Redevelopment of Garden Theater moving forward
Share with others:
Proposals for development of the Garden Theater and/or its entire square block were due Monday at the Northside Leadership Conference, whose executive director, Mark Fatla, said he had received two of an expected four or five by the middle of the day.
The conference has been recruiting potential developers and tenants since it took over the process from the Urban Redevelopment Authority last fall. It will be vetting the proposals, with presentations from prospective developers, in community meetings this summer, said Mr. Fatla.
Development of the entire square block that includes the former porn theater is expected to cost between $12 million and $15 million, "and we've already raised $7.5 million" in state grants and new market tax credits, he said.
"We're anticipating strong proposals from people who have capacity and technical expertise, and we're open to a full range of ideas, either for individual buildings or for the whole block," he said.
It has been more than three years since the URA took possession of the theater in a $1.1 million purchase from the New Garden Realty Corp., and it took six years of legal wrangling to get the sale.
With no opening date set for when paying patrons may walk through a rejuvenated Garden Theater, Mr. Fatla said, "Community development is like an iceberg. No one sees the bulk of the work that's been done; they see the 10 percent that hasn't yet.
"But I'll take high expectation any day. We're going to get it done."
First Published June 15, 2010 12:00 am
