Among about 60 residents who attended two meetings Tuesday about the relocation of Greencastle’s movie theater, Anthony Tillman --an avid movie-goer and husband of DePauw University President Lori White — makes his opinions known.
Banner Graphic/ERIC BERNSEE
Location. Location. Location.
Turns out that isn’t just a buzzword for real estate sales. It also pretty much sums up the prevailing question local residents have concerning the future of the local movie theater in Greencastle.
Two Tuesday meetings drew an estimated 60 people to the Inn at DePauw where members of the Cinema Implementation Team portion of the Growing Green and Gold Together Initiative were joined by Ratio Architects representatives in soliciting community opinions and input.
As one of four parts of the Growing Green and Gold Initiative that is expected to represent $109 million of investment in the Greencastle community, Seminary Square will turn two city blocks into a mixed-use development with new residential units, commercial space and parking. That will mean razing Ashley Square Cinemas and creating a new venue somewhere else.
DePauw University President Lori White promised as much during a State of the University breakfast back in August.
“Yes, for those of you worried about the movie theater, we will find a place for the cinema,” White said with a laugh. “My husband (Anthony Tillman), as well as all the kids in town, would have my head if we got rid of the theater.”
And her husband was among those providing input Tuesday, joining others in writing down goals and opinions on sticky notes and applying them to white boards headed with such topics as:
• My biggest concern about the project is …
• I am most likely to use the cinema if it …
• I want the cinema to …
• Anything else you want us to know?
The turnout Tuesday, Zach Grajewski of Ratio Architects told the Banner Graphic, “shows people are passionate about their movie theater.”
“What they like about it,” he added, “is it is here, it’s affordable and it’s their movie theater.”
Besides the five dozen people who came out to comment Tuesday, 550 responses have been logged via an internet survey which will remain online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RKVR3K6.
Grajewski said he has been “overwhelmed by the amount of input we’ve had.”
Putnam County native Jason Chew, who has been named the initiative’s project director and community liaison, readily agreed.
“We’re really excited,” Chew offered, especially pleased that the situation drew “60 people over the course of two meetings.”
While the team hasn’t had time to assess all the input yet, Chew said “some general themes have started to emerge.”
People want a facility that offers a mixed use with the cinema operating most of the time and alternating as a venue for small concerts or lectures.
It is important, Ratio’s Grajewski said, “to get more use out of it than 7-10 Friday and Saturday night. We want to make sure it’s done right. The most important thing is that it is still an affordable theater.”
“Affordability is important to people,” Chew agreed. “It will be important to the provider who runs the place and it’s important to the people.”
Chew stressed that the purpose has always been to provide a community asset that DePauw students can visit and be close enough for them to utilize.
As far as a timetable, Chew said, “Our goal is to get something up and ready to go before we start working on Seminary Square, so the community doesn’t go without the asset of a movie theater very long.”
Some of the equipment, especially the expensive projection units, will be moved from one cinema to another, Chew said, which will necessitate some downtime for the local cinema.
The next step, he said, is to “look at all the community feedback we’ve received and the locations we’ve ruminated on already and see which fits best with the data.”
After a location is determined, Ratio Architects will design the structure and create a site plan.
“Our hope throughout the process is to keep the community informed on where we are,” Chew said, suggesting that interested persons can contact him (658-4272) to be put on an email list or they could follow the process on DePauw’s Facebook page.
While Ashley Square — which has been owned by DePauw and operated by Mark Thiemann the past several years — had two screens, double what the old Chateau and Voncastle offered back in the day, it is too soon to determine how many screens a small-town 21st-century movie theater might offer, Chew said.
“We’re going to create a theater for the community,” he assured.
And while no decision has been reached on the location, meaning no confirmed downtown site, nothing on campus and not even anything out at the new YMCA, Ratio’s Grajewski said there has been “a concerted effort by the university that it is to be out in the community.”
That is expected to be driven by finances, parking possibilities, and of course … location, location, location.
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