Lakewood Residents Speak Out Against McDonald's at Detroit Theatre Location
More than 150 people pack the Lakewood Public Library auditorium to discuss the issue.
The auditorium at the Lakewood Public Library was over capacity Monday night at about 150 people.
They all seemed to have questions — and concerns — about a development proposal that would plant the Golden Arches of McDonald’s in the place where the Detroit Theatre has stood for nearly 90 years.
Representatives from the city — as well as a half-dozen representatives from McDonald’s — were on hand to field questions from concerned residents, neighbors and preservationists.
Officials from McDonald's said the corporation has narrowed its field of possible locations to the spot at 16407 Detroit Avenue. Tentative plans call for the existing structure to be demolished.
No deal has yet been finalized.
Mayor Michael Summers, who served as a moderator at the event, has said that the city wouldn’t seek to change the zoning to prevent McDonald's from moving in.
“If we were in fact to say ‘no, no, no, you can’t do it,’ when in fact the zoning code says you can, we’d very likely be sued — and we’d very likely lose that suit,” he recently told Lakewood Patch.
Some residents asked about designating the property as a historic landmark. That’s something that would need to be led by citizens, city officials said.
Several people at the meeting talked about the need to mobilize to save the building.
Others expressed concerns about noise, light and increased traffic.
Dru Siley, the city’s assistant director of building and development, said that while the city administration cannot stop McDonald’s from building a new restaurant, it can influence the design of the structure — and its impact on the neighborhood — with the city’s planning commission and Architectural Board of Review.
Others at the forum simply expressed their dislike of McDonald’s.
The building — at 16409 Detroit Avenue — has been on the market for years with a price tag of $695,000, but gained little interest. With declining attendance in an industry that has struggled to remain financially viable, the Detroit Theatre closed the curtain earlier this year after 87 years.
In April, city officials learned that McDonald's was looking to relocate its Sloane Avenue location — which opened in the 1960s, when the thoroughfare was more widely traveled.
Additional meetings are tentatively planned to give residents the opportunity to weigh in.
Jerry Rich
11:00 am on Thursday, June 16, 2011
McDonald's is going to buy this property and build the building they need to build. Any other meetings by city hall are just attempts to cover some of the politicians' rears. The Detroit Theater should have been designated a historical building some time ago, but city hall just didn't care about that building.
We'll see a great show of citizen participation but in the end the golden arches will have a building that is consistent with their desires and needs. In the process, Lakewood is losing the charm that makes Lakewood a special place to live.
Hol
11:45 am on Thursday, June 16, 2011
I am so disappointed in Lakewood residents. Where were they when the theatre was open? The poor owner had to close because WE DIDN'T GO TO THE MOVIES AT HIS LOCATION!!! Now he's trying to sell it and save his investment and we are stopping it just because we don't want to be bothered? What would the people do if we tried to stop the sale of their homes because we thought it was so pretty? So sad to see the support too late. Isn't that always the case?
Ed Oliveros
2:46 pm on Thursday, June 16, 2011
It is so unfortunate that the theater did not succeed. If it had been a successful enterprise it would be an asset for the city and and a great amenity for the citizens of Lakewood. Unfortunately the theater was not supported by the community and could not financially stay afloat. The owner must now sell because the costs of a vacant building are high(taxes, maintenance, insurance, lost income,etc.).
Sandra K. Thweatt
5:37 pm on Thursday, June 16, 2011
I know the Detroit theater was once a grand building, however, do you really want it to become another Westwood Theater? Another empty building in Lakewood would not be an improvment!
Michele Marotta
8:52 pm on Thursday, June 16, 2011
If we as residents do not "rehab" the theater then where is Lakewood's charm? We've accepted Hairy Buffalo, and Auto Zone in historical architecture within the city. Why can't us as residents find a way to preserve the Detroit without destroying it. The Sloane location is one of historic value as well. My parent's generation saw the birth of a empire when the ground broke for McDonald's. That in itself should be historic. Why destroy 2 historic locations to make 1 conglomerate happy? I do not have "THE" solution, but maybe if we all work as a community, we can create one?
Ralph Zittkowski
8:17 am on Friday, June 17, 2011
My guess is some of the people who were at this meeting, were watching Netflix/HBO/cable at home when they could have been patronizing the Theatre.