The Franklin Square Theater Project – FAQs

Are Franklin Square Forward and The Franklin Theater Project the same group?
No. Franklin Square Forward is an ad hoc committee of community members. Its purpose is to research ways to encourage and foster revitalization in downtown Franklin Square. It is open to any Franklin Square individual resident and any Franklin Square organization that would like to send representation. The Franklin Theater Project is a group of people, led by Darren Boerckel, working on securing funding to purchase, restore, and re-open The Franklin Theater as a mixed use, entertainment and arts space.

Who is the Franklin Theater Project?
The Franklin Theater Project was started by a local named Darren Boerckel. Darren is a third generation Franklin Square resident. His family has lived in town since 1934, when his grandfather opened a local fencing business. He is the owner of the Outrlimits Art Studio on Franklin Avenue, which opened in 1989. Together with friends and community members, he is working to establish two non-profit entities to facilitate the reopening of the Franklin Theater. A 501c2 foundation will be established to own the theater, and a 501c3 will be established to rehabilitate and operate the theater.

Who would own The Franklin Theater?
At no point would Darren be the owner of the theater property. The Franklin Theater would be owned by a 501c2, the application for which is in progress.

What is the GoFundMe for?
The current deed holder and mortgage lender have offered Darren a good-faith agreement before they proceed to foreclosure. They have allowed him until April 30, 2025 to secure funding for a down payment to purchase the building. Darren is currently hard at work seeking a second investor for this purpose. The GoFundMe is to gauge and demonstrate the interest of the community and to fund the future operating non-profit’s renovation efforts. Renovations would happen with these funds, as well as those gathered from other fundraising efforts. Should there be extreme interest from the community demonstrated by the GoFundMe, the mortgage lender has agreed to give Darren an extension after the April 30 th date to continue to
look for investors.

Where are the funds now?
The funds stay in the GoFundMe account (where we can watch them grow).

What happens if no second investor is found?
Should no second investor be found for purchasing the theater or should the amount of the GoFundMe make it apparent that there is not adequate interest within the community, after April 30, 2025 the funds will be returned directly to those that donated, less three cents on each dollar (this is the amount that GoFundMe keeps for facilitation unfortunately.)

What happens if the property goes into foreclosure?
It is possible that the property might be auctioned. At this point, there is no available cash to use to make a bid on the property if it goes to auction. The second possibility is that the theater will remain unoccupied and deteriorate, more than likely resulting in “demolition-by-neglect”. In that circumstance, the current owner could abandon it and wait until the building is condemned and then they could knock it down. This would be a blight on our community for years.

If its owned and operated by a non-profit, doesn’t that take the property off the tax roll?
Even if the tax contribution of the property is reduced, for example through historic property tax credits, it’s important to remember the other ways in which a revitalized Franklin Theater would bring revenue into the town. Having a destination space in our downtown creates foot traffic and attention for other businesses in the area. Having a revitalized downtown increases property values for all.

What about parking?
If you’ve ever visited Huntington for a show or Rockville Center for dinner, we encourage you to think about where you must park there. The situation for The Franklin would be no different. There are currently three town parking lots that would serve its patrons, all within a just a block’s walk.

Are there not grants for this sort of thing?
Yes and no. Funding sources do exist for rehabilitating historic buildings, but there are no grants that would fund the outright purchase and full renovation of a property like The Franklin. More options would possibly be available after the space was owned by a non-profit, and when the business is up and running.

Don’t you think this is moving a bit fast? Was the GoFundMe putting the cart before the horse?
A bit. But Darren’s idea is to create a space for community. Even though the property would be owned by the non-profit (managed by a board), he is continuously open to and seeking input from residents to help grow and solidify its vision. He wants it to be a second home for Franklin Square – a ‘third space’ for all. He’s also currently seeking additional potential board members and has a business plan which will be presented at the March 20, 2025 Franklin Square Forward meeting at the Plattdeutsch at 7PM. Without the ability to buy it outright and not wanting to lose the property to another buyer, or to demolition by neglect, Darren sought to secure a deal with the current mortgage lender by demonstrating that there is strong community interest and support, and many people are committed to making it happen. The GoFundMe is serving as the tangible, visible way the community demonstrates its interest in the project to both the mortgage lender and potential investors. But in the end, if the project doesn’t come to fruition, the funds are returned to those who donated.