Marblehead building to preserve movie theater facade

MARBLEHEAD – The Warwick Theater will be there in spirit when the Warwick Place Realty Trust puts up its new three-story commercial and office structure on the theater block – but according to plans unveiled at Tuesday?s Planning Board meeting, that?s as far as it goes.Attorney Paul Lynch and architect Ken Kao said the Warwick façade and marquee will be preserved and there will be a walkway along the side of the present theater space, decorated with movie posters and movie stills as a salute to the historic business that attracted generations of Marbleheaders from 1919-1999. Business tenants may also pick up on the movie theme for their décor.As for an actual movie theater, however, there was no mention.Asked before the meeting about the theater, Lynch said this is “a whole new building” and there are no specific businesses proposed yet. Kao said a previous owner of the property was interested in bringing back the movie theater but found no interest. “The economy has changed,” he said.Lynch said the new 35-foot structure will contain 38,000 square feet of space, with a restaurant on the first floor, some smaller commercial spaces alongside it and offices upstairs. The new six-lot property, 117-129 Pleasant St., starts near Anderson Street and ends at the Spirit of ?76 Bookstore building. The owner will provide an 84-space parking lot at the rear of the structure.Tao said the new, larger building would “revitalize this part of town” and the owners were doing their best to match the brick exterior of the Spirit of ?76.The developer also promised to provide a fire hydrant, adequate drainage, a small park at the bus stop and a new full-service traffic light instead of the blinking light at the nearby corner.A traffic report indicated heavy use at the parking lot driveway but no indication that the new building would increase traffic. Lynch said the improved traffic light would make that intersection, which has a higher than average accident rate, “better and safer.”