Can we save the Muppet Townhouse?

[froggiegirl18]

I just sent an e-mail to the company..I know they are in need of money but put a price on the cost of a dream. Can not be done. Something needs to be done and I believe that we could save it and save the dreams of future fans. Call me a dreamer but Henson had a dream too and look how far it has gone and is still going. I believe that one person can change the course of history.As for fans uniting to get something done look what the fans of farscape did..because of their efforts there is a new season and don't tell me that that does not take money to make. Each person can make a difference.

-Sandee

 

[Phillip]

Each person can indeed make a difference, but there are probably more worthy things we can do than to save a building. It's one thing if EM.TV was making this decision, but if the Henson family feels that it needs to be sold, then it's their decision to sell it. As everyone has said, if this is upsetting for us, how upseting must it be for them. They wouldn't be making this decision unless IT HAD TO BE MADE.

These changes are nothing compared to what would happen if Disney, Viacom, or Dean Valentine owned the Muppets right now. For better or worse, the future of JHC is in the hands of Jim's family, the people who knew him best. And that's good enough for me. In my personal opinion, there is a time to make our voices heard and this isn't one of them. They feel even worse than we do about this.

 

[frogboy4]

Jamie, I always thought it was pretty large. How big is the townhouse exactly?

I'm not sure how big it is. Just heard it was too small for tours and too big for the staff.

 

[Luke]

Not saying we should campaign to save it but (and maybe JHC are looking into this) possibly they could get it protected as a historical landmark so that at least the new owners can't pull the place down or anything. I know the Chaplin lot has that kinda protection and they do it on loads of places over here.

 

[Mark Filton]

Well, some say it is a loss of opportunity=money. Sure, then why not sell off the rights to all the old movies too, and all the old charcter names, and everything and start all over again, and put "the spin" on it to say that "This is a NEW BEGINNING!"

That would be crazy

As for the decision has to be made, well that could be correct and I could be wrong of course but unless we see the books we can only guess, and me included.

The Hensons have millions and millions and millions and millions of dollars. They got a chunk of a BILLION to sell, and then they bought it BACK for a lot less.

If the company was down to the last pennies then of course sell it. But 20 million will not make them or break them, therefore by my opinion they are making a really unecessary decision that they cannot go back on.

Sure, they lived with our favorite Jim Henson, and they personally have his personal love and can live without the building, but as long as they are not down to their last 20 million then they are making a decision way too fast that they don't have to and not thinking of the future.

They could hold it for the equity and mortage it a few times to make some movies. I would keep it. The Hensons will always live in luxury, and can always afford to keep it. Maybe not make a nice museum, but keep it anyway.

Why sell so fast

It's like Farscape. You can always change your mind, like people do, but if you sell this special building and all it stands for it is wrong.

IRONY of last years Muppet Christmas show to SAVE the building!!!!

 

[Buck-Beaver]

It is crazy to sell that building. They can empty it and still keep it for what would be coffee money for you and me.

LOL, coffee money? Have you lived in Manhatten??

Seriously though, I think Jamie addressed a lot of this, but I'm reminded of a point that Jane Henson and few other Henson people made in New York a few months ago...fans often ask "why doesn't Henson do this?" or "why doesn't the JHC do that?" but fail to understand how difficult (and expensive) it is to do these things.

I'm sure the JHC looked at lots of options for the Townhouse. Companies don't make these decisions recklessly (usually). But it can see how they don't need or want huge New York office. Or a London office for that matter. The company is based in LA now. The entertainment world is based in LA. It all makes sense.

The Henson family also assumed millions in debt (I can't remember the exact figure) when they bought back the company so they have to not only worry about millions in expenses each month to run the business, they also have to pay off all the debt left over from the EMtv era. This ain't a cheap company to run.

The Jim Henson Company was originally set-up to serve the creative interests of Jim Henson. The business wasn't really designed to be a business, but to allow him to do what he wanted to do as an artist. Wherever Jim was working on projects (New York, London, Toronto) they set-up offices. The Muppets moved to New York originally for business reasons anyway - it was the advertising and television capital of the US at the time.

With Jim gone for over a decade now and production centralized in LA (like most of the US entertainment industry) it's been transformed from a vechicle for one artist's imagination in to a true entertainment company. A beloved company for sure, but still a company.

They have to run it like a business, otherwise there would be no more Muppets.

 

[Mark Filton]

To everybody at once

I'm not saying that the Henson company is fantasyland. Business is business, you are all correct.

Yes, the HEnson business has to support itself, and the Henson kids shouldn't be expected to bleed all their money to a losing business or "money pit."

As for their personal fortunes, NONE of us know what we are talking about There are no "facts" for anybody.

How much for property taxes in NYC for that building for a year? Remember, we are just talking taxes, not rent. A few thousand bucks? Close the building, sure, but there is no need to sell it. The HEnson family is not down to their last 20 million. No way.

If they were selling office supplies, then who cares???

That building is very special and Jim Henson MADE it EXTRA special

Doesn't that seem terrible to sell? Sell only if you have no other way.

Come on guys, when you are millionaires, you can live off the interest forever. The building will not cost money unless it falls down, so skim a little off the interest of multi-millions and keep the special building for a few thousand a year. How can they sell it? It's crazy and sad

I understand that sometimes you have to give things up, but the Hensons are easily rich enough to keep this, and that is why I say it is a big mistake and not in character of all the sweet sentimental Muppet tradition. I think the HEnson family is emotionally sick and tired and angry and that is why they are making a mistake they will be sad about down the line

 

[Gusworld]

How much for property taxes in NYC for that building for a year? Remember, we are just talking taxes, not rent. A few thousand bucks? Close the building, sure, but there is no need to sell it.

Assuming this was feasible, the costs would include:
* property taxes
* maintenance (even a building with no-one in it needs regular checks)
* security (I find it hard to believe a building could be left unoccupied in New York for months on end without attracting squatters)
* accounting implications (the aforementioned opportunity costs, plus the oddity on a balance sheet of maintaining a property which you have no intention of using)

I just can't see the business logic in keeping the building open. Nor can I see the fan logic. Would we really be any happier if the building was boarded up and slowly decaying?

One option would have been to rent the site to someone rather than sell it -- but that would only make sense if JHC thought they might move back in at some point. One can only assume they've decided that's not likely to happen. (And even if they did rent it, they'd have to move out the murals and other fittings, so there wouldn't be much left.)

The last memorial for JHC has always been the work that it produces. Getting too hung up on physical locations is not going to make any of us happy.

Cheers
Gus

 

[froggiegirl18]

Hey I was the one to start this discussion and after about a month thinking about the loss I have come to this conclusion. Right now the company is in the hands of where it should be. Passed down to the family who has put everything they have in the company. We now have to be their support and trust their decisions. Even the it ruins many dreams of ever visiting they had to make the decision obviously or it would not be for sell as mentioned earlier in other replies. If you are one that is disappointed about a dream to either be on the team and visiting the company. Do not give it up..keep going for it!!You can catch dreams if you reach high enough!Just some encouragement..I was pretty bummed for a while and thought maybe something could be done to save it but I was only looking out for my own selfish dreams not thinking about why they were selling. Still not exactly sure but I have made up my mind to trust their judgement. Jim placed many things into their hands being on his team if he trusted each one with a job then shouldn't we do the same?Everyone take care and have a great new year!