RECENT COMMENTS
Wileys have big plans for East End Theater
The Apr.12 issue of Style Magazine has an article (‘The Sequel’) about the renovation by Kathryn and Matt Wiley of the movie theater at 418 North 25th Street:
The Wileys are turning the building into a sprawling eco-friendly residence, complete with a custom woodworking mill shop, darkroom facilities and a public space. They will maintain the original balcony and create a rooftop view of St. John’s Church, where they were married. It’s a vision they’ve nurtured since they were newlyweds. Kathryn, a social documentary photographer, was then a graduate student in Maine. On quiet nights with Matt, she says, “We’d sit by the wood-stove and dream.”
[…]
In the coming year, they plan to renovate the public space, complete Matt’s mill, finish the roof and begin work on the facade. Considering the years of debris, those goals might seem lofty to any other young family.
That is so exciting.. I was sad when I thought it was going to be a residential property. We need all the retail we can get!
So this isn’t happening any more, I hear, and the theater is for sale?
John, it is definitely for sale. I don’t know if there’s a ‘for sale’ sign on it, but I do know that it is for sale and, at this point, is apparently not going to be restored by the current owner.
whoa!?! so, the building right next to the post office, the one the wileys promised to ‘restore’,is now up for sale?? i thought the wileys weren’t the kind to pass off a half-demolished building to an economically depressed neighborhood like church hill to restore. i know we can’t go back in time, and i know that they(the wileys) meant well when they bought the building – they restored other buildings in the neighborhood and did a beautiful job! however, while the old theater on 25th was in BAD shape, did the wileys apply for historic tax credits(as far as i can tell)? did they have much more than a ‘dream’ in place for the future of this building? while dreams are what the neighborhood needs, dreamers like the wileys need to be a bit more thoughtful when demolishing buildings – even if they intend to restore/renovate – especially when they publicize their renovation/restoration plans!!!! this neighborhood is full of dreamers and big plans. we need to be sure our plans have a shot at becoming reality. the hole on broad street is the result of unchecked, self-confident, unplanned, well-intended dreams. the difference in broad st and the 25th st. theater is that investors will eventually fill the vacant hole on broad. the void where the theater once stood on 25th street will be much more difficult to fill with anything architecturally equivalent. i wonder if the new owner will consult residents before demoltion/renovation/construction work begins. the wileys should be commended for their preservation work in north church hill and they had great plans for the theater on 25th. however, ‘pie-in-the-sky’ plans do nothing to protect the theater and other neglected, abandoned, blighted properties from predatory ‘investors’ and ‘developers’. the wileys plans for improving the neighborhood cannot compete with an investor’s cold, hard cash. sad but true.
Wow! I was at the post office over a year ago with my girlfriend. She went in to pick up some mail from the P.O. Anyways..I was sitting in the car and looked around. The only thing that caught my eye was this wonderful looking building, old and worn, with a huge sign on it saying “Renovation of East End Theater.” Until then I had no clue there was ever a theater in the Church Hill area. How stupid of me. Shame so much work and attention is going for the Henrico Theater (which is good) but not for this theater. Shame. I was willing to walk inside and volunteer..check it out..
There is also the Robinson Theater @ 2903 Q Street, also currently vacant.
not sure if anyone knows this, but the theater is just a shell now. actually, it’s less than a shell, because there is no roof. just walls. it would be a huge renovation to undertake. however, everyone in the neighborhood would surely be behind it!
Sales listing for the theater
Address:420 N. 25th StreetType:Commercial
Style:Commercial
Size:9,000 sq. ft.
Lot Type:RectangularLot
Size:8,786 acres 75ftx118ft
Year Built:1938
Taxes:$842.00
USDMLS:2636297
Description: Once the East End Theater, this magnificent old brick building with theater facade has been gutted and is a clean slate for your development project. The theater could make a great residential project, could be restored as an entertainment venue or could be mixed use.
At 6,000 sq. ft. on the ground floor and 48 feet tall, the building has the potential to have four stories for a total of 24,000 sq. ft. The city has grandfathered in 15 parking spaces, and there is space in the lot to the right of the building for additional parking.
The building is eligible for Federal and State tax credits and is in the 25th Street corridor enterprise zone, making it eligible for city tax abatements and possible grants.
Asbestos test done and found clear. Structural reports available, and three new sewege lines have been installed. The building has a 750 sq. ft. basement under the stage for mechanical systems.
I think the theater was sold earlier this month.
I have been looking for photos of the East End and Patrick Henry movie theaters that are located on 25th street when they were open for business?
I use to go the in the 1950’s
Some photos from inside the theater.
RE: The Robinson Theater at 2903 Q Street – according to ACORN’s recent publication “Built by Blacks”, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson’s footprints and signature are still visible in the cement sidewalk. I’d love to get a look inside that place – does anyone know anything about it?
According to the city’s property search website the theater was sold mid Dec and is still zoned for commercial use.
I am also curious as to the tax assessment on this property. Why would a property that last sold for 90k be assessed at well under that amount?
BB-
That’s the case with the majority of the properties in Church Hill. In many cases, the fair market value exceeds the tax assessment by outrageous proportions. (I know that most property owners would not complain).
But, with new blood in the Assessor’s Office, I know that there has been alot of rework in this area. Brace yourself for the 2007 assessment due to come out soon.
Does anyone know the latest on this theatre?
It gets old to see nothing happen with these places…this article was written close to 1.5 years ago…
I contcted the City hot line, twice, to report this building as a safety hazard to pedestrians (and the Watchtower ladies), especially after more of the front came off last fall. After the first time I got an email that said “case closed”. I called to find out what the outcome was. No response. So I filed another complaint. One day when I was at the Post Office I saw a City employee looking at the building and writing something down on his legal pad. Right after that I got another email saying “case closed”, with no explanation. Called again, No response. I guess this City hot line program is about as effective as the Mayor’s 24-hour pot hole repair program was a few years ago. I hope the owner reads this blog so she knows who is concerned about what a danger her building is to residents. But I doubt that will make a difference.
I think the Wiley’s have an in with the city….have heard complaints before with no resolution and usually in favor of them.
I heard from the inspector from the Code Enforcement Division assigned to this building who told me today he had turned it over for demolition (sending prep file over to the demolition coordinator). It won’t be immediate as there is a process and several departments involved and give the owners one more last ditch chance to do something but he says that it surpasses all criteria for demolition “from the missing roof down to the soil mechanics of the exposed earth” and is a final step for a permanent resolution. Those are his own words…
IT IS NOT A RUMOR and will pass on this evening my email correspondence I have had with the city on to John so he can make his own assessment and make changes to the “Gaping Hole In Urban Fabric” post
Eric
I am a plasterer who met to have a look at the interior plaster work scope… this was some time in May I think. i never heard back from them. I hope they are able to save the place. The roof may have been too far gone.
I just checked on the tax assessment and it appears that this building has been sold to a company called “Genesis Properties,” a “non-residential” development corporation. Does anyone know anything about this? Does this mean that the Wileys are no longer involved?
Hill pal- I think you’ve looked at the wrong assessment.
but for what its worth; Genesis Properties is a local multifamily apartment developer. From what I have seen they’ve done some attractive rehabs of former commercial buildings
See: Genesis Properties
It has not sold, it’s’ still in her parent’s names. Genesis isn’t listed for this address, sorry folks.
PROPERTY ADDRESSES: 418 N 25TH ST
420 N 25TH ST
MAP REFERENCE NUMBER: E0000337009
GPIN:
OWNER: JOHNSON R EARL & GAIL W
ASSESSMENT MAILING ADDRESS: 10702 GREEN MT RD
ASSESSMENT MAILING CITY: RICHMOND
ASSESSMENT MAILING STATE: VA
ASSESSMENT MAILING ZIP CODE: 23233
PROPERTY CLASS DESCRIPTION: B Commercial Shell
LAND USE DESCRIPTION: Commercial
LAND VALUE: 69,000
IMPROVEMENT VALUE: 43,000
TOTAL VALUE: 112,000
PROPERTY DESCRIPTION: 0075.00X0118.00 0000.000
SALE INFORMATION:
DATE CONSIDERATION GRANTOR DEED REFERENCE #
7/29/1977 n/a n/a ID000724 01375
9/9/1997 8,000 n/a ID09700 19744
9/9/1997 8,000 n/a ID09700-19744
4/25/2003 90,000 ROBERTSON HERBERT SR & IDID200314678
4/25/2003 90,000 ROBERTSON HERBERT SR & IDID2003 14678
4/25/2003 90,000 ROBERTSON HERBERT SR & IDID2003-14678
12/11/2006 n/a WILEY KATHERINE IDID2006-42427
12/11/2006 n/a WILEY KATHERINE IDID200642427
12/11/2006 n/a WILEY KATHERINE IDID2006 42427
My mistake. I meant “Genesis Corporation” owned by the people listed on the tax assessment for that building, 418-420 N. 25th St. Not Genesis Properties, which I agree looks like a good developer. Still wondering what happened to the Wileys.
hey Hill pal, where’s you see Genesis Corporation? I didn’t see that. I was on the city’s database when I searched for it, that’s where I copied and pasted in #25. Some time ago, on another thread, Katherine Wiley wrote in to say that the people listed were her parents. That’s why the transaction for 12/11/2006 doesn’t show any money, it’s just a paper transaction transferring it to her parents. I don’t see anything there about Genesis, and am curious as to where else I can look at assessments. Thanks!
crd:
I googled the names of the listed owners (Johnsons) on the city site, with their address, and that’s how I found Genesis Corporation. It has the same address, so I assume that it is a business owned by the Johnsons. The company “Genesis Properties” is not the same business.
Still wondering why we never hear from the Wileys on their latest plans for the theater??!! I heard that they got tax credits for rehabbing it and assume that there’s a time limit on that, but no evidence of anything going on there. And it’s really an eyesore in the neighborhood. They could at least clean up the facade, but it appears that they don’t really care about the neighborhood!
Hill pal, I cannot find Genesis Corporation in the database at the State Corporation Commission. Seems it does not exist.
As to the Wileys, I have no clue what they are up to but they could not get tax credits for rehab unless they provided the Sec of the Interior with pretty extensive documentation on the rehab, including pictures. Since no rehab happened, I wouldn’t think they’d be getting tax credits. As it stands now, the building looks to me like a public health hazard. There’s no roof, just walls. I agree with you, it appears they don’t care about the ‘hood.
@ posts 28&29, not only is the theater eligible for Federal & State Rehabilitation Tax Credits, but 25th St is also a Federal Enterprise Zone, which makes the commercial building eligible for Property Improvement Tax Credits and Employment Tax Credits (should jobs get created by a business that might open there).
Also, Enterprise Zone locations are eligible for below-market rate construction financing (subsidized by federal HUD funds.)
There are lot of incentives available for the rehab of this structure, by virtue of its location in a historic district and urban commercial district. All it takes is a developer with seed money, a vision and good credit to get the ball rolling. Unfortunately, many of the folks who could handle this type of renovation are maxed-out now due to market conditions.
As much as I hate to see this eyesore (replete with phallus graffiti) each time I go to the Post Office, I’m reassured that the walls and facade are still standing, waiting for the right person to come along.
Thanks, UnionHill #30, I realize it is eligible for all sorts of tax credits – I meant that they could not yet have actually taken the credits, as work has not been done.
crd, I hear you, and you obviously understand the particulars of rehab tax credits.
However, I wanted to spell out the available incentives for this property because I’m constantly running into folks who are not aware of the variety of tax credits (and grants) available for Historic Districts and Enterprise Zones.
The theater’s high-profile location and prominence should enable any developer to take advantage of all the available credits and grants the city/state/feds offer.
As neighborhood bystanders, we should oppose any attempt to demolish what’s left of the building, knowing that it is NOT unrealistic to think the building can be rehab-ed by a profit-seeking developer (as he or she will be aided by the aforementioned incentives.)
The commercial market sucks right now, and we just have to wait till things pick back up.
But honestly, I just love “that theatre on 25th” and tho only the exterior walls are still standing, I hope I live long enuf to see it get renovated and re-open for business (whatever that business might be).