State Street Theater

State Street Theater, Milwaukee, WI

Heres the only known picture of the State Street theater as a theater. It opened December 19, 1915 and was a modest single story affair with a small lobby and 4-aisle auditorium with a capacity 1,206. Operating as a theater up until 1955 it has taken on many forms, from a church to night club.

Although the State Street Theater would need a tremendous financial commitment and effort for an adaptive reuse several organizations have tried from community groups to bar owners. In the past two years, the SOHI District has worked with local artist Jeremy Novy and Quorum Architects on adding an artistic façade to the decaying storefront.

The SOHI District would like to save this building under the principals of the main street program. Some ideas for the property include Will Allen Growing Power retail satellite which would be a public market of some sort, a reuse similar to the Rosebud Theater, a flea market to include rental booths or even an arts outfit similar to the Little Black Pearl in Chicagos Bronzeville.




Ultimately developing this site for a healthy economic use for local residents is the most important goal.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Main
• Street
• Milwaukee
• Retail
• Commercial
• Corridor
• Real
• Estate
• Development
• Will
• Allen
• Growing
• Power
• public
• market
• Rosebud
• Theater
• flea
• Little
• Black
• Pearl
• Chicagos
• Bronzeville