Baseball Foundation Planning Art Cinema Theater to Replace United Way Building

MIDLAND, Mich. — During a Midland Business Alliance MYPros Luncheon today at the Holiday Inn, Michigan Baseball Foundation Director of Communications & Programs Michelle Pilaske spoke about the foundation’s upcoming plans for the Strosacker Center on Main St.

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The topic of the luncheon was “What’s Happening in 2020?” and it included a panel of public and private sector officials with various major projects slated for 2020 in Midland.

“Our final big project that’s happening is what I’m calling the theater/cinema development,” Ms. Pilaske told the crowd. “December of last year, Michigan Baseball Foundation purchased the former United Way building — the Strosacker Center, and we are pursuing the opportunity to turn that into an art cinema theater.”

The United Way of Midland County relocated to 115 Jerome Street — the old Arbury Insurance building — in the summer of 2018.

“So, this is not gonna be your NCG multiplex. We’re looking at potentially a three-theater concept. This theater would seat about 120 people,” Ms. Pilaske said. “The concept is, in addition to limited mainstream movies, we’ll be bringing in some entertainment options that we can’t get locally. So, independent films, Oscar nominated films that just don’t ever hit close to home, here.”

Plans for the theater include a Mid-century modern building and façade.

“From a construction standpoint, we’d be looking at something Mid-century modern — it’s what we do downtown. We’re pursuing all of those options at this point and time,” Ms. Pilaske said.

Ms. Pilaske showed off conceptual renderings to the crowd during her speech, but she stopped short of providing those renderings to the City Paper. She also declined to be interviewed about the plans.

“We’re not ready to release those to the public yet.” Ms. Pilaske told the City Paper. “I’m not authorized to speak about the project, we’re still very much in the conceptual phase and the planning.”

Ms. Pilaske also indicated that the foundation has other plans for the area around the existing Strosacker Center as well.

“Other concepts for the space, the entire block space – a culinary school, potentially, and then also maybe some sort of film studies program,” she said.

Michael Westendorf

Michael Westendorf is the chairman and executive editor of Chemical City Paper. As Executive Editor, he leads the City Paper’s news coverage and editorial team.