Landmark's future remains undecided; IU might use theater for lecture halls

This May commemorates the one-year anniversary of the Von Lee Theatre closing its doors for business. The famed neon Von Lee sign that used to illuminate Kirkwood across from the Sample Gates is now in storage.\nDespite its lack of business during the last year, many residents, professors and students have fond memories of the theatre that used to show independent and art films. When the theatre closed, its owner, Kerasotes, said construction on Kirkwood Avenue caused traffic and profits to dwindle. After the Von Lee's closing by the Springfield, Ill.-based company, the Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission quickly designated the 71-year-old theatre a historic site. The designation protects the building from demolition.\nWith the lights out and profits nonexistent, Kerasotes is still deciding what to do with the theatre. Tom Swafford, IU's director of space management, said Kerasotes has approached the University to see if it is interested in purchasing the theatre.\nBut people within the University remain divided as to how to best use the property. A number of students and faculty in the film and television department would like the Von Lee purchased to support local film series such as City Lights and Ryder. Senior Erik Gibson, director of the Union Board film series, wants IU to buy the theatre as a place to highlight more independent films. \n"It would provide a great opportunity to show more, different kinds of films in Bloomington in a historic theatre," Gibson said.\nIU's office of space management is looking to use the three theatres as lecture halls. \n"Our only reason of considering it is to fill an increased demand for lecture space," Swafford said. Although University administrators have made no decision as to whether they will purchase the Von Lee Theatre, IU has sent its architects and engineers to look at the building in order to provide a condition report.\n"We are not precluding anything but primarily want it for use as lecture rooms. We have a number of venues for films now," Swafford said in response to critics who wish the space to remain a venue for film exhibition.\nOnce construction of the Neal Marshall theatre center is completed, Swafford mentioned the possibility of renovating the Indiana University Theatre into a lecture room for use by the film studies department.\nDrew Todd, a graduate student in film studies at IU who helped found the City Lights Film Series, said he understands the University's need for more lecture space. \n"Why couldn't the space be used for both? Look at spaces like the Whittenberger," Todd said.\nThe last Bloomington theatre owned by Kerasotes, the Indiana/Buskirk-Chumley, was donated to the community with the stipulation that films not be shown in the facility. Kerasotes, like any business, wants to limit competition in the marketplace.\n"They have methodically built a monopoly," Todd said.\nChris Sturbaum, chairman of the Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission, said he believes an IU-owned and operated Von Lee Theatre would be a great place for the community and University to meet on neutral territory. \n"If IU insisted on keeping the theatre open, it could build town and University relations. I think IU is a big enough dog to insist they be able to use it as a theatre venue," he said.\nAssuming Kerasotes will sell IU the Von Lee to use in any capacity and that IU will choose to showcase films in the Von Lee's three theatres, people are divided on whether it will benefit the University and the greater Bloomington community or not.\n"Unlike other large university towns in the United States, Bloomington doesn't have a proper art or retrospective movie theatre, and it badly needs one," associate professor James Naremore said. A faculty member in the Department of Communication and Culture, Naremore is a guest professor this semester at the University of Chicago. As a result, he said he knows little about the University's discussions with Kerasotes, but he hopes IU will purchase the Von Lee for use as a venue for films and related events that would be culturally beneficial to both IU and the Bloomington community.\nHarry Geduld, former IU professor and founder of IU's film studies program, agrees with Naremore that the University needs a proper major motion picture theatre. Geduld has personal and professional connections to the Von Lee, having met his wife there in 1963. He said the Von Lee's location right next to the University is a plus because both the space and location are perfect for IU. \n"We would help build up audiences for Kerasotes because the more films you see, the more you are interested in them," Geduld said. \nOf course, IU could not afford to rent and show the major motion pictures Kerasotes can.\nThis lack of a permanent facility in which to view films has not stopped the Gourman Report from ranking IU as the fifth best graduate program in radio/television/film after the University of Southern California, the University of California at Los Angeles, New York University and Northwestern University. Geduld said he believes this ranking is an extraordinary achievement considering the competition.\n"I have been to USC and UCLA," Geduld said. "USC has a new film on campus every day provided by the studios."\nAlthough far from the Hollywood hills and large production studios in California and New York, IU's arts programs are widely recognized. The film studies program is not alone in its national recognition. IU's School of Music is regarded as one of the best worldwide.\nThis ranking, along with a lack of a permanent venue for screening films, caused associate professor Susanne Schwibs to chuckle.\n"It is sort of like saying we have a great fine arts program but no museum space to show work," Schwibs said. "People have to rent rooms to show their work. It doesn't make sense."\nTodd said the lack of a permanent viewing space denies the students and community a place to gather.\n"Without a fixed venue, there is no way for the community and students to intersect and think critically and be entertained by the film medium," he said. \nTodd said he sees a world of opportunities in the prospect of IU purchasing the Von Lee and does not foresee any disadvantages. \n"There is an opportunity to bring together a number of disciplines," he said. One example he proposed was for the architecture program to research and restore the theatre to its original style.\nThe Von Lee's three theatres could be used for many purposes from classes to guest lectures and film screenings. But all of this is speculation. IU might not try to convince Kerasotes to allow it to purchase and use the facility for anything besides lecture space. \nIf the University decides to make the Von Lee a multi-purpose space and succeeds in showing student and independent films on its screens, Sturbaum said, "Kerasotes could really come out looking good, even though they shouldn't"