By: Brian Wells | Roseville-Eastpointe Eastsider | Published May 15, 2026
ROSEVILLE — A state representative has started pushing for funding to revive what many Roseville residents consider to be a local landmark.
State Rep. Mai Xiong, D-Warren, is seeking nearly $2.7 million in state funding to support the redevelopment of the Roseville Theatre.
Xiong testified May 13 before the Michigan House Labor and Economic Opportunity Committee in support of a $2,692,616 budget request for the project as part of the state’s 2026-27 fiscal year budget.
In a statement issued following her testimony, Xiong said the funding would help renovate the nearly 100-year-old theater and bring the building back up to code.
“Since opening its doors in 1927, the Roseville Theatre has held a special place in our community,” she said. “Sadly, the building has been closed since 2024 and is currently uninhabitable.”
The theater, located on Gratiot Avenue at the Utica Road intersection, suffered major damage in a fire in 2024 that forced its closure while it was being operated as a church.
At the time, Ross Collette, the pastor of the church, detailed the extent of the damage in a social media post, saying portions of the structure were heavily impacted by smoke, water and structural concerns.
Additionally, Colette said he lost 60 years’ worth of ministry items, including texts, sermons, songs and a Bible he got when he was 13.
“The Bible I had when I was 13 years old, when I first preached, was right there with all of my notes written on the pages,” he said in the video, posted March 26, 2024. “But it’s gone forever now.”
The building was also home to a barbershop and two other businesses.
In a video posted on Xiong’s Facebook of her address to the Michigan House Labor and Economic Opportunity Committee, Roseville City Manager Ryan Monroe said the building had been purchased by the city.
“Through a series of unfortunate events, the city was able to purchase it with the expectation of making it the cornerstone, or the spark, to get our Downtown Development Authority going,” he said.
The building is located across the Gratiot Avenue intersection from the former Catholic Community of Sacred Heart church, which is the site of a controversial Sheetz gas station and convenience store development.
Xiong said restoring the theater could help spur additional investment in the area while preserving a gathering space for residents.
“At the heart of this request is a commitment to bringing our residents’ tax dollars back home to invest in Roseville’s future,” she said in a prepared statement. “Revitalizing the Roseville Theatre has the potential to spark economic growth, strengthen our downtown and preserve a beloved community gathering space for generations to come.”
In the video Xiong posted, she said potential plans might involve turning the building into a mixed-use development with housing.
“Some of the plans that the city has are to turn it into a mixed-use development area, possibly with affordable housing in the upper level,” she said. “There’s about 5,000 square feet at the top level, so it’s a pretty big building.”
Edward Stross, a Roseville artist and owner of Gonzo!! Art Studio, which is located across the street from the theater, said residents whom he’s talked to have said they hope to see the building returned to its origins as a theater, showing retro movies and offering low-cost activities for kids and seniors.
“The building is in great shape, and whatever money that they’re getting, they’re going to be able to fix it up really nice for the community to use,” he said.
Stross praised Xiong for pursuing the funding.
“I commend the state representative for taking the initiative to get the funding to do something with the building instead of destroying it, but it would be nice if the taxpayers got a chance to use it,” he said.