Advocates of the theater district proposed by several Worcester agencies and property owners have put a new twist on the African proverb that says ‘it takes a village to raise a child.’
Individuals pushing to transform the area around the much-lauded and highly successful Hanover Theater into a cultural destination worthy of its name might adopt a slogan that goes a little something like this – it takes more than one venue to make a theater district.
And now, they have one. Sort of.
The Hanover Theater’s co-founders have struck an agreement to provide Boston’s Improv Asylum sketch comedy troupe with a permanent home in the region’s second largest city, as first reported by Banker & Tradesman.
The Asylum has signed a letter of intent with Edward Madaus and Paul Demoga to rent space in their building at 551 Main St. once it is renovated and open for business, which could be as early as January, according to the owners.
The improvisational acting company will rent 7,300 square feet, occupying the basement level of the vacant building immediately adjacent to the Hanover Theater. The Asylum’s space will accommodate an audience of about 350 and will have performances three or four nights a week, Madaus said.
And they’re not the only theater troupe that will be housed in the building. Several former actors and stage hands from the defunct and beloved Foothills Theater company, which disbanded in 2009 due to lack of funding, will set up shop on the second floor as a new theater group, Madaus said. Their theater will be on the second floor and seat about 250.
No Vibrancy
The Hanover Theater seats 2,300 per show, and in the three years since it opened, it has brought in upwards of 600,000 audience members. And right now, those theatergoers drive in, see a show, and get right back into their cars and leave the area behind. They don’t stop to eat or relax before or after the show because there is nowhere to do that within walking distance of the theater, said Troy Siebels, executive director of the Hanover.
The immediate area needs restaurants, shops, cafes, art galleries, bookstores and other businesses that are open past five o’clock on weeknights and stay open on weekends. Advocates are looking for anything to create vibrancy and nightlife, he said.
And, of course, “You’re going to need more than one theater,” Siebels told Banker & Tradesman.
Madaus and Demoga said they feel they’re on the right track. The duo is also in talks with a restaurateur to bring a high-end restaurant to the first floor of the property, which they purchased in 2008 for about $1.2 million. They have already put about $700,000 into the property and estimate the total build-out for the theater spaces and restaurant at about $1.8 million.
But the property is still a vacant shell.
If all goes to plan, renovations will begin before the end of the year and the building could open as early as early January. Demoga admitted to Banker & Tradesman that the timeline is “very aggressive.”
But their plans align with those laid out by the Worcester Business Development Corp. (WBDC). Along with their highly-publicized purchase of the Telegram & Gazette building, the group plans to purchase up to four “key buildings” in the vicinity for redevelopment, said WBDC President David Forsberg.
“We might be able to pick up some of the buildings inexpensively, others we may need to pay a premium for because of where they’re located,” he said. “It will have to depend on how successful we are in attracting tenants, because we want an exit strategy in all of this. We feel we’re in a good position to do a major project.”
An ‘Urban Edge’
While he would not discuss specific properties, Forsberg said that several land sales recently have provided the group approximately $2 million in capital “to force the issues down” in the Theater District.
And while he said it would be ideal to get a dance studio or other performance-focused groups into the district, the spaces will “certainly not be confined to the arts.” The group has a preliminary concept for a business center of some sort to help activate the street and support commercial and retail operations and build more of an “urban edge” and bring life to the area.
Though Forsberg would not specify which buildings his group is considering, Siebels said a very logical choice for a new cultural entity would be the old Paris Cinema on Franklin Street, especially if city leaders want a resident theater company in town. The Hanover currently plays host to touring Broadway Across America shows, while a resident theater would have a permanent cast of actors.
The property is currently owned by The Mayo Group. Company officials did not return calls seeking comment. The property is boarded up and will likely take a good deal of time and money to restore, Siebels said.
“But it might be possible to create a more contemporary venue in that envelope,” he said. “A professional resident theater would be great for the district, and that’s an ideal place for it.”
There are numerous buildings along the few blocks that separate the would-be theater district from the downtown in need of a serious facelift, with vacant storefronts, pawn shops, and convenience stores along the way, according to sources.
The city has met with several property owners to talk about the future of their buildings, said Timothy McGourthy, Worcester’s chief development officer. The aims to create a master plan with the WBDC and present the plan to the public “so we understand where people see the district going,” he said.
“Until the master plan is further along, and there’s more public discussion, we won’t drill down to the level of wanting to see specific plans for specific properties,” he added.
