Group hopes grant helps revitalize St. Marys theater

ST. MARYS - A member of a nonprofit organization attempting to revitalize the St. Marys Theater Grand Opera House said a state grant could be the best chance for bringing the old theater to life again - though the nonprofit needs to raise funds locally - and fast.

Doug Spencer, Auglaize County Commissioner and committee member of the nonprofit Friends of the St. Marys Theater and Grand Opera House, presented a 3-D conceptual tour of potential upgrades to the St. Marys Theater during Monday's city council meeting.

The theater sat empty for about a decade before the nonprofit took ownership of it earlier this year, according to Spencer, who said volunteers have put a lot on the line to build something for future St. Marys residents to enjoy.

Spencer said that while the theater wouldn't necessarily be a first-run movie house, it could be a second-run and classic movie house, as well as host a variety of other community events. He envisions concerts, comedy and variety shows, stage productions and lecture series. The grand ballroom upstairs, which he said was a popular destination for wedding receptions in the '90s and '00s, could be used for receptions, corporate events, Christmas parties and fundraisers when completed.

Restoring the theater is no small investment, however; the nonprofit has an ultimate goal of raising $3 million for most of the construction work. Some initial work, such as improvements to a section of the roof, has already been completed, Spencer said. The group hopes to ultimately collect about $1 million from individual donations, but depending on how much money is raised by December, another significant funding source could be secured: state grants.

Spencer said there is a "tremendous" opportunity for securing state grant funding, but the organization has to be able to come up with a local match. The nonprofit aims to apply in December, which is the reason why they're pushing hard now for funds. A $250,000 Target of Opportunity state grant could be used to restore the facade of the theater as historically-accurate as possible, Spencer said.

The group wants to save the most iconic parts of the theater; Spencer said murals inside are in great condition considering the building's long vacancy. A 1951 popcorn machine is currently undergoing repairs and hopefully can be used once more in the theater.

"If this does come to fruition, this is a destination maker," Spencer said.

Four legislators representing Auglaize County have toured the building and acknowledge the group's vision and its potential impact for downtown St. Marys and the region. The group has also heard from five interested parties about opening a business in the empty storefront to the west of the theater, he said.

Mayor Patrick McGowan believes the theater's restoration is an excellent opportunity that could help bring business and foot traffic back to the downtown.

In other business, finance committee members may soon consider a bed tax for hotels within the city to raise funds for advertisement and tourism activities in St. Marys.

City law director Zach Ferrall said he had recently seen a TV advertisement for a downtown business open house event in Wapakoneta. Upon looking into how the city had arranged for the advertisement, he found Wapakoneta has a bed tax which funds promotion of the city and events. Ferrall thought it was something St. Marys should consider.

City service and safety director Greg Foxhoven said that while he believes Wapakoneta's bed tax rate is 3%, an appropriate starting point for St. Marys might be 2%. The tax would generate revenue that could be used for a variety of different groups that organize events and promote business in St. Marys, such as the St. Marys Area Resource Team which organized the First Friday events this year.

The next finance committee meeting is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. Nov. 15.

Council members also

• gave first reading of an ordinance authorizing an agreement with Clemans, Nelson & Associates for employee relations work.

• gave first reading of a resolution declaring cooperation with the state director of transportation for the resurfacing of U.S. 29/33 within the city. The project would not be completed until 2023, according to Foxhoven. The affected portion of the state route would stretch from the Kroger in St. Marys to Wapakoneta. There would be zero cost to the city for the work.

• scheduled a parks and playgrounds committee meeting for 5:30 p.m. Nov. 22.

• were reminded that a historical marker dedication for the St. Marys Mill is slated for 2 p.m. Friday.