By John Pacenti
While art classes are set to start in November at the Crest Theatre, the theater itself remains somewhere between a modest work in progress and the problematic house in the movie The Money Pit.
The latest concern is whether its balcony is unsafe.
“We have not done a structural analysis on that balcony to see exactly how sound it is,” Public Works Director Missie Barletto said at the Sept. 16 City Commission meeting. “So we will be doing that.”
Commissioner Tom Markert had asked for an update on the renovation of the theater, which turns 100 next year.
Originally a high school auditorium, the “enchanting” 323-seat venue will eventually provide a boutique-style entertainment experience, the city says. It’s been dark since at least 2021.
“It needs sprucing up. It needs new carpet and paint inside the theater. We need to look at the electrical consoles and the dimmers and the rigging inside the theater,” Barletto said.
One contractor estimated the work would cost $5 million, while another said it would be $3 million, she said.
There will also be costs associated with rigging and the electrical room — the connectivity for the theater, Barletto said. It’s specialized work and getting the rigging company to assess the Crest has taken more time than originally thought.
“There’s one company statewide that does it and there’s a number of historic theaters that are actually under renovation right now,” Barletto said.
A contractor is expected to be in place by May, Barletto said, “at which point we’ll be coming back to you and seeking some funds.”
The city last year budgeted $1.2 million for renovations, primarily to the building’s classrooms and kitchen space.
Delray Beach got into the theater business when former Mayor Shelly Petrolia and then-Commissioners Juli Casale and Shirley Johnson voted to end the lease in 2021 with the nonprofit that ran Old School Square — the theater, the museum, and the outdoor concert venue downtown at Swinton and Atlantic avenues.
Petrolia said Old School Square Center for the Arts had not been forthcoming with its finances.
The decision opened up the San Andreas Fault. There was a lawsuit and countersuit. Commissioners Rob Long and Angela Burns came into office opposing the canceling of the lease.
The commission had decided to turn over operations to the Downtown Development Authority only to give back control of the theater to city staff.
Old School Square Center for the Arts ended up taking out equipment, lighting and other things that make theaters operate when it left the premises, said Vice Mayor Casale, who voted to oust the nonprofit during her first stint as commissioner.
Mayor Tom Carney has said he wants to monetize the Crest for the city.
In that respect, classrooms in the building for art classes are set to start in November. Photos shown to the commission by Barletto displayed glossy lacquered wood floors and drawing desks — called art horses — ready for students.
The city’s communication department has relocated to the Crest with Director Gina Carter heading up the creative arts school project by basically doing at least two jobs at present.
Casale said the Windmill Theater Company had inquired about using the Crest to do a Christmas show, “but, obviously, if you don’t think it’s structurally sound, that’s a no.”
“Well, the balcony portion, I don’t know that it is ‘not’ structurally sound, but I also don’t know that it is,” Barletto said. “So we would err on the side of caution for that, for sure.”
The commission remains gung-ho on the Crest. “I just want to get it finished. So then we all have an opportunity up here to decide what the next step is going to be. And it sounds like you’re on course,” Carney said.
Markert is focusing on the bird in the hand: the art school — which he said got a deal on its furniture.
“I’ve been over there and I’ve seen it and it looks great,” he said.
The home in The Money Pit, by the way, was absolutely stunning when completed, even if it nearly cost Tom Hanks’ character his sanity.
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