Bal Theatre's Closest Neighbor is its Biggest Foe

After an outpouring of community support for the Bal Theatre, owner Dan Dillman and city officials are one step closer to reaching an agreement on live shows.

On Tuesday, Dillman agreed to go through the formal process to allow for live entertainment at the theater, and Community Development Director Luke Sims said the process would be speedy and inexpensive.

But the Bal has one neighbor who is not happy.

While Patch readers have shown overwhelming support for the theater in comments on the site, the theater's closest neighbor would rather it close down all together.

The owners of the property next door to the Bal, Jeff and Dolores “Dee” Kerry, have told the city they don't want live events at the theater.

The Kerrys, who are longtime San Leandro residents and run Kerry & Associates Realty, have owned their property next to the Bal since the mid-1970s. One storefront is currently occupied by a shoe store but the other, at 14800 E. 14th Street, is empty and has been since Dillman bought the theater.

It's the same property where the Kerrys donated space to now-Mayor Stephen Cassidy last October to be used as headquarters during the final month of his campaign.

Through their business, the Kerrys also gave an additional $1,200 to Cassidy's campaign. (Dillman donated $100 to Cassidy.)

The Kerrys spoke in opposition to Dillman's plans for the Bal during the original public hearing for his use permit in 2009. In the past they have argued for the theater’s demolition, which Dee Kerry said they still stand by, mainly because it has no dedicated parking lot.

"It's a big, old, ugly cement building," she said. "Without parking it has no use."

Kerry said they have never had a good relationship with Dillman and have even launched a lawsuit against him, which is ongoing.

She declined to discuss specifics, saying only that Dillman "has never been a decent neighbor."

Kerry said she was upset about a recent New Year’s Eve performance because she doesn’t support such entertainment, which she likened to "raves." She said she thinks Bal patrons shouldn’t park in the surrounding neighborhood because it is disruptive to residents.

Kerry also said she and her husband picked up garbage left from the event.

After learning that the city would let Dillman go ahead with his Friday night Valentine's Day concert and comedy show, Kerry said she was disappointed the city had “caved in.”

“I don’t understand how they could allow that,” Kerry said. “I don’t want that kind of element there."

Dillman said Kerry’s allegations about problems stemming from the New Year’s Eve show were false.

During the performance, he said, he and his teenage children, along with hired security officers, walked the surrounding neighborhood to ensure no one attempted to break into parked cars. He said his family stayed after the show to clean up any litter.

“There was not a single thing left at all,” he said.

Sims said that following the New Year’s Eve event, the city did receive a number of phone calls from residents. But he said not all were outright complaints—some people were just curious about what event had taken place that night.

Dillman said he's open to hearing any concerns people have about the theater, but has not yet heard complaints directly from residents.

He called the lawsuit filed against him by the Kerrys "ridiculous."

In the suit, he said, the Kerrys argue that Dillman is stopping them from renting out their property, among other things.

Dillman said it's the opposite—he wants to see business thrive next door but has heard from prospective buyers that they inquire about leasing the space and then never receive a call back from the owners.

Dillman said the Kerrys have also accused him of false imprisonment stemming from an incident in which, he alleges, he called the police on Dee Kerry after she repeatedly hit him in the head with a metal object.

The Show Will Go On

In the battle of the Valentine's Day show, at least, it seems Dillman has won.

Dillman said he has already sold hundred of tickets for tonight's show—featuring the bands Tony! Toni! Toné! and Pop Lyfe and comedian Kirk McHenry—and expects the event to sell out like the New Year’s Eve comedy show.

At least one local political and business leader said she'd be at the Valentine's Day show.

Corina Lopez, who ran for City Council last year and co-chairs the Latino Business Council, said she planned to attend the performance to show her support for the theater.

Lopez said she's a frequent patron of the Bal and thinks the theater adds value to the community, giving life to East 14th Street and providing residents with entertainment options.

She called Tuesday's meeting between Dillman and Sims “a good, positive step in the right direction.”

“I hope the city of San Leandro will continue to be supportive of small business by allowing the Bal to hold live performances in perpetuity,” she said.

Dillman, who submitted his application to host live shows on Wednesday morning, was pleased with the tentative agreement with Sims. Dillman said he's appreciative of the city’s cooperation and the amount of support he has received from local residents.

“It has given us strength,” he said.

The city will likely determine a cap on the number of live events Dillman can hold per month, according to Sims. The modification will go to the Board of Zoning Adjustments for approval, and the hearing date will be announced soon, he said.

The public meeting will allow residents to openly express their support or air any concerns, Sims added.

“This will proceed smoothly and we will find an appropriate balance that will allow Dillman to succeed,” Sims said. “The theater has proven itself successful as a live entertainment venue, so this is a mechanism to do that more formally.”

Dillman said he wants to help, not harm, the community—positively influencing home values and fostering cultural diversity.

"We hope that we are going to be a major reason for the transformation of south San Leandro," he said.

As for the Kerrys, Dillman said he hopes the fighting can stop and they can together focus on making the area thrive.

“We don’t want any problems with our neighbors. These buildings were designed to work together.”