The
Modjeska Theater, the elegant but aging architectural grand dame of Milwaukee’s Historic Mitchell Street, has stood empty since 2010. Now the theater, built in 1924, could finally get a new life.
Local real estate investor
Justin Smith is moving ahead on plans to convert the theater into an arena for online gaming competitions.
The Modjeska Arena and Gaming Institute could help turn Milwaukee into a hub for the rapidly growing esports industry, Smith says, and redevelopment of the long-vacant property could help Mitchell Street become the destination it once was, local officials say.
Built as a vaudeville and movie palace, the theater at 1134 W. Historic Mitchell St. was named after Helena Modjeska, a renowned Polish actress. In the '40s, the theater showed Polish films to cater to the large Polish community on Milwaukee's south side.
In 1991, the theater was renovated and housed a successful youth theater company, which attracted hundreds of students, but in 2010, the youth theater company folded and the theater has since been empty.
Last week, Smith received approval from the Milwaukee Board of Zoning Appeals to occupy the building and, with support from the local alderman and business improvement district, is expecting to begin construction work in May. Smith is a first-time developer who owns residential properties in the Milwaukee area.
The plan is to refurbish the theater’s exterior, which is designated as a historic property by the city, while outfitting the interior for a variety of modern events.
Inside, the floor will be leveled to make the space multifunctional. Esports features online gamers competing in front of spectators, and Smith wants the arena to be able to hold large-scale events, where a room full of spectators face the same direction, or smaller events, where there could be multiple tables set up around the space.
Smith is working through concepts for concession stands and a sports bar. There’s also work that needs to be done on the technology side with audio-visual equipment and internet connections, Smith said.
In some ways, the arena will still function like a movie theater, where patrons could purchase a ticket and watch the competition.
“We’re really not doing anything new,” Smith said.
[caption id="attachment_583476" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]
The Modjeska Theater building at 1134 W. Historic Mitchell St.[/caption]
Esports industry grows
Esports has grown to a multi-billion-dollar industry globally, reports show, and has also been growing in popularity locally. In Wisconsin, there are nearly 200 high school teams, according to the Wisconsin High School Esports Association, and more than 40 collegiate teams, according to the Milwaukee Esports Alliance.
The Milwaukee Bucks esports team, Milwaukee’s professional team, won the 2022 NBA 2K League championship — which included a $500,000 cash prize.
“Things are kind of changing on the macro as far as esports permeating into the colleges and high schools and becoming a full-fledged industry,” Smith said. “Now we’re at a point where even in Milwaukee, we’re starting to see some serious esports developments.”
Smith said that he’s aware of a few other local esports arena projects that are in the works.
“I think a lot of people are kind of converging onto Milwaukee right now as an esports hub,” he said. “Rising tides raise all boats here. The more brick and mortar spaces we have, the more physical representations of the industry we have, the better.”
While there’s local demand for esports arenas, Smith also highlighted the livestreaming component of competitive gaming that can add additional revenue.
Smith said he takes seriously the importance of the Modjeska to Historic Mitchell Street and the surrounding neighborhood and plans for the space to also host local events.
“My personal goal is to get us to esports 365 days a year, but it’s gonna take time to get there,” Smith said. “We always want to serve the community, we’re thinking of using the space for graduations, live music, quinceañeras. It’s really a cultural center, too.”
Creating an anchor on Mitchell Street
The Modjeska's owner, the nonprofit
Mitchell Street Development Opportunities Corp., has been trying for several years to find a buyer for the building.
Mitchell Street DOC board member
John Kesselman said the esports arena would be a strong anchor for the Mitchell Street Business Improvement District's western end, drawing thousands of people.
“At one time Mitchell Street had nine department stores and eight theaters,” Kesselman said. “So it’s a very different street today and the whole idea has been to bring anchors back.”
“You have to have a draw,” Kesselman, a commercial real estate broker, added. “What is giving your street life?”
With a reimagined Modjeska as the west anchor, Kesselman pointed to a 2015 development at 906 W. Historic Mitchell St. that brought 33 apartment units atop a Milwaukee Public Library branch as a middle anchor, and existing educational and religious institutions as a possible east anchor.
Smith said the arena would provide a needed alternative form of locally-owned nightlife other than a bar or nightclub.
“We are trying to create an alternative form of entertainment that is something I think is desperately needed on a social level, but also think it’s heavily in demand,” Smith said. “I think the area needs something that is going to reach the young people, which esports does like no other form of entertainment."
