EVANSTON - Urban renewal officials are unsure about the fate of the fire-ravaged Strand Theater in downtown Evanston after a preliminary deal to buy the historic building fell through, according to agency officials.

The sale of the Strand Theater that was damaged in a fire last spring to Evanston's Urban Renewal Agency is off, but agency officials still hope the old theater can rise from the ashes and become a vital part of the downtown area again.

"We made an offer (to the owners), but it was contingent upon several items, one of them being (the acquisition) of a clear title to the property," said agency coordinator Jane Law.

"They were unable to get the clear title at the time we had specified to close … and so that offer has been taken off the table," she said.

The Strand Theater on Main Street was the victim of a May 7 fire which destroyed much of the 90-year old structure. Luckily, no one was injured in the early-morning fire, which took about three hours to extinguish.

The Strand opened in 1918. The opening forced the closure of the city's old Opera House, which was constructed in 1885, according to city historical records. The opera house was later converted into a garage that still graces Evanston's Front Street.

The Strand theater showed silent films in the 1920s and 30s before talkies came along. The Strand was also used for live performances over the years and most recently served as a discount theater with $1 films.

The roof collapsed during the fire, but the walls remain standing. The historic Strand Theater marquee was saved as well.

Law said the Urban Renewal Agency approached the theater owners Kim and Kendra West last fall and made an offer to buy the property and building, with an eye toward converting the historic structure into a performing arts center.

The agency has a history of successful preservation and rehabilitation projects, including its latest effort - the ongoing restoration of Evanston's historic railroad roundhouse located near downtown.

"We have a board that's real dedicated and still interested in doing something with the Strand … getting it cleaned up and stabilized and things like that," Law said.

"We have actually gone back to the owners and offered to take the liability, because we feel the Strand is a liability now, and offered to take that off their hands should they choose to donate it to us," she said.

Southwest Wyoming Bureau reporter Jeff Gearino can be reached at 307-875-5359 or at gearinotribcsp.com.