TACOMA – This May, Tacoma’s historic Pantages Theater entered the second phase of an extensive five-part renovation process. The nearly 100-year-old Palace of Versailles-style theater, designed by architect B. Marcus Priteca and built in 1918, will close for construction on June 25 with an anticipated re-opening date in mid-October of 2014.
Updates and improvements are being implemented under the leadership of Broadway Center for the Performing Arts and executed through a team-build collaboration between Korsmo Construction and BCRA Architects. This Phase II renovation combines $2 million in financial support from the City of Tacoma, private contributions, and the state, including a $1.3 million grant awarded by the State of Washington’s Building for the Arts fund.
The current phase of the Pantages’ renovation includes improvements ranging from structural resiliency upgrades, removal of the “hard legs” of the Pantages stage to allow for larger productions, and remodeling of artist dressing rooms. Future phases will include further improvements in structural resiliency to both the Pantages Theater and Jones Building, restoration of historic façade and interior plaster, and a complete reorganization of Pantages seating.
Further phases of construction may include a similar remodel of the historic Rialto Theater, also built in 1918, and a possible redevelopment of Pierce Transit Park to support better accessibility for community events such as the Broadway Farmer’s Market and outdoor festivals. The financial scope of future phases is currently being assessed, and will be based on public and private funding capacity.
For the past 30 years, Broadway Center for the Performing Arts has led a public and private partnership in procuring approximately $32 million of non-municipal funding invested into preserving Tacoma’s historic theaters. “Broadway Center is committed to continuing to fulfill its mission to ‘enable our historic buildings and drive the revitalization of Tacoma,'” commented Executive Director David Fischer. “The current construction phase is another step in the process to preserve our citizen-owned theaters for the next generation.”
Print This Post