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$1.5 million in grants to aid conversion of Colonnade Theater into playhouse
posted by
CSWalczak
on
February 23, 2011 at 7:40 am
MILLERSBURG, PA — Closed since 2000, the Colonnade Theatre which opened in 1919 will be converted into a live performance venue principally for for the Twin Valley Players (TVP) group that acquired the theater in 2008. The cost of the conversion will be substantially the result of the awarding to the TVP of two $750,000 grants. The conversion of the theater, a rare reverse auditorium design, will strive to honor the theater’s cinematic history though it will not be a true restoration.
“With this $1.5 million, we will be well on the path to getting the building renovated and open to the community,” said Dr. Todd F. Hoover, TVP treasurer.
State Rep. Sue Helm, R-104, and Dauphin County Commissioner Jeffrey Haste each obtained $750,000 grants for the project. Helm got the state’s $750,000 portion, which comes from the commonwealth’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, while Haste got money for the county’s matching portion through the Dauphin County Office of Community and Economic Development.
The story appeared in the Republican Herald.
Comments (4)
I am not sure how this one passes the smell test.
Pennsylvania is facing a multi billion dollar budget deficit for the fiscal year ending June 2011 and an even bigger one for the year beginning July 01, 2100 caused in large part due to large increases in legislator and teacher pensions. Governor Corbett will be laying off hundreds of state workers.
Dauphin County is facing a major fiscal crises due to Commissioner Jeff Haste’s having signed the county as guarantor on the City of Harrisburg’s failed incinerator retrofit project such that that the county is on the hook for over 100 million dollars of the City of Harrisburg’s debt. Since the City of Harrisburg is bankrupt the taxes of everyone in Dauphin County will go up to pay for that one. In a desperate attempt to buy votes before the May primary for his re-election attempt Haste gave the funds for the Millsburg Theatre to buy votes in the northern part of the Dauphin County.
I am in total agreement with you Muviebuf.
I am certain that the state help provided by Sue Helm was a reward for her supporters in the Millsburg area which helped her just squeek by challenger Gene Stilip last November. If I remember correctly it looked like Stilip was going to win until last minute late returns came in from the Millsburg area northern party of Dauphin County.
Your right it was a squeeker.