Civic Theatre Renovation

[woz]

Things seem to be moving along on this project. I noticed today that the corner of Division Avenue and Library Street has been fenced off.

[Veronica]

Things seem to be moving along on this project. I noticed today that the corner of Division Avenue and Library Street has been fenced off.

My sister manages the ticket office, which now has been uprooted to the tiny box office in the lobby. She's not too thrilled, but it had to happen sooner or later. The renovations are going to be very nice and what's cool it that as they tear stuff out they find cool vintage stuff underneath (ceilings and wood work and such)!

[joeDowntown]

I hope they reuse as much as possible!

Does anyone know if they are going to paint the plaster ceiling in the auditorium to bring it back to its original ornate glory?

Joe

My sister manages the ticket office, which now has been uprooted to the tiny box office in the lobby. She's not too thrilled, but it had to happen sooner or later. The renovations are going to be very nice and what's cool it that as they tear stuff out they find cool vintage stuff underneath (ceilings and wood work and such)!

[GRDadof3]

Here's a not so great rendering from next week's Planning Commission agenda:

The Civic is looking for approval for a new marquee sign on Division and and new signage on Library. Here's a good before and after picture:

[torgo]

Here's a not so great rendering from next week's Planning Commission agenda:

The Civic is looking for approval for a new marquee sign on Division and and new signage on Library. Here's a good before and after picture:

Boy that before/after really looks good. I especially like the added ground-floor windows

[GRDadof3]

Here's a shot from this morning with the construction fencing:

[Prankster]

I agree with Andy, the ground floor windows will definately make it more pedestrian friendly. Nothing worse than walking by a blank wall to suck the life out of a downtown, except for parking lots.

[grcitydog]

I believe those ground floor windows are not actually new; they were bricked over in previous years and are going to be restored to how they used to be.

[andrew.w]

I believe those ground floor windows are not actually new; they were bricked over in previous years and are going to be restored to how they used to be.

Well I can definitely believe that. It would be strange if a building with a great corner space like that one was originally designed without taking advantage of the double frontage.

[joeDowntown]

I never noticed how crappy the Civic looks until I saw the side-by-side with the new rendering. It is going to be an excellent project!

I am also glad to see that the crappy marquee they added a few years ago seems to be replaced in the rendering. I hate that little purple and red marquee.

Joe

[torgo]

I believe those ground floor windows are not actually new; they were bricked over in previous years and are going to be restored to how they used to be.

Yeah thats possible, there are lots of buildings where you can see where the window was filled in with brick. if the are restoring it to the way it used to be, that's even better!

[twoshort]

The Marquee is gone:

http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4...74&nav=menu44_2

[joeDowntown]

Good news! I always thought that marquee on the corner was awful.

The Marquee is gone:

http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4...74&nav=menu44_2

[GRDadof3]

In addition to the marquee, we'll start to see some major exterior work on the Civic:

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grpress...4660.xml&coll=6

Although it sounds like it will all be under a tarp

[GRDadof3]

Got some shots of the Civic renovation today:

[d59]

This is money well invested! ! !

[GRDadof3]

This is money well invested! ! !

I totally agree. Not only will it make the Civic more user-friendly, this project and The Fitzgerald will be a nice shot in the arm for that little area. It's little projects like this and the Wealthy Theatre makeover that I think tip areas into better days.

[GRDadof3]

Got some shots of the Civic today. I didn't realize they were going to de-skin the brick on the front

[MJLO]

I may be behind the times on this one, but I am under the impression, that they are going to take away the fortress like appearance along division with those couple of buildings. Is this true, will that block have windows and "gasp" retail?

[andrew.w]

I didn't realize they were going to de-skin the brick on the front

Just curious, what did you expect would happen?

[GRDadof3]

It appears as though there are two layers of brick on the Civic, and they have removed the outer layer I just thought they would clean the brick, replace the windows, and add on to the top

[andrew.w]

It appears as though there are two layers of brick on the Civic, and they have removed the outer layer I just thought they would clean the brick, replace the windows, and add on to the top

I think the exterior walls of the corner building are solid brick, where a cheeper is faced in a more finished brick. If you look where the brick has broken on the corner you can see a bit a third layer of brick.

Also, I think that it was mentioned that the tower and apparently the entire face of the building will be faced in yellow brick with blue tile accents. I don't know if this was a historically accurate or asthetic decision, and I'm not sure how it will look since the entire complex is red. But then, who knows what color the red painted brick actually is.

[GRDadof3]

You're right Andrew. Looking at this picture, it would have to require removing the old brick so that it all ties together

There was a tower there originally that was removed (I believe I read in one of the articles).

[LA Dave]

Good news! I always thought that marquee on the corner was awful.

The marquee was a relic of the old Majestic Theater, the predecessor to the Civic. This was THE first-run movie house in GR until the late 1960s. I recall seeing many films there. At one time, there were four movie houses in downtown, the Majestic, the Savoy (on Market Street, but long gone) the Midtown, and a fourth (I think called the RKO, which was torn down in the early 1960s during the construction of Vandenberg Center). The third theater, the Midtown, occupied a grand old legitimate theater that had its premier as the site of the reunion of the Society of the Army of the Cumberland. Present was General Phil Sheridan and during this reunion (conducted in 1885), the civil war statue at the corner of Division and Fulton was dedicated.

[Sunlover38]

I love it when old buildings are restored . . adds charm and character to the new shiny buildings being built . . . Civic is a great place to catch some good theatre at a reasonable price . . .