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The Town of Cary has purchased the 7,000 sq.ft. property located at 122 East Chatham St. in Cary. The building will be renovated and expanded over the next 18-24 months as a multi-use cultural facility with a focus on digital arts, including film and youth and amateur theater and music. In addition, a three-story building will be constructed adjacent to the theater to provide additional support space and the potential for community and commerical uses, including rental/lease space.

The property was once home to the town's first indoor movie theatre, which hosted live performances as well as films. It has also been used as a clothing store, auto parts store and recording studio.

Details

Once complete, the facility will be used as a flexible performance space. It will serve as additional theatre space and a specialty movie venue, including showing the Cary Youth Video project. It may also be used to showcase music performances, present stand-up comedy, and promote improvisation. 

Theater

• Current design (65 percent) includes 181 seats, including 6 accessible seating locations;
• Main seating area will include rows of removable seats for cabaret style seating at tables;
• The theater will be entered from two side entrances off the lobby, creating a tiered centralized seating area that extends up to the second floor – see floor plans;
• Second floor will extend over the theater entry vestibules, creating a box-like seating balcony on the upper level – see floor plans;
• The second floor lobby will contain at least one restroom;
• Projection room will be an enclosed room on the second level at the rear, center of the theater;
• A configurable grid system will be set above the stage floor and over the first few rows of seats to be used for additional stage equipment;
• The stage will have one black velour main curtain.

Building Addition

• The first floor of the addition will contain nearly 900 square feet to support a light food service tenant, such as a wine bar, coffee bar, or ice cream;
• The back half of the first floor will be devoted to the “back of house” areas needed for the operation of the theater. These will include a theater manager’s office, two dressing rooms, a single shared shower, and a storage room;
• An elevator will be provided and an open semi-circular stair that will give access to the second story. A fire stair will be located at the southeast corner of the building to serve all three levels of the addition;
• The second and third stories (see third floor plan) of the addition will have the capability to be leased as office space supporting either a single tenant or two tenants or to be used for additional public purposes;
• Access to the leased space will be via the retail area on the first floor.

The Marquee

The design team, the artist, and Town staff believe that the best and most prominent opportunity for public art would be the design of the new marquee for the theater. The marquee's design will be contextual to the theater and the surrounding buildings but give a nod to the building’s 1940’s past. At its January 19, 2012 work session, the Cary Town Council approved a conceptual design for a light enhanced marquee with a vertical element. Colors and finishes will be presented to Town Council for approval at a later date.

Streetscape Improvements

Using the adopted Streetscape Plan (see attachment), sidewalk improvements have been developed to include wheelchair access for theater patrons and a pedestrian crosswalk across Chatham Street in front of the theater. The plans also propose a level terrace in front of the addition to provide a wheelchair accessible path from the theater entrance; steps directly in front of the retail entrance; and a patio area with seating for theater patrons and retail customers.

Consultants

Quinn Evans Architects
Theater Consultants Collaborative
Stewart Acoustical Consultants

Budget

The cost to acquire the property was $410,000. Renovation is estimated to cost up to $1 million and expansion is estimated to cost $1.7 million. Funding for the project is part of the $8 million funding allocated in FY2012 for downtown capital projects.
 
Schedule

Design Bid/Consultant Selection - Summer/Fall 2011
Design Complete - Spring 2012
Construction Bid for Theater and Streetscape Improvements - Spring 2012
Construction Begins - Spring 2012
Construction Ends - Summer 2013
Dedication of Downtown Theater - August 2013 at Lazy Daze

Related Links

Town Center Civic and Cultural Arts District Study
Downtown Cary Streetscape Project

Contact

Ed Gawf
Downtown Development Manager
(919) 462.3870
ed.gawf@townofcary.org

Eric Simpson, P.E.
Project Engineer
(919) 380-4204
eric.simpson@townofcary.org