Hopes for Starlite Drive-In salvation dim as property goes up for bid

Bad news for drive-in lovers in the Bull City: the odds of some miracle salvation over at the Starlite look, officially, pretty dim.

The Starlite, which has been closed since owner Bob Groves' passing in March, is part of a nearly 11-acre tract adjacent to an under-development Wal-Mart SuperCenter and is in a highly-accessible location at East Club, East Geer, and I-85. Add to this the fact that Groves' only survivor is reportedly a Georgian with no links to Durham, and the odds for a reopening as a drive-in have been slim for some time.

But now word comes from Bob Cirillo, who's run the Starlite web site for some time, that the land has officially gone on the market for bid, with a market appraisal of $1.18 million. Potential buyers can bid in two categories -- for an immediate closing (before October 5) or for a closing within the next 2 years.

The most likely future for the parcel would seem to be townhouse or single-family home development; commercial is a possibility, though the neighboring Wal-Mart set to open in 2008 will bring plenty of that in its outparcels.

You can read more over at Bob's Starlite web site (including Bob's analysis on why there's no likely way to flag the drive-in as some sort of historical landmark). If you're hankering for an honest-to-goodness drive-in experience, your closest chance is in Henderson, a good 45 minutes' drive up I-85 towards Virginia; visit the (cough cough) Raleigh Road Outdoor Theatre web site to find out more.

Comments

[mike hrabovsky]

Hi folks, I am living in Sterling Hts, Michigan...moved to Detroit in 1957 with my family when my dad got a new job with the Detroit police dept. Went to Immaculata school from 1950-57....loved going to the Starlite Drive In as a kid in the 50s...back then we went to the Carolina, Center, Rialto, Criterion theatres in Durham and the Star Lite on many saturday nights...remember seeing a double feature in 1956 of "Revenge of the Creature" and "The Creature Walks Among Us"...great 50s horror classics...also saw "Twenty Thousand Leauges Under the Sea" back when....so many great memories of the Star Lite...in the Detroit area there is only one - just one Drive In....back in the 60s there was about 40 or more in the metro area...all gone now but one..so sad....greedy con businesses like Walmart, KMart, Target and Meiers sucking up these treasures for the land to develop...very sad....a car dealership bought out the last drive in near where me and my family live 4 years ago....
Visited Durham several years ago and we immediately headed to the Star Lite...a Durham historic landmark. Mike Hrabovsky, Sterling hts. Mich.