Letter from David Pearlman to Helen L. Stairs (June 13, 1994)
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from David Pearlman to Helen L. Stairs (June 13, 1994)
Alternative Title
Pearlman to Stairs (June 13, 1994)
Subject
Sanford (Fla.)
Buildings--Florida
Theaters--Florida
Renovation (Architecture)
Renovation of buildings
Historic preservation--Florida
Description
Letter to Helen L. Stairs from David Pearlman confirming the sale of the Ritz Theatre to RCT Projects, Inc.
Originally the Milane Theatre was built at 203 South Magnolia Avenue in Sanford, the former location of the Star Theatre, an abandoned movie house. Scroggs and Ewing, architects from Georgia, prepared the plans for the Milane. The name of the new theater was derived from the combination of the presidents of the Milane Amusement Company president and vice president: Frank L. Miller and Edward F. Lane. The Milane opened in July of 1923 and seated 823 patrons. In 1933, the Milane was sold to Frank and Stella Evans, investors from Lake Mary, Florida. The new owners renamed their business the Ritz Theatre and held the property until the 1990s. However, the Ritz struggled financially in the 1960s and closed in 1978 due to failure to compete with the new multiplex theaters. The building remained vacant until 1984, when it reopened as the Showtime Cantina. The Showtime Cantina closed in 1988 and remained vacant and in decay. In the mid-1990s, Ritz Community Theater Projects, Inc. acquired the property and began rehabilitation in 1998. On May 6, 2000, the theater reopened as the Helen Stairs Theatre in honor of the citizen who led the restoration project, Helen Stairs. The following year, the location was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2008, additional renovations were completed at the theater was renamed the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center in honor of the Wayne Densch Charitable Trust Fund for contributing to the renovations fund.
Originally the Milane Theatre was built at 203 South Magnolia Avenue in Sanford, the former location of the Star Theatre, an abandoned movie house. Scroggs and Ewing, architects from Georgia, prepared the plans for the Milane. The name of the new theater was derived from the combination of the presidents of the Milane Amusement Company president and vice president: Frank L. Miller and Edward F. Lane. The Milane opened in July of 1923 and seated 823 patrons. In 1933, the Milane was sold to Frank and Stella Evans, investors from Lake Mary, Florida. The new owners renamed their business the Ritz Theatre and held the property until the 1990s. However, the Ritz struggled financially in the 1960s and closed in 1978 due to failure to compete with the new multiplex theaters. The building remained vacant until 1984, when it reopened as the Showtime Cantina. The Showtime Cantina closed in 1988 and remained vacant and in decay. In the mid-1990s, Ritz Community Theater Projects, Inc. acquired the property and began rehabilitation in 1998. On May 6, 2000, the theater reopened as the Helen Stairs Theatre in honor of the citizen who led the restoration project, Helen Stairs. The following year, the location was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2008, additional renovations were completed at the theater was renamed the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center in honor of the Wayne Densch Charitable Trust Fund for contributing to the renovations fund.
Creator
Pearlman, David
Source
Original letter from David Pearlman to Helen L. Stairs, June 13, 1994: Ritz Theatre Collection, Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Date Created
1994-06-13
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of original letter from David Pearlman to Helen L. Stairs, June 13, 1994.
Is Part Of
Ritz Theatre Collection, Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.
Milane Theatre Collection, Sanford Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.
Format
image/jpeg
Extent
705 KB
Medium
1 page typed letter
Language
eng
Type
Text
Coverage
Sanford, Florida
Spatial Coverage
28.810527, -81.266859
Temporal Coverage
1994-06-13/1994-06-13
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History Teacher
Economics Teacher
Geography Teacher
Provenance
Originally created by David Pearlman and owned by Helen L. Stairs.
Rights Holder
Copyright to this resource is owned by Museum of Seminole County History and provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.
Contributing Project
Curator
Cepero, Laura
Digital Collection
Source Repository
External Reference
"Helen Stairs Theatre." StageClick. http://www.stageclick.com/venue/457.aspx.
"Theater History." Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center. http://www.wdpac.com/footer-menu/theater-history/.
"Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center." Seminole County: Florida's Natural Choice. http://www.visitseminole.com/things-to-do/general/wayne-densch-performing-arts-center.
External Reference Title
Transcript
June 13, 1994
Helen L. Stairs, President
RCT Projects, Inc.
RE: Ritz Theater
Dear Ms. Stairs,
This will confirm our conversation whereby I agree to sell all right, title, and interest in the property commonnly[sic] known as the Ritz Theater and more particularly described as follows: Lot 9 + NORTH 12 FEET OF THE EAST 30 FEET OF LOT 10 BLOCK 4, TIER 2 TOWN OF SANFORD, AS RECORDED IN THE PLAT BOOK 1, PAGE 58, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF AS RECORDED IN THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF SEMINOLE COUNTY, FLORIDA TO RCT Projects, Inc. for the total sales price of $88520 ( eighty-eight thousand, five hundred twenty dollars ). The sale shall be an in kind donation to : RCT Projects, Inc. Sincerely yours, David Pearlman David Pearlman
Helen L. Stairs, President
RCT Projects, Inc.
RE: Ritz Theater
Dear Ms. Stairs,
This will confirm our conversation whereby I agree to sell all right, title, and interest in the property commonnly[sic] known as the Ritz Theater and more particularly described as follows: Lot 9 + NORTH 12 FEET OF THE EAST 30 FEET OF LOT 10 BLOCK 4, TIER 2 TOWN OF SANFORD, AS RECORDED IN THE PLAT BOOK 1, PAGE 58, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF AS RECORDED IN THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF SEMINOLE COUNTY, FLORIDA TO RCT Projects, Inc. for the total sales price of $88520 ( eighty-eight thousand, five hundred twenty dollars ). The sale shall be an in kind donation to : RCT Projects, Inc. Sincerely yours, David Pearlman David Pearlman
Document Item Type Metadata
Original Format
1 page typed letter
Collection
Citation
Pearlman, David, “Letter from David Pearlman to Helen L. Stairs (June 13, 1994),” RICHES, accessed April 19, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/1098.