'Theater Developers' Look at Village

Although there is nothing formal yet, threater developers have approached the related to trying to locate in the Village.

City of Grosse Pointe manager Pete Dame recently told the council about these interests that were expressed to him by more than one developer. While there is nothing permanently in place for such development, there is interest, Dame said.

Patch posted a question to readers on Facebook asking for readers opinions about having a movie theatre in the Village. The question elicited responses almost immediatley and generated a lengthy thread of conversation.

The question gained 132 likes by Facebook users who follow Grosse Pointe Patch on the social networking site and 99 comments. It elicited similar response on twitter as well.

Dame did not get into much detail about the developers visions for a threater in Grosse Pointe but said they were looking to locate in the same place once slated to be used for a hotel. The project never came to fruition despite the energy behind it when it was proposed in 2008.

Dame's announcment of such interest in the Village led to another development issue--a possible tax-break incentive related to --for which he asked council permission to pursue to the idea.

The building, which was foreclosed upon after Borders vacated it, is 19,000 square feet. A for sale sign now adorns one of the windows facing Kercheval Avenue. Some investors have shown interest in the building and at least one potential buyer told the City there may need to be an offer of property tax relief in order to obtain the eventual redevelopment officials want to see in the large space that remains vacant.

City employees found one law that may help--the Commercial Rehabilitation Act, which allows for vacant properties that are already zoned for commercial purposes to have the property taxes frozen for one to 10 years so any additions or improvements to the space becomes property-tax exempt. The exemptions does not include land taxes or school taxes, both of which will still be required to be paid.

The council did give Dame permission to pursue the idea and before such an incentive could be put in place, a public hearing must be held. The city would also have to allow the county time to object to an exception related to the taxes, according to a proposal by Dame.