Showtime Cinema downgrade adds to frustration over lack of implementing Civic Center vision
On Wednesday, Marcus Theatres made an announcement regarding Franklin's hometown theater. Showtime Cinema, which has been a hidden gem in the area since its opening as an independent theater a little over a decade ago, will be making a move downward in the Marcus world - replacing the now shuttered Value Cinema in Oak Creek as the spot for folks to catch movies after they've had their first runs through theaters. Perhaps it comes as no surprise to some, given that Marcus will make the transition of Showtime to the value format on the same day it opens its brand new BistroPlex theater, with two SuperScreens, at Southridge Mall in Greendale. But ultimately, its a blow for Franklin and adds yet another nail to the coffin of the concept of a Civic Center District for the community that was conceived in the late 90s and early 2000s.
For Franklin, it seems the past was brighter than its future, where leaders had more openness and flexibility to put forward some bold visions for key commercial areas. Earlier this week, FT pointed out how one of these - the 27th Street Corridor, vastly changed from a vision of being similar to the Milwaukee County Research Park and County Grounds in Wauwatosa to being similar to what people see when driving down any other typical major thoroughfare. So, too, has Franklin's grand plans for a Civic Center District lose the love and appreciation of some politicians, and the conceived district has only turned out a Target, 2 struggling food stores (Sendik's Fine Foods closed, and the replacement - Pick n Save - is hitting the rumormill of being shuttered by new corporate owner Kroger as they shuffle around their market share in Milwaukee) with two strip mall-like buildings in the outlots.
The Civic Center District is something that could have put Franklin on the map many years back, but stalled time and again for several reasons, from landowners within the conceived District to lack of political will or motivation to truly push anything forward. The District runs along Hwy 100 from Drexel to the north to Puetz to the south, and goes eastward to incorporate the library, City Hall, post office and the many senior apartment complexes along Loomis. The District's major intersection is the Hwy 100 & Loomis intersection, which ultimately included the lands SW of the intersection where Showtime and Innovative Health & Fitness are located.
Due to the amount of open land available, the District could have seen tons of new development and could have been the City of Franklin's bold answer to what other suburbs are currently doing throughout the metropolitan area. With the right mindset and willing partners, the city could have moved forward with a grander vision than what's currently being built elsewhere. However, for fears of spending too much money or, without lack of better words, fears of the unknown, the city stood idly by for tens of years and left the lands comprising of the District to deteriorate as time passed by.
Perhaps this serves as a wake-up call to some politicians to get their butts off the ground and be a little more active versus passive in working towards a renewed vision for the District. Residents can only hope for better days ahead, but reality needs to settle in that we have to question how our leaders, beginning with the Mayor's office, have been handling Franklin's growth and vision (or lack thereof) over these many years.