Howell Theatre Howell MI - WaterWinterWonderland.com

Info Updates:

2/23/2003 - WaterWinterWonderland

The Howell Theatre has been restored from top to bottom and is one of the most gorgeous theatres we have seen yet. The brand new marquee welcomes you into a totally remodeled and restored interior. 2 Auditoriums with new seating, DTS sound, as well as immaculate rest rooms. An excellent snack bar completes the picture. Special thanks to Sanford Chandler who was kind enough to give us a tour and explain the whole process of getting the Howell restored to its former splendor. Keep up the good work Chandler Inc!!!

1/8/2003 - Web

The Howell Theater was constructed in 1927 as both a movie house and a live entertainment venue. It replaced the smaller Temple Theater (located one block west) that was apparently suitable only for movies. It also provided a stage and orchestra pit suitable for musical and live entertainment that would have been previously held at the Howell Opera House that closed several years earlier. The Theater was built by the Locey family which had developed several other recreational properties in the same block, including a dance hall and gym (now Howell Auto Parts) and a roller rink. As late as New Years 1932 there was still live musical entertainment at the theater along with movies. In 1938 the Howell Theater was extensively renovated by the Schulte Amusement Company of Detroit which had acquired the Theater. The renovations included more spacious seating (which remain) and bathrooms, new projection and sound equipment, acoustical treatment, and a new marquee that complimented the original vertical sign that was retained. Schulte Amusement continued to operate the theater for many years, although by 1944 the theater was being used exclusively as a movie house. In 1956 they again replaced the marquee along with the original entrance and canopy. The original theater sign and 1938 marquee were also removed. The original storefronts were not altered and remain to this day, although some architectural elements may have been covered over. By 1970, the theater had been acquired by The Whisper and Wetsman Company, that ran the Theater as the Howell Theater Corporation. During the 1970s the plaster walls were covered by draperies and the movie screen was moved to the front of the proscenium to accommodate a larger picture. The sound system was also upgraded around this time and it remains. Little additional work was done after this time period, although the dual carbon-arc projection system has been changed to a xenon single projector platter system. In 1998 the theater was placed on the market and closed its doors in December, 1998. The theater was acquired by the City of Howell in June, 1999. Immediately following the purchase, the City Council formed the Howell Theater committee to advise them on the potential renovation and future usage of the theater. The committee did extensive research and learned the intricacies of operating a movie and rental facility. The general consensus of the committee was to guarantee and retain the historical and architectural elements of the Howell Theater and to see it renovated as a modest and plain art deco movie house. As it looked at financing and overseeing the renovation of a theater facility, the committee felt that it would be imperative to find someone or some group with theater management experience along with vision and commitment to oversee the renovations and operations. The committee produced a final report outlining recommendation for redevelopment of the Howell Theater. A complete copy of the report is available for review at the City Managers office located at 611 E. Grand River, 3rd Floor, Howell, Michigan 48843. The Theater committee recommended that the city accept proposals from a private entity (for-profit or non-profit), company, individual, or group of investors to purchase, renovate and operate the Howell Theater with the goal of maintaining the theater as an entertainment venue.

1/8/2003 - Web

A 75-year-old theater in Howell, Mich., opened last month after a two-year restoration. The Howell Theater first opened in 1927. A year after the theater closed in 1998, the city bought the building for $310,000. A private developer, Chandler Corp., bought the Howell for the same price in 1999. Workers repaired the theater’s leaded-glass windows, replaced the seats, and raised a new sign that resembles its original 1927 marquis. The 500-seat theater now shows first-run movies. "The community is thrilled," says Camille Lievense, manager of the city’s downtown development authority. "So few movie houses have such a happy ending."

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Howell Theatre - Howell MI