Owner of fire-gutted Lebowsky Center hopes to have theater enclosed again by winter

OWOSSO, MI — The Owosso Community Players, owner of the Lebowsky Center, hopes to have the theater, gutted by an arson fire (still unsolved) on February 14, 2007, enclosed again by winter. They are expecting an answer within a couple of weeks whether they would get a $350,000 to $400,000 grant to pay for enclosing the theater.

They are working with a construction company in Grand Rapids which restored the Wealthy Theatre there. The OCP is committed to completely restoring the theater which is estimated to cost $5 million to do. 

Originally, OCP was hoping to reconstruct both the Lebowsky Center and the West Annex, but Peterson said the goal has narrowed.

“As we have refined the project, we feel that the priority is to rebuild the Lebowsky Center and that is the piece of the project we are focusing on,” Peterson said.

The grant’s approval would mean constructing a new roof and enclosing the center from the elements. The OCP has said it remains committed to a full restoration of the center - which is projected to cost about $5 million.

Additional info from the Argus-Press.