The Royal Theater--A Royal Mess thanks to Kenny Gamble and Universal Properties

**londoner** · 10-19-2011, 01:33 PM

I'd love to see that theater redeveloped into something like the Electric in London. What a game changer that would be. Return it to its original purpose, but still allow for live shows, etc. as well.

**lbphilly** · 10-19-2011, 03:54 PM

The Royal interior in 2009

090611_08royal by lblanchard, on Flickr

Click through to get to Flickr and there are more.

**torts** · 06-06-2012, 08:01 AM

Charter operator gets break from School District

Kenny. The Royal. Universal. Yucky.

**torts** · 06-06-2012, 08:02 AM

"After I fix The Royal, I will fix Point Breeze. Just you watch."

**annie** · 06-06-2012, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by torts

Charter operator gets break from School District

Kenny. The Royal. Universal. Yucky.

Originally Posted by The Inky

But unlike other Renaissance providers, Universal hasn't paid a penny for $1.8 million in utilities, custodial staff, supplies, and trash pickup for the two Southwest Philadelphia schools, one of which - Audenried - is a $60 million building built with taxpayer money in 2008.

The prior administration had an oral "understanding" with Universal to waive the fees, officials have said, but there had been no written agreement.

"We inherited that situation," Knudsen said in an Inquirer interview Tuesday.

"What are we going to do, take the schools back midyear? The answer is no," Knudsen said. "We have to run this operation. You can't be constantly visiting and revisiting programs and problems. And that's what I attempted to do here. We didn't want to take the schools back. We didn't want to get into litigation."

Because everyone knows how well purely oral agreements stand up in court...

**Spicoli** · 06-06-2012, 11:44 AM

Hey...give our man Kenny a break! How else do you expect him to pay for his million dollar mansion on 15th and Webster??

Update: Wild Speculation Proves Oddly Prescient | NakedPhilly

**Litter Box** · 06-08-2012, 02:18 PM

Cut the guy some slack ! Look how green the Royal is with the weed trees.

**BarryG** · 08-22-2012, 08:31 AM

Holy Smokes The Royal Theater Is For Sale | NakedPhilly

**ArcticSplash** · 08-22-2012, 08:39 AM

Given that Kenny's home is stalled (the papers say him and the Mrs. are reconsidering the design, but the real reason is $$$), this is probably why the Royal is up for sale, and will likely sell it to OCF since Kenny needs the cash.

**BarryG** · 08-22-2012, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by ArcticSplash

Given that Kenny's home is stalled (the papers say him and the Mrs. are reconsidering the design, but the real reason is $$$), this is probably why the Royal is up for sale, and will likely sell it to OCF since Kenny needs the cash.

Can Kenny really just take the cash out of Universal to pay for his house?

**ArcticSplash** · 08-22-2012, 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by BarryG

Can Kenny really just take the cash out of Universal to pay for his house?

If you see the basement concrete pour after the deal closes... what do you think?

**petefm** · 08-22-2012, 02:43 PM

I realize I'm beating a dead horse here, but it bears repeating. It's kind of outrageous that:
City sells historic landmark to nonprofit for discounted rate.
Nonprofit sits on Historic landmark for over a decade, while not paying taxes because they're a nonprofit.
Landmark deterioriates to a point where it might not be preservable.
<conjecture>Nonprofit sells it to a developer for a handsome profit.</conjecture>

It ****ing makes me angry.

I'd also be curious to see the deed history for Gamble's properties on the 800 block of 15th. They're all $1 deeds. Not saying that there's anything there, just would be curious to see.

**Litter Box** · 08-22-2012, 02:55 PM

I may be wrong but didn't Kenny/Universal get grants to repair/restore the Royal ?

**topogigio** · 08-23-2012, 10:17 AM

PA votes billions for developers, dredging, Family Court

--$31 million (up from an original $12 million) for music producer-turned-developer Kenny Gamble (Luqman Abdul-Haqq)’s Royal Theater and Universal Commercial Complex on South Street.

**topogigio** · 08-23-2012, 10:21 AM

The Royal Theater is a prime example of demolition by neglect.

The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia bought the property in 1998 for $350,000, with the intention of serving as a temporary steward until a new owner could be found. The Alliance also obtained an easement to protect the facade of the Royal, which added a layer of protection to that portion of the already historically designated building and made it eligible for government tax credits. An easement in the deed preserves the Royal’s facade "in perpetuity."

In 2000, Gamble bought the theater and several surrounding properties for $300,000 ($160,000 for the Royal, and the remainder for 7 adjacent properties). A $250,000 federal grant to Gamble’s Universal Companies was used to stabilize the building which he said was done "immediately after purchasing the property". Yet, it would appear as if the only changes made to the structure was the painting of the murals on the facade, and even they have been neglected.

Although Gamble has stated that Universal has maintained the property at a great cost for the past 12 years, it's clear that they weren't even providing baseline maintenance leaving the structure to continue to deteriorate beyond repair.

**Jayfar** · 08-23-2012, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by topogigio

PA votes billions for developers, dredging, Family Court

--$31 million (up from an original $12 million) for music producer-turned-developer Kenny Gamble (Luqman Abdul-Haqq)’s Royal Theater and Universal Commercial Complex on South Street.

The way those grants work, he wouldn't actually get the money until the project is underway.

**BarryG** · 08-23-2012, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by topogigio

The Royal Theater is a prime example of demolition by neglect.

The Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia bought the property in 1998 for $350,000, with the intention of serving as a temporary steward until a new owner could be found. The Alliance also obtained an easement to protect the facade of the Royal, which added a layer of protection to that portion of the already historically designated building and made it eligible for government tax credits. An easement in the deed preserves the Royal’s facade "in perpetuity."

In 2000, Gamble bought the theater and several surrounding properties for $300,000 ($160,000 for the Royal, and the remainder for 7 adjacent properties). A $250,000 federal grant to Gamble’s Universal Companies was used to stabilize the building which he said was done "immediately after purchasing the property". Yet, it would appear as if the only changes made to the structure was the painting of the murals on the facade, and even they have been neglected.

Although Gamble has stated that Universal has maintained the property at a great cost for the past 12 years, it's clear that they weren't even providing baseline maintenance leaving the structure to continue to deteriorate beyond repair.

So -- grounds for a federal investigation into Universal?

**topogigio** · 08-23-2012, 11:16 AM

According to an old and now barely legible work permit posted on the front of the Royal, Universal was to repair the roof of the theater, which had been leaking for decades, replace or repair downspouts to improve drainage and, I believe, stabilize the facade by re-pointing some of the bricks.

There are "newer' downspouts and some of the bricks of the facade may have been re-pointed, all work that could have been done in 2000 or shortly thereafter using part of the $250,000 federal grant. Although, photos of the building would indicate that absolutely nothing has been done over the past decade to repair the roof, allowing weed trees to sprout from the East and West walls, both of which now look as if they're ready to collapse.

Can the facade still be saved? Overall, the building is in deplorable condition and, most likely, would have to be completely demolished.

**ArcticSplash** · 08-23-2012, 01:31 PM

Without causing this thread to derail into racism (yeah, like that won't happen)...

Does not anyone not see the irony in what are mostly white people who are critiquing Kenny and wanting to see the Royal repurposed and saved, which is a piece of African-American history, yet the building is owned by an African-American who also in the past has placed great emphasis on Black accomplishments, only to let this piece of Black history deteriorate, and he was also given free money to save it, which he clearly did not spend it on this icon?

Did Kenny not at least take a look at the Uptown Theater up on the north end of Broad Street for a little inspiration?

'tis a shame.

I hope at least Kenny has enough sense to sell it to OCF so that at least the thing won't collapse and it can be fixed up before that happens.