He’s lived there since he was 9, helping his father as a young kid to scoop out the basement’s dirt floor to deepen the theater. It doesn’t get any easier as the years go by and one advances in age. If the Otways manage to retain the building, Lorcan said the plan is for it to become a nonprofit venue that he would program, and that he and Genie would continue to be able to live there.Īn eviction from one’s longtime home is always a traumatic experience. Mark’s Theatre 80, with Kate Conway, left, and Oscar from “The Odd Couple.” (Photo by Frank Gonzalez) Kenny Toglia, center, at a costumed rally at City Hall on March 30 to save St. The Guardians are also asking people to write Governor Kathy Hochul and urge her to intervene and help save the building from being sold.
That hopefully will encourage more deep-pocketed, culture-loving “angels” to help the Otways from losing the place.Ī “Save Theatre 80” petition on, started by Kenny Toglia of the Guardians of Loisaida, had so far garnered more than 6,600 signatures as of April 6. Mark’s - was approved to accept tax-deductible donations.
In a major, last-minute boost to their cause, last week, a new nonprofit - Historic 80 St. The Foxface sandwich shop owner, left, who is also renting a residential apartment in the building, and another residential tenant have been allowed to stay but are on month-to-month leases and could potentially be evicted at a future date. The Otways were told they had to be out of the place by noon. The Otways - who still own the building - are desperately trying to raise the needed cash by the deadline.
An auction of the property is slated for May 5. So far, they have commitments to cover more than half of the debt, but still need several more million dollars. They still have two weeks left to raise more funds to pay off their full $12 million debt owed to a lender, Maverick Real Estate Partners. Nevertheless, they continue to fight on to try to keep the remarkable building and the unique and authentic cultural, community and activist space that they created there. It wasn’t clear if they’ll ever be allowed back inside the place again. BY LINCOLN ANDERSON | Updated April 10, 12:01 a.m.: Lorcan and Genie Otway left St.
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