LAKEWOOD — The Strand Theater is battling an intangible opponent: an old image of an depressed downtown that keeps people away and ticket sales low. The Lakewood of yesteryear haunts the historic theater.
As theater officials work to draw more attractions and more attention to the historic site, including a new marquis, the congestion and reputation of the township continues to hold it back.
Ben Heineman has operated a business in downtown Lakewood for 24 years and witnessed the township?s darkest days.
?At one time, it was scary,? said Heineman, owner of BP Graphics, located on Fourth Street, behind the Strand Theater.
But township officials became involved, finding ways to improve the downtown district surrounding the theater.
The township invested millions of dollars to make free and accessible parking to the area, upgraded sidewalks and lighting and changed zoning laws to improve the quality of businesses in the area. Officials also resolved other downtown stigmas, such as creating a meeting place where day laborers can connect with employers, moving them away from the heart of the downtown.
The downtown revitalization is part of the township?s Smart Growth Plan, with major improvements to increase commerce and accommodate pedestrian traffic and accessibility to the area. The township is experiencing a growth explosion and now is the fifth largest municipality in the state with a population of about 110,000, said Police Chief Robert C. Lawson.
?When I came here, half the store fronts were vacant,? Heineman said. ?Now, I don?t think you can find a vacant store front. There is no question that the downtown has changed. The township and police department kept an eye on it and really worked hard to clean it up.?
Raymond Coles, a longtime township committeeman, said the downtown suffered through two decades battling crime and empty storefronts. But those days are over.
?Lakewood of today is a far cry from 15 to 20 years ago,? said Coles, a member of the Strand?s board of directors. ?A true renaissance (has) brought people from all over the world to that little area.?
The Urban Enterprise Zone, the township?s economic booster program of business tax breaks and services, funds six extra police officers, four during the day and two at night, specifically to check on businesses in the downtown, Lawson said. Police are assigned during shows and there are crossing guards on duty.
?Downtown is a safe place to go,? Lawson said, adding the crime rate in the downtown area is virtually nonexistent.
However, the township-owned Strand, built in 1922 and renovated in the early 1990s, still suffers from Lakewood?s past. The not-for-profit theater is rarely filled to capacity and relies on money from patronage, donations, grants and volunteers to stay afloat.
Coles said the improved parking and security in the downtown area now makes it easier to go to the Strand than other theaters, such as Count Basie Theater in Red Bank. But the Strand still has not reached its potential, he said.
The Red Bank theater was built in the same decade as the Strand. Undergoing changes in ownership, expansion and a rigorous downtown revitalization campaign, County Basie Theater is more successful than the Strand, attracting bigger artists searching for a hometown venue.
Some people in Lakewood conclude more investment in the downtown is needed or the Strand Theater will always play second fiddle to Count Basie Theater and New Brunswick?s State Theater.
David J. Cruse, the Strand?s general manager, said he used to work in New York City. His father thought he was trading down when he took the job at the Strand.
?He was disappointed because it was Lakewood,? Cruse said. ?Then he came here and now he?s a fan.?
Margaret F. Bonafide; Mbonafide@njpressmedia.com; 732-984-0417
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