Encore
Efforts to preserve Historic Wayne Theater under way
“Things are going good,” said Don Nicholson, capital fundraising chairman for the Historic Wayne Theater.
Nicholson attended a Wayne City Council meeting last week to update city officials on the effort to restore the old theater, which is on Michigan Avenue just west of Wayne Road.
He had good news for the theater, too, starting with the hiring of The Garrison Co., an architectural firm to head up the transformation. Nicholson said the firm would look at the drawings from several years ago and come up with a new plan that would include a restaurant at the front, where a line of storefronts once stood.
“It’ll look at the entire building,” he said. “It’s a complete package for us.”
Nicholson, involved with the restoration of the theater about 20 years ago, returned to the effort recently after the structure was cited as a dangerous building by the City of Wayne. Since then he’s developed some upcoming fundraisers and put a plan into place to help bring the theater back as a viable entity. He said his goal is to have it up and operating by April of next year.
In addition to the restaurant, he said he sees it as a place where choirs will perform, acting troupes will visit, small concerts will take place and artistic groups will meet.
“We want to encompass all of the arts in the community,” he said.
He said he hopes to break ground on the renovation plan as early as September and hopes to have plans in front of the planning commission soon.
“We’re looking at having them in in the next two months,” he said.
The project has attracted other supporters, too, including the Wayne Historical Society.
“It is our belief that it is a rare surviving gem and that it finally has a chance to be returned to usefulness and to become a magnet to downtown Wayne,” said Ken Reimann, president of the Wayne Historical Society.
“I support the concept,” said Tony Fischer, executive vice-president of the Wayne Chamber of Commerce board of directors. “I think it’ll be good for the community.”
The theater has been empty for more than 20 years, after a fire destroyed the shops that lined Michigan Avenue. Volunteers have attempted to restore the theater since then, but have fallen short for lack of funds. The fundraisers they put on, a haunted house that took place every year, brought in some funding, but not enough to do any major work.
Nicholson said the haunted houses are a thing of the past and major fundraisers are being tossed around now, though. Volunteers have been steadily at work cleaning the inside and performing other tasks, too.
“We’re seeing a lot of movement right now,” Nicholson said.
Mayor Al Haidous said he was encouraged by what he’s seen at the theater recently.
“I’ve been in the city for 34 years,” he said. “These are the first positive steps that have been taken with the theater.”