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Wednesday, May 12, 2010

the madison marquee

The marquee from the old Madison Theater came down off the Renaissance Theater today. Here's what I know of its history and what is going to happen to it:

The Madison Theater, owned by the Memorial Building Board, was tucked in behind the Memorial Building with its entrance and marquee on Park Avenue West, sandwiched between the Memorial Building and Farmers Bank (Chase now). In that location the marquee extended out over traffic and was struck by a truck, thus the creation of the notch in it's latter days.

The history of how the Madison came to be torn down is left for someone else to tell. But the marquee itself was saved from the wrecking ball by Mike Volk who sent a truck and crane to retrieve it. The giant Madison blade sign that rose above the marquee didn't survive the removal. It collapsed in the process of taking it down, and was destroyed.

The marquee, however, did survive and was later refurbished by Volk's company to be mounted on the Ohio (now Ren) during its restoration. The marriage of the Madison marquee on the restored Ohio Theater was not a popular move with the Preservation Office in Columbus, according to Dan Seckel who was involved at the time. Nevertheless, it was a popular solution here in Mansfield and saved the marquee and saved the expense of a new sign.

The current capital building project at the Renaissance included plans to remove the old marquee and restore the front of the theater in that area where there originally had been a glass transom, and defer to the new marquee. To save the old marquee, it was planned to mount it freestanding in the parking lot behind the theater, as a kind of urban sculpture.

This wasn't a popular plan and the Historic Preservation Commission proposed an alternative as a better way to assure the marquee's survival. That is to place the old marquee back where it came from, between the bank and the Memorial Building. Agreements between the property owner, the Memorial Building Board, The Renaissance Board, and the Historic Preservation Commission have allowed this plan to go forward. More information on the plan will be forthcoming in the coming months.

In the new (old) location it will serve as a much needed sign for the museum, and continued use will help insure its continued survival. Who knows? Maybe someday a new theater will be built in behind it!

5 comments:

ThomasP said...

That is exciting news -- the Madison marquee returning to its original location. Looking forward to hearing details!

Gary Hunt said...

It's nice to hear the marquee is being preserved in that way. I was pretty young when they moved it from the Madison, but I do remember it was a visual improvement over the marquee that was at the Ohio (Ren) at the time.

Jaci said...

so exciting to hear about my hometown working so hard to keep Mansfiled history 'alive'. Is there a date when that will be complete and is there going to be any kind of celebration?

alan wigton said...

We have to pull together an organization and raise funds. The Memorial Museum is spearheading that, and we're waiting on them to move forward. It is looking like it will be at least next summer before we can get it restored and back up.

Cheri Hedges said...

I think that is a good plan---it needs to stay in Mansfield!