| Author | Message | ||
     peteglider Citizen Username: Peteglider Post Number: 1266 Registered: 8-2002 |
A few weeks ago I suggested a webcam on the roof of Bunnys to capture all the hectic activity at the SO "coming soon" sites! This is very nice -- thanks for doing this Jamie! (I'm assuming its at Bunny's -- can the camera be turned inward to see who's sitting at the bar?) Pete | ||
| Bob K Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 8912 Registered: 5-2001 |
I am reasonably certain that the walls (or monolithes as you call them) are structual and don't need steel supports. It is remarkable what you can do with reinforced concrete nowadays.  | ||
| Nohero Supporter Username: Nohero Post Number: 4544 Registered: 10-1999  |
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| bets Supporter Username: Bets Post Number: 1972 Registered: 6-2001  |
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| The Man Citizen Username: Bumboklaat Post Number: 2 Registered: 2-2005  |
After almost a decade of setbacks this thing is finally on it's way. I hope this theater doesn't show nothin but cheesy documentaries and foreign films, I want to be able to see actual feature films because everyone knows Maplewood's theatre is a joke. I AM THE MAN--SHOW SOME RESPECT | ||
| Rastro Citizen Username: Rastro Post Number: 1170 Registered: 5-2004  |
um, yeah. ok. Jamie, is the cam just washed out by the sun, or did it get knocked in the wrong direction? | ||
| jamie Moderator Username: Jamie Post Number: 948 Registered: 6-2001  |
it's back up - I just got off the phone with Bunny's. For some reason in normal mode the cam gets washed out. so, for anyone over there - if you reboot the computer - go to the monitor screen - source settings 1 - advanced tab - change anti-flicker to off. | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 2584 Registered: 5-2001  |
I drove past this morning & didn't realize how HUGE the wall is. It towers over everything. I still don't understand WHAT SOPAC is supposed to be like? Paper Mill Playhouse? NJPAC? Harms Theater in Englewood? Community Theatre in Morristown? State Theatre in New Brunswick? It just seems like there's an awful lot of competition already out there that is very close to South Orange. | ||
| Rastro Citizen Username: Rastro Post Number: 1171 Registered: 5-2004 |
MHD, why not peruse the SOPAC business plan and see what they are forcasting for revenue sources? (yes, this was a joke...) | ||
| cmontyburns Citizen Username: Cmontyburns Post Number: 1005 Registered: 12-2003  |
MHD: What are you proposing? Abandon construction, and just swallow all the money spent thus far as a complete loss? My impression from on-the-street chatter is that most folks are looking forward to it as a movie theater. | ||
| peteglider Citizen Username: Peteglider Post Number: 1273 Registered: 8-2002 |
I'd really like to have a thriving movie theatre and theatre in town. I'd be there often. What I don't want is a money pit that my taxes will be supporting ad infinatum. And at this point, it appears to be unknown or at least not public information. /p | ||
| vermontgolfer Supporter Username: Vermontgolfer Post Number: 322 Registered: 12-2002 |
It's finally dawned on me that the majority of posters here, just must find something that they don't like. Redevelopment has been lousy for years and there's been a cry of 'COMING SOON', when etc. The majority complained. Now, thank God, something is happening and guess what, the majority of posters don't like it. This is one amazing board, it never ceases to amaze me. Happy 4th to everyone!  | ||
| Rastro Citizen Username: Rastro Post Number: 1172 Registered: 5-2004 |
VG, it reminds me of a Richard Jeni routine from a while back. He'd say they should call the news, the Bad News. "Good Evening. It's 11 o'clock. Here's who's dead." Because all you ever hear is terrible things that happen. If there was nothing to complain about, what would we all post about? | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 2586 Registered: 5-2001 |
Monty, I'm not "proposing" anything. I just still don't understand WHAT SOPAC is supposed to be like? Paper Mill Playhouse? NJPAC? Harms Theater in Englewood? Community Theatre in Morristown? State Theatre in New Brunswick? Can someone explain to me the PURPOSE of this place that everyone is "looking forward to"? As for the "movie theatre", everything I have heard is that it will be "art films" and not someplace we will go to see First Run blockbusters, like Essex Green. | ||
| Nonymous Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 8060 Registered: 1-2003  |
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| Lucy Supporter Username: Lucy Post Number: 38 Registered: 5-2005 |
Welcome, The Man, cute dog. Maybe we can take him to see Lady and the Tramp at SOPAC on opening night? | ||
| red_alert Citizen Username: Red_alert Post Number: 140 Registered: 3-2005 |
Over/Under on when the walls will be filled with graffiti? | ||
| jayjay Citizen Username: Jayjayp Post Number: 55 Registered: 6-2005 |
MHD- I, too, was under the imnpression that SOPAC is to show art films and have live venues too small for the PaperMill. This was what I heard ages ago, and I don't know if that still holds. It would be nice if the new Director (I forget her name) would tell us exactly what the focus of SOPAC is to be. Like anything else, I view it as a business which has to make money and be competitive. I wonder if it can do it on its own or if taxpayers will be hit for any shortfall. I know some topnotch venues in our area (including Drew and Papermill) have a hard itme filling seats. What will SOPAC do to be successful. I think we the taxpayers are owed some answers. | ||
| Howard Levison Citizen Username: Levisonh Post Number: 308 Registered: 1-2004  |
Just take a look at their web site: <www.sopacnow.org> Just passed at the last BOT meeting was an allocation of $150,000 of our taxes to cover operating expenses re: Executive Director's salary, Attorney, Account, Consultant (fund raising). Pending Bond issue to cover the construction - projected to be $800,000 / year nut. Somehow we have to make it work! | ||
| Tom's Little Pony Citizen Username: Cmontyburns Post Number: 1012 Registered: 12-2003 |
From the Web site: Jessica Alexis Finkelberg Executive Director South Orange Performing Arts Center 20 Valley Street, Suite 220 South Orange, NJ 07079 973 275 1114 I'm sure Jessica could help answer some of the questions posed here. As for my vote: I hope they stick to art house/independent-type movies. Seems like a great niche, and a good audience in South Orange. The Web site says they plan to show a wide variety of movies, including "mainstream films." | ||
| gozerbrown Citizen Username: Gozerbrown Post Number: 732 Registered: 3-2002 |
Just got my tax bill in the mail a couple of days ago. Hopefully something will happen in this town. | ||
| jamie Moderator Username: Jamie Post Number: 949 Registered: 6-2001 |
Can someone over there turn the cam?  | ||
| MHD Citizen Username: Mayhewdrive Post Number: 2591 Registered: 5-2001 |
Cmonty, I saw Jessica at the fair in South Orange today and specifically asked her if she knew about Maplewood Online. She said she was well aware of it. I asked her specifically if she could post here to try to clarify the purpose of SOPAC and address questions that people have. She said she will address questions posed directly to her via SOPAC's website (via email?), but she is opposed to discussing things on a public message board. I told her I thought she was making a mistake & thought that she should take advantage of every medium available. She said "duely noted, but she won't be posting here". While I was very disappointed in her answer, I was more disappointed in her holier than thou attitude, which led me to unfortunately conclude that we are in for many more years of Coming SOonPAC. | ||
| susan1014 Supporter Username: Susan1014 Post Number: 784 Registered: 3-2002 |
I can't imagine why Jessica would post here given some of the things she has had the opportunity to read here. Choosing not to go here doesn't make anyone "holier than thou" in my book...I wouldn't try to do my day job by posting on this board either. Debating my day job with anonymous critics seems like a bad idea! Having said that, SOPAC desperately needs to start getting some actual facts into the public eye, as their hit on our tax dollars grows. Just answering direct questions isn't enough. So Jessica, if you are listening, many of us are eager to see you open and start buying tickets, but also eager to see a business plan and understand what will be needed of us, as taxpayers, charitable donors, and patrons, if SOPAC is to succeed. Right now, I believe the town is paying your salary, and the citizens want to know some details. You may have figured out by now that S. Orange has some issues with openness in government, and we hope that you will choose to be part of the solution. Even those of us eager to be patrons are a bit nervous, given the lack of detail large amounts of money allegedy paid to fundraisers who don't seem to have done much fund-raising. The refrigerator magnet that I picked up at your tent today was cute, but publishing actual information would be better. | ||
| susan1014 Supporter Username: Susan1014 Post Number: 785 Registered: 3-2002 |
By the way, I just went looking for SOPACs website to see if there was any new info there, and couldn't find it, in spite of a good bit of googling. Thanks to the refrigerator magnet, I was finally able to find the site (www.sopacnow.org). No news to speak of. I'm deeply inclined to be a donor and a patron, but not until asked and/or given more details! | ||
| jayjay Citizen Username: Jayjayp Post Number: 57 Registered: 6-2005 |
I'm still trying to figure out why the taxpayers are paying anything into this project, when no one has constructed a business plan that they are willing to share with us. I find Jessica's attititude, as relayed by MHD, to be off-putting. Why wouldn't she engage in a dialogue with those paying her salary? I have tons of questions, and no answers are to be found. I want the arts center to be successful, but this is another instance of a "trust us/coming soon" mentality. Okay Jessica, if curiosity gets to you and you read this, here are some questions for a start: 1. Define the strategy for the place. It sounds to me like its everything from a movie house (first run and arts) to a place for receptions and meetings, plus live theater/performances. How much revenue will you derive from each and against what kind of operating expenses. BTW, who will run the movie house part? And how will that work. Who will book live venues and how will that work? What will the staffing needs be and who is expected to pay for them, and will they be municipal employees with all the benefits derived therefrom? 2. Will it be operational only at night and weekends and after most commuters have vacated the lot? 3. How much is required to make the place self funding? Who will be expected to pick up any shortfall? 4. What is your fundraising strategy? Since South Orange has no industry, what corporations would you expect will kick in? 5. Who is responsible for maintaining the website and how do you expect to drive traffic to it? 6. What does the marketing and promotional plan look like? 7. What is the profile of your customer base? Getting answers to these kinds of questions will go a long way to feeling warm and fuzzy about the place? How about it Jessica, take some time in your day to share a bit of this with those shelling out the money to pay you. | ||
| jayjay Citizen Username: Jayjayp Post Number: 58 Registered: 6-2005 |
BTW, prior post were not trick questions. They should have all been answered by a feasibility study before any brick was ever laid. | ||
| Just The Aunt Supporter Username: Auntof13 Post Number: 1594 Registered: 1-2004  |
Why did they use the name sopacnow? Dumb... sopaccomingsoonNOT would have been more appropiate! Happy 4th everyone!  | ||
| peteglider Citizen Username: Peteglider Post Number: 1276 Registered: 8-2002 |
JJ -- its been posted here that Clearview will be the theatre operator -- so if you know that theatre in Montclair -- you'll have an idea of the kinds of movies that might be shown here. perhaps for next July 4th they'll do something together with the Flood's Hill celebration? But yes, the lack of a business plan, alluding to and accounting for the factors you cited is a deep concern -- deep in our pocketbooks! Wonder if you and some others in the town who understand business plans might volunteer to help SOPAC draft one? Pete | ||
| bets Supporter Username: Bets Post Number: 1988 Registered: 6-2001 |
As jayjay mentioned, SOPAC(now?) has no major corporate sponsors, unlike the Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center in West Orange (http://www.ospac.org/sponsors.htm, http://www.ospac.org/index.htm). Hopefully, South Orange will lobby for bank/business sponsorships for events (especially free - check out July 7th's free performance: Phoebe Snow!!! I personally will be praying for rain on Thursday!!). To withhold information on a business plan and budget while in the construction phases is deceitful and shady. I truly hope both are forthcoming very soon. | ||
| Pizzaz Supporter Username: Pizzaz Post Number: 2013 Registered: 11-2001  |
My first job after college was with Organon Pharmaceuticals in West Orange. Nice to see their participation. Good Link!!! | ||
| snshirsch Citizen Username: Snshirsch Post Number: 367 Registered: 1-2003 |
What happened to the cam? | ||
| Pizzaz Supporter Username: Pizzaz Post Number: 2051 Registered: 11-2001 |
It'll be rebooted for tonight's showing.  | ||
| Two Sense Citizen Username: Twosense Post Number: 324 Registered: 7-2004 |
Just in time. It looks like Organon's parent has pulled the plug on West Orange; the entire complex is available for lease. | ||
| Pizzaz Supporter Username: Pizzaz Post Number: 2052 Registered: 11-2001 |
Wow, I had no idea. Internationally a significant pharmaceutical company, I'm sorry to read about it. They're involving themselves in bio-technology activity with an investment planned for Boston. http://www.organon-usa.com/news/organon_usa_announces_intent_to_close.asp | ||
| jayjay Citizen Username: Jayjayp Post Number: 73 Registered: 6-2005 |
At last night's BOT meeting, a CBAC member requested that the trustees direct SOPAC to share financial info with them so that they could understand the financial impact on the village's budget. This seems entirely reasonable, though I wonder why this has not been forthcoming BEFORE we started to build the place. I get the feeling that no one knows how much the taxpayers are going to be hit. This goes back to the basic questions of what is the town trying to be. We heard about the River project, the bicycle path project, capital improvements to infastructure, etc. I would like to know how prioritization is going to occur and based on what criteria. | ||
| Pizzaz Supporter Username: Pizzaz Post Number: 2055 Registered: 11-2001 |
Kudos to the CBAC. Their combined presentations were direct and to the point. We want open and responsive government. We want prioritization of the capital plan and thoughtful forecasts into the future. We want to know the full cost projections related to the overhead burden to be placed on SOPAC and an estimate of the taxpayer subsidy projections for the near future. You guys and gal were terrific. Now, will our elected officials act to engage the public? BTW: And we want H. Levison assigned to the Technology Committee. | ||
| talk-it-up Citizen Username: Talkitup Post Number: 166 Registered: 3-2004 |
I have waited years for a movie theatre! I have told my children (one is now at college and these discussions started in grade school) that there WILL be a movie theatre in SO and that they will have a place to go to and "hang" in their village. (Thank goodness "The Dancing Goat" came, because there really was no place for them to gather before). A place to see a "movie" go for ice cream, a meal, whatever. A place to walk to. What is wrong with a regular everyday box office hit! I have nothing at all against the artsy-fartsy side, but what about the kids and adults that want to see a movie and there are lots of them. Most also do not like the conditions in the Maplewood Theatre. Will tax dollars be paid back to South Orange? Is this to be run for profit as all businesses should be? | ||
| Irvington Pirate Citizen Username: Irvingtonpirate Post Number: 20 Registered: 6-2005 |
I'm still sort of new to MOL so I'm not sure if this option exists or not but is there some sort of chat room option? Maybe Jessica Finkelberg would agree to a chat session with MOLers interested in the plans for SOPAC. That might be a happy medium for all concerned. It's frustrating when people won't answer concerns on a message board but I can also see the reasons why they might stay away. Damned if you do, damned if you don't! I also agree with talk-it-up about the types of movies that will be shown. The artsy stuff is fine but it that's all they show I think there will be a lot of empty seats after awhile. How many movies will be running at any given time? Maybe one of the slots could go to the artsy stuff and have the popular stuff the rest of us like in the other slots. jayjay, you mentioned a bike path project, what is that all about? You may not want to answer in this thread but if you could point me in the right direction to find the information it would be appreciated. thanks! | ||
| Howard Levison Citizen Username: Levisonh Post Number: 316 Registered: 1-2004 |
You should call or write Jessica and if she does not want to post directly you can provide comment. From <www.sopacnow.org> Jessica Alexis Finkelberg Executive Director South Orange Performing Arts Center 20 Valley Street, Suite 220 South Orange, NJ 07079 973 275 1114 Excerpt from SOPAC's "The Vision": The 34,000 sq. ft. facility is unique in that it includes: A 415-seat elegantly appointed performing arts theater bringing all genres of live music, spoken word, performance art, dance, theater, comedy, and children’s programming to our community. 5-screen Cineplex featuring art, family-friendly and independent films Community space seating up to 150 people for regional and local events, classes, corporate events and meetings, smaller theatrical productions, rehearsals and lifecycle celebrations. Your other question about Bike Path see: http://www.southorange.org/news.asp?page=1 You should also review plans for River Walk: http://www.southorange.org/communitydevelopment/rivercorridor/RiverCorridorPrese ntation6-17-04_files/frame.htm |
