But this is Chico, too

A group of citizens looks upon the fact that the El Rey Theatre is up for sale as a chance to "save" it.

I applaud such optimism, but I wonder if a community-based organization will be able to raise enough money to buy and restore the century-old theater. Do we really care that much about it? Wouldn't it be easier to wait and see if another developer comes along and propose to do something with it?

In a way, we've already used our wallets to express our feelings about the El Rey. Not enough of us patronized the movie theater — fairy murals and all — to keep it from closing. What makes us think a retooled version of it will draw enough people to enable it pay for itself?

I find myself wondering if the best opportunity to save the building has already slipped away. Eric Hart's and Tom van Overbeek's purchase of the building in 2005 made me believe it had a future. I was disappointed by their plans to replace the theater with stores and offices, but I was pleased they were going to retain the building's brick exterior, reinforce it with steel and restore the facade to its 1905 appearance.

I have accepted the idea that in order to save old buildings, the owners often have to put them to new uses. A recent example is the Oser's building. The days of downtown department stores are long gone, so turning the building into a mini-mall makes sense.

But apparently Hart and van Owenbeek have decided they won't be able to accomplish their goals. So now the El Rey has become yet another old, empty, deteriorating downtown building.

Its condition could reach a point where no amount of money is going to be able to save it. If the community is serious about doing something with it, now is the time to act.