By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The city’s yearslong quest to force the owner of the historic Midway Theater to repair the property took another turn this month after an administrative hearing officer levied thousands of dollars in fines for longstanding code violations.
Building owner Peter Crane took out a permit last week to repair the roof after that decision was handed down, according to the city’s building department. But there are a host of other repairs the city has required.
“We want to do what we can to preserve the character of these buildings,” City Attorney Nick Meyer said. “If you’re going to take on these big investments, you have to understand that our expectation is that the properties are going to be safe and sound for the communities and the neighborhoods, and that there’s going to be reasonable efforts to redevelop those to put them back into good use.”
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The more than century-old theater, 721 E. State St. in downtown, has been vacant for years and fallen into disrepair with boarded up windows and a collapsed roof.
The move to repair the roof comes after a decision was rendered in a code violation hearing that had dragged on for more than four years.
The hearing stemmed from a Dec. 27, 2019, code violation notice given by the city, but the case was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic and then multiple other times at the agreement of both parties.
Then, last week, an administrative hearing officer sided largely with the city and imposed a $100 fine for each of the 32 violations for a period of 20 days. The total fine is $64,000, and Crane was given until June 14 to come into compliance.
Multiple attempts to reach Crane and his attorney, John Nelson, this week were unsuccessful. Crane had asserted in the closing arguments of the code enforcement hearing that he was the victim of selective prosecution, but the hearing officer found no merit for that defense, according to a document of the decision.
The hearing officer’s decision is, by law, subject to review in Circuit Court.
“We’ve spent years now fighting in court just to get repairs done,” Meyer said. “If we have owners who are content to let their buildings rot until they’re to the point of deterioration and demolition, we’re going to try to stop that and step in. It’s not fair to our community or the neighbors.”
If this scenario sounds familiar, it’s because the city has been in this position before.
About five years ago, the city took Crane to court after fines for code violation went unpaid.
The city could again seek a court order to enforce the hearing officer’s decision if the order to come into compliance within 30 days isn’t met.
The Midway Theater opened Aug. 3, 1918, and was originally home to storefronts, apartments and a basement bowling alley, as well as the theater itself. It’s intricate stone facade and 90-foot clock tower were designed by celebrated theater architect JEO Pridmore in the Spanish Renaissance style.
An Aug. 7, 1980, fire gutted the property, but its marquee and stone and brick facade were spared. The property was restored by 1983 and became home to Rockford Symphony Orchestra until 2000 when it moved to the Coronado Performing Arts Center, according to archives from the Rockford Register Star.
It was home to local and touring performances for decades, and it was a gathering spot for community events. It was also a stopping point in January 2005 and again in February 2007 for then-U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, who would announce his candidacy for president a few days after that 2007 visit.
But the building has now been vacant for more than a dozen years. It was already empty when the roof partially collapsed in March 2012. Problems have exacerbated in the years since.
“Anyone can drive by it and realize it’s dilapidated. There’s boarded up windows right now. The roof collapsed and is essentially just hanging on for dear life,” Meyer said. “We’re trying to get the owner to fix it, develop it or sell it to a developer.”
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas