Update:
When I wrote this I didn’t know who the players were, but this article is a pretty good primer on who gets the props : Lee Mikles & Patrick Callahan of the Archer Group, Christian Winburn & Don Meginley of Preservation Initiatives, The Queen Theater’s Hal Real, Developer Rob Buccini, Investor Mike Schwartz, The New Wilmington Art Association’s Michael Kalmbach, Developer David Holden, The Wilmington City Council and Mayor’s Office.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Amtrak, DCCA, 2nd & LOMA, Del Tech, DSU, Light Up the Queen Theater, LOMA Design District, World Cafe Live, DCAD, Coffee, Hipsters, Tapas Bars, people on the sidewalk after 5:00? OMG, this is Wilmington?
I don’t know who the players are, so I don’t know who to send the props out to, but there is some alchemy at work in WIlmington and there is no doubt that the entire state will benefit.
Based on the vibe (and economic impact) of last night’s “Ignite Wilmington” event, it is easy to see that the rebranding of Market Street below the Grand is taking. The “roll up the sidewalks at 5:00” sensibility has been trampled by a “if you build it cool, they will come” ethic. The interior design of the Queen theater was perhaps the most startling sign of that new sensibility.
It is not a reproduction of a great theater, but a re-imagining of what a great modern performance space can be inside of an old beaten up performance space. Where you would expect to see rebuilt plaster crown moldings and an attempt at gold leaf, there are layers of paint exposed like the growth rings of a tree. Frankly, the effect is initially a little bit Mad Max-y. It is a theater to view a civilization rising from the ashes of some unknown apocalypse. But turn around and you are facing a bar with a friendly and attentive wait staff. Amazing.
If this all seems hyperbolic, check it out for yourself. It is a treat and just another thing to like about living in Delaware.