Tues., Aug 25: BOE approves $1/year lease. Lessee will request $700k funding from City Council, invest $400k & seek historic tax credits.

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Friends of The Senator Theatre

Friends of The Senator Theatre Two photos of The Senator Theatre rotunda progress, courtesy of CHAP's Eddie Leon.

SENATOR Theatre: rotunda restoration progress photos « Friends of The Senator Theatre
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Here are the latest photos from the Rotunda restoration. Original doorway detailing re-discovered.
Yesterday at 12:07pm · Comment ·
Friends of The Senator Theatre

Friends of The Senator Theatre Information wanted on "missing" mural artist!

Friends of The Senator is looking for information on the man who painted The Senator's outer lobby mural. We know that his name was Paul Roche. We think he may be the same Paul Roche who painted this "Laying the Cornerstone" picture at Washington College. We know that he liv...ed on Orkney Road and that some local people were models for the mural at The Senator.

There is also an M. Paul Roche who was born in Cork, Ireland in 1888, ended up in Baltimore, and has some etchings (dated earlier than The Senator mural) in the Smithsonian, and died in 1959. This may be the same person, or it may be a relative.

Does anyone know anything about the artist who painted the mural at The Senator? Perhaps you or a friend or relative knew him or posed for him? Any information is appreciated.

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GWCornerstone.jpg image by evinyl on Photobucket
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Photobucket image
Wednesday at 1:31pm · Comment ·
Friends of The Senator Theatre

Friends of The Senator Theatre

SENATOR Theatre RFP: CHAP Hearing Summary Letter « Friends of The Senator Theatre
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Below are copies of the letter sent to Alex Castro (lead architect for Buzz and Kathleen Cusack’s Senator Theatre, LLC project) officially announcing the results of the August 10 CHAP hearing. Each of the attendees to the hearing was to receive this this document by mail.
Wednesday at 5:39am · Comment ·
    Friends of The Senator Theatre

    Friends of The Senator Theatre I think this article is deeply, deeply pertinent to what has been going on in Baltimore with inaccurate news stories on The Senator and the uphill battle that FOTS has been (so far unsuccessfully) waging to correct the public's misconceptions with information gleaned from our research. -LP

    "Recently, a few political sci...entists have begun to discover a human tendency deeply discouraging to anyone with faith in the power of information. It’s this: Facts don’t necessarily have the power to change our minds. In fact, quite the opposite. In a series of studies in 2005 and 2006, researchers at the University of Michigan found that when misinformed people, particularly political partisans, were exposed to corrected facts in news stories, they rarely changed their minds. In fact, they often became even more strongly set in their beliefs. Facts, they found, were not curing misinformation. Like an underpowered antibiotic, facts could actually make misinformation even stronger."

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    How facts backfire
    www.boston.com
    Researchers discover a surprising threat to democracy: our brains
    August 30 at 4:42pm · Comment ·
    • Kathleen Hall Harris and Edward Summer like this.
      • Gayle A Grove WOW! Yeah. It's sorta like a program I saw many many years ago where some folks, if THEY actually believe what THEY are saying, absolute fact simply doesn't have anywhere to go in their minds. Heard something a bit similar to this earlier today...
        August 30 at 5:17pm · 1 personLoading... ·
      • Isabel Tifft Second paragraph on Page 6 just put the cherry & chocolate sprinkles on top.
        August 30 at 7:40pm ·
    Gayle A Grove

    Gayle A Grove ‎:-)

    History by the Commodore Theatre - Portsmouth, VA
    www.commodoretheatre.com
    Admission: Adult admission $8.00 Children 8-13 $7.00 (under 8 years of age are NOT admitted!) Seniors 65 and over $6.00 We now accept credit cards,cash or gift certificates at the boxoffice. We offer a $1.00 per ticket discount for cash.
    August 28 at 3:15pm · Comment ·
      Gayle A Grove

      Gayle A Grove LAYING THE CORNERSTONE Artist: Michael Paul Roche. Painted in 1958, Washington College, Chestertown (mural currently under restoration.) Funds were raised by lottery in 1730 for the first Eastern Shore college, to be called Kent County School, which was later renamed Washington College in recognition of George Washingt...on, an early contributor. The figure of the first provost, Dr. William Smith, can be seen in the lower left, supervising the ceremony. At one point, the school’s master was noted artist Charles Peale, whose children became just as well known.

      The artist is a direct descendant of Paul de la Roche, one of 19th-century France’s most successful painters of historic subjects, and who followed in his ancestor’s footsteps in the 20th century to produce many of Maryland’s outstanding murals, including a series at Baltimore’s Enoch Pratt Library.

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      August 28 at 2:51pm · Comment · · Flag
      Friends of The Senator Theatre

      Friends of The Senator Theatre This is the best coverage so far of this morning's BOE meeting, although it fails to fully grasp that Tom Kiefaber's objections were about the undemocratic and secretive nature of the process, and not about who will control the theatre. It also fails to mention that I was also there, objecting to the proceedings along ...with Tom, on the basis that the deal has recently been significantly changed in ways that will surely increase the costs, yet nobody is saying where the extra money is coming from, and the public has had no opportunity whatsoever to scrutinize the latest version of the proposal.

      -Laura Perkins, FOTS Managing Director

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      Maryland Politics: A Cinematic Morning at the Board of Estimates - Politics and Policy from Baltimor
      weblogs.baltimoresun.com
      « Ehrlich promises tax break to vets | Main
      August 25 at 2:14pm · Comment ·
      • Annie O'malley and Gayle A Grove like this.
        • Mimi Shelley Andrea, if you look back through the history of this FB page, you'll notice that it, too, served a business. When The Senator was open, all events were posted and discussed here to, using your words, "... [advertise the theatre's] product and share information with patrons."
          August 29 at 11:22am ·
        • Andrea Perry I didn't know that, Mimi, thanks. We're in a different place now, though, with the page now serving an advocacy purpose, not, any longer, a for-profit business. To me, the role of open discussion is different in that context.
          August 29 at 12:10pm ·
      Friends of The Senator Theatre

      Friends of The Senator Theatre NEWS ALERT: Senator Theatre lease proposal goes before Balto BOE tomorrow!

      SENATOR Theatre RFP: Lease Agreement @ Board of Estimates tomorrow! « Friends of The Senator Theatre
      wp.me
      FOTS has learned that the Board of Estimates meeting tomorrow (August 25, 2010) at 9AM will include a vote on the proposed lease for The Senator Theatre. What follows is an excerpt from the meeting agenda (pages 94 & 95):
      August 24 at 5:55am · Comment ·
        Friends of The Senator Theatre

        Friends of The Senator Theatre News from Eddie Leon (City Planner at CHAP) regarding some work currently being done at The Senator

        Friends of The Senator Theatre
        friendsofthesenatortheatre.wordpress.com
        I was there earlier today myself to review the exploratory work that the Cusack’s are undertaking. Simply, the wall paper on the lower band has been removed in a section of the Rotunda as part of the exploratory/evaluation process. The “fish tank”/display case on the men’s room side has been removed...
        August 19 at 12:28pm · Comment ·
        Friends of The Senator Theatre

        Friends of The Senator Theatre Scans of the information presented at the CHAP hearing for "Concept Review"

        CHAP Staff Report on Senator Theatre, LLC's Concept Hearing plans
        10 new photos
        August 13 at 11:26am · Comment ·
        Tom Kiefaber

        Tom Kiefaber The Friends of The Senator (FOTS) group are relieved that the development team submitted changes that are in accordance with the initial position of the FOTS and the preservation community. They modified the plan, however, in a way that raises an alarming new set of concerns. They have linked the ability to jettison co...ntroversial plans to demo the original ladies lounge suite for a crepe shop with the necessity for an additional theatre to be added to The Senator. From over 25 years of attempts to expand The Senator to more than one screen, it was established that it's an extremely costly, complex, and time consuming process that will require zoning changes, and the acquisition of the residential 446 Rosebank Ave. property. Acquiring that residence in the rear, plus the yet unknown cost of bringing the existing theatre up to code and the cost of the new addition will add millions in public financing and possibly years to this expanding project.

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        August 11 at 4:54pm · Comment · · Flag
        • Janet Morrissey, Marty Kahl and 2 others like this.
          • View all 26 comments
          • Tom Kiefaber
            Gayle, Forums of this nature can be really helpful, providing opportunities to interact and exchange ideas, critiques and information, with a wide variety of individuals that are interested in a particular subject. They can also become an o...utlet for others to degrade the quality of the overall experience for everyone else and kill the spirit of discovery and constructive analysis.

            That's what is happening here form my perspective. One sad aspect is that when these pests infect a forum they are hard to eradicate. You cant use DDT anymore. The more passionate and informed members like you and me and others can't seem to resist taking up the challenge, and spend time and energy and offer facts and new information in an effort to reason them back into a more fact based understanding of the subject in hand. To engage and play nice with others in a manner more in keeping with the general group members. The FOTS goal all along has been to foster a legitimate , and open-minded exchange of ideas and information.

            What happens often though, as we all saw in the case of Richard's Senator Forum, is that once these tormentors show up and start posting the misinformation and smears, and we react to try and get some consensus reality of truth and experience in the mix, it just gets into these volleys, which is their annoying goal.Unfortunately the less passionate and not as well informed ,yet genuinely interested members size up that people like Stu and Andrea are now embedded and sparring with us for sport with no real facts or direct knowledge and no interest in legitimate exchanges. The others then drift away in frustration or boredom. The "life's too short thing", you know, and they are right. .

            The constant contrary put-downs and negative accusatory observations based on what Stu and Andrea know to be falsehoods are like waterboarding and after a while it really is a form of torment. Their motivations may be as a tactic to squelch real discussion and growth in the subject? If you look back to what these pests have been doing consistently for over two years now, its a very basic approach. Seek to torment with contrary, illogical attacks.

            Now on the other hand, I also need to chide you a bit for letting them get to you to this degree. Stu's side channel overtures to you are quite creepy, but let's face it, he's an obnoxious outcast, yes, and creepy, yes, but not that threatening. I mean Gayle just look up at Stu's image that he chose himself, Can you imagine? Hello? Now that fool should really not still be pushing your buttons to this degree. Remember now this is a guy who poses as someone who is attuned to the importance of the best future for The Senator Theatre yet also said he wouldn't mind if they chopped it up into smaller galleries and artists rooms and studios!! And on one of those occasions when the theatre's future was being discussed in a pivotal public meeting at The Senator, he stays home logged into Farmville.

            Here is the real problem I see. They aren't technically abusive in ways that are typical, with vile obscenities and/or threats. While they abuse and ruin forums like this, as they did with Richard's, we should do whatever we can to not let that happen. All I can think of at the moment is to make a pact to simply not take the bait like this from them. We keep thinking they need to be provided accurate information, which is their ploy. We are falling for it and if it keeps up, this forum will degrade further and lose its beneficial aspects. Seriously, if we can't legitimate;y toss them off, then let's try to make them as invisible as possible by not interacting with them. Your game?

            Posting their taunts and purposeful misinformation are nasty tactics, hard to leave alone, but let's try that solution until Facebook adds some vermin filters...             See More
            August 28 at 7:01pm ·
          • Andrea Perry Golly, Tom. I'll leave Tom Harris to deal with most of this, as Stu suggests. But on your accusation about no interest in legitimate exchange, please reread my post nine comments back -- I "liked" it to make it easier for you to find. I asked you legitimate questions about 446. Your response was to dismiss them and launch more accusations. My questions still stand and they are valid.
            August 28 at 9:35pm ·
        Friends of The Senator Theatre

        Friends of The Senator Theatre The 'concept' proposals were approved for further plan development with conditions that items like moving the Mens' Lounge wall 4ft (space protected by CHAP), the proposed restaurant facade extending 8ft from the current north building be further studied (and relocation of affected sidewalk blocks or alternatives be co...nsidered) & most importantly to us right now, that experts be hired for a top-to-bottom assessment of the historic structure & its core systems for a baseline report of the building's "health".

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        Cusack plan for renovating Senator comes before CHAP - baltimoresun.com
        www.baltimoresun.com
        The Cusacks move forward, presenting plan to CHAP for Senator renovation.
        August 10 at 7:07pm · Comment ·
        Friends of The Senator Theatre

        Friends of The Senator Theatre

        New Operators Reveal Plans For Senator Theatre - wjz.com
        wjz.com
        <span> <p>It's a Baltimore gem with strong historical roots. Now the new operators of the city-owned Senator Theatre unveil a bold new plan to redevelop it.</p> </span>
        August 10 at 6:02pm · Comment ·
        Friends of The Senator Theatre

        Friends of The Senator Theatre Friends, the PDF in this link will allow you to see what we received from CHAP as the proposals that will be discussed tomorrow. There are significant changes from what was originally being put forward.

        Senator Theatre, LLC concepts for The Senator Theatre « Friends of The Senator Theatre
        friendsofthesenatortheatre.wordpress.com
        Renovation & enhancement concept proposals to be reviewed by Baltimore City’s Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation (CHAP) on August 10, 2010.
        August 9 at 4:08pm · Comment ·
          • Tom Kiefaber
            The new members of the CHAP commission were sending pretty strong signals that concerns over the 8' push out of the north addition for the restaurant may not fly at all, for reasons above and beyond the blocks. What they wisely recognized a...lready is that to do so will impart an entirely different overall look to the iconic historic theatre and it will "compete" with The Senator facade and its sight lines.

            What I thought when they expressed that position at the end of the meeting was that they were right. In my family I always heard that was why they put the addition on years ago with the flat plane across the front, although our property line was actually 8' closer to York Road. Made sense then Makes sense now. If that view prevails then the blocks are safe, and there are a few more than can be created in that area.             See More
            August 13 at 12:36pm ·
          • Stu Goldstone
            Things are going to change at the Senator. They HAVE to change. Sightlines may have to change. Sidewalk blocks may have to change.

            @Mark, I understand that you feel that the sidewalk blocks are part of the theater, but that's an opinion, ...not a fact.

            I'm not seeing a whole lot of flexibility on the part of some folks. If the theater is going to remain a viable entity, things simply can't stay the same as they always have.            See More
            August 13 at 5:48pm ·
        Avenue Antiques

        Avenue Antiques  Tom Kiefaber and Friends of The Senator Theatre invite you to a hearing:

        Balto. City Hearing on renovation plans for The Senator Theatre
        Location:Phoebe Stanton Conference Room of the Department of Planning, 8th Floor
        Time:2:30PM Tuesday, August 10th
        August 9 at 2:38pm