it turns out later that the building cannot be saved after all.
How is it possible?
- Legal opinion states that when both sides of a contract agree, that contract can be paused, changed, or canceled.
- The Common Council meets again Feb 2, 2021. We can ask them to consider renegotiating this contract at that meeting.
Is it too late?
- Razing has NOT started.
- Only one thing has started: asbestos abatement. That would have been necessary anyway, so this is not a problem. (The damage caused by the asbestos abaters can be repaired.)
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Please email/call the alders before noon, Monday, Feb 1, 2021 (you can just leave a message), asking them to support the Agenda item to update the contract so that they can also pause the actual raze. Ask them to request alternative contracts to an equivalent value to offer the raze contractor, so that he is not out of pocket. Point out that they could also treat the $50,000 cancelation penalty as a “deposit”, so the contractor can complete the contract later if it should come to that.
Please tell them that the Capitol Theater Friends HAVE the money to buy the building, insure it, and repair the roof and walls to seal the building envelope. Remind them that the City already has the back taxes on the building because the County always pays the City for them. Then ask them to press for this Agenda item and to vote YES to it.
How to contact the Common Council Alders
clerks@cityofracine.org, edwin.santiagojr@cityofracine.org, Henry.Perez@cityofracine.org, Jason.Meekma@cityofracine.org, jeff.coe@cityofracine.org, jeffrey.peterson@cityofracine.org, John.TateII@cityofracine.org, marcus.west@cityofracine.org, mary.land@cityofracine.org, maurice.horton@cityofracine.org, melissa.lemke@cityofracine.org, Jennifer.Levie@cityofracine.org, Mollie.Jones@cityofracine.org, natalia.taft@cityofracine.org, samuelpeete1@gmail.com, trevorjung@gmail.com, capitoltheaterfriends@gmail.com
| Jeff Coe (262) 637-0531 Maurice Horton (262) 770-8377 Mollie Jones (262) 634-2971 Trevor Jung (262) 721-6400 Mary Land (262) 456-6585 |
Melissa Lemke (262) 994-8943 Jennifer Levie (414) 364-2192 Mayor Cory Mason (262) 636-9111 Jason Meekma (262) 488-4694 Henry Perez Henry.Perez@CityofRacine.org |
Sam Peete 262-230-2017 Jeffrey Peterson (262) 321-4410 Edwin Santiago, Jr. (262) 822-8302 Natalia Taft (414) 234-5225 John Tate II (262) 770-5183 Marcus West (262) 930-2200 |
The MAYOR is against saving the theater!
Please, please call and give him a powerful reason to save it.
We only have days left to save this 1928 historic building.
There are three ways to contact the Mayor (use them all!)
- Online message form: https://www.cityofracine.org/ContactTheMayor
- MAYOR phone: 262 636 9111
- MAYOR email: cory.mason@cityofracine.org
(cc: capitoltheaterfriends@gmail.com)
Once the 1928 historic landmark building is gone, it can never be replaced
www.CapitolTheaterRacine.com
– Capitol-Park Friends Restoration Committee –
Racine Landmark Building, deemed eligible for National Historic Register
Please Pledge: https://www.capitoltheaterracine.com/pledge/