INC NEWS - Should Durham build a $35M theater -- across from the JAIL?

Sun Feb 20 10:38:18 EST 2005

The proposed theater is a major public investment and budget issue for
Durham. I apologize if this matter seems off-topic for this list, but I
think that the greater needs and priorities for all of Durham's
neighborhoods are in question here.

Across from the JAIL ?????

Proposed $35M Theater

City Council

Monday Feb 21, 7pm

Agenda Item 23

Caleb Southern

What's the best place for a Durham theater?

Herald-Sun Guest editorials; Sunday, February 20, 2005

"Favored spot next to DBAP has adequate space, parking"

By Bill Kalkhof

"New theater should be inside the loop, not next to the jail"

By Josh Parker

***

Favored spot next to DBAP has adequate space, parking

By Bill Kalkhof

Sometimes well-meaning and thoughtful people who share the same vision for a
revitalized downtown need to "agree to disagree." This is one of those
times. Three years ago the city held many public meeting regarding a
performing arts theater in downtown. The preferred location throughout the
process has always been the former DATA site north of the DBAP, south of the
railroad tracks.

When the suggestion to change the location was made, the city manager asked
city staff, theater development team and proposed operator to determine the
feasibility of the alternative sites.

Why now? After three years, and just as the major points of the deal are
coming together, why at the 11th hour are alternative sites being raised?
Where was this suggestion three years ago? Two years? One year?

Can the theater be built on the alternative sites? The simple answer is no.
The DATA site easily accommodates all elements of the project, including the
theater, the proposed American Dance Festival's black box theater, the ADF
administrative offices, loading docks and parking for tour buses. The
alternative sites are too small to accommodate all these buildings and uses.

In order to accommodate all of the uses on the alternative sites, the city
would have to demolish the Armory and a small building at 211 Rigsbee [Ave.]
and purchase additional property. A second alternative site would require
closing Mangum Street for each show.

What's the opinion of Nederlander/PFM, the preferred operator?
Nederlander/PFM toured the alternative sites this week and informed the
mayor that the DATA location is the preferred site because of its access off
the Freeway, its accessible parking and the fact that it is part of a larger
redevelopment project. If the city were to choose one of the alternatives,
Nederlander/PFM may reconsider its management proposal. This is critical,
because the agreement with Nederlander/PFM meets the goals established by
City Council: The operator assumes all operating risk, a maintenance reserve
would be established, and average of 100 shows per year are guaranteed, and
the city receives 40 percent of the operating profit. I don't think the city
wants to lose this deal.

What about ADF? A major goal of City Council has been to accommodate ADF.
ADF's requirements for a black box theater and offices would best be met on
the DATA location. A suggestion to separate the theater and the ADF
buildings is inefficient and too costly.

What about parking? An analysis of parking concluded that building the
theater at an alternative site would require another substantial parking
facility to serve Durham Centre, the proposed Renaissance at Durham Centre
condos, special events and Marriott Hotel guests.

The Downtown Master Plan indicated that the American Tobacco District needed
to be a "regional entertainment district" and that Durham should work to
find a second entertainment facility to complement the DBAP. These two
anchors would encourage ancillary development, growing Durham's tax base and
creating new jobs.

And what about funding? A major misperception has been that Durham taxpayer
dollars are funding the theater. Not true. The funding is from a 1 percent
occupancy tax on hotel rooms. Other funding will include private fundraising
and naming rights for the theater. According to professionals who help
cities sell naming rights, if the theater remains on the DATA site, naming
rights could generate up to $250,000 annually. However, naming rights would
be worth far less at the alternative sites.

Last Thursday, the City Council's Theater Subcommittee unanimously voted to
recommend the DATA site for the theater. On Monday, City Council should
approve the $248,000 design fees from the occupancy tax to provide
information for the most important decision -- should Durham build a
theater?

Bill Kalkhof is president of Downtown Durham Inc.

***

New theater should be inside the loop, not next to the jail

By Josh Parker

On Monday night the Durham City Council will move one step closer to
building a theater, against the best interests of the people of Durham. They
will vote on whether to proceed with a new $35 million downtown theater --
across the street from the jail. Yes, you read that right, the jail. As if
we don't have enough of a problem with Durham's image and crime. Do you
really think people will pay top dollar to see a Broadway show next to the
jail?

There is a better alternative. We could build the new theater in the Civic
and Arts District, where it makes sense. The city already owns 1.2 acres of
vacant land at the southeast corner of Rigsbee and Morgan Streets. This is
right next to the Carolina Theatre, Durham Arts Council, the Armory, the
Civic Center and Downtown Marriott. The Downtown Master Plan, an official
city document, calls this area the "Civic and Arts District". It is a block
away from Durham Central Park and the new Senior Center. What better place
for a new theater?

This location will also better support private investment in downtown
revitalization. Citizens have put their life savings into building
renovations and small businesses inside the downtown loop, only to watch the
city spend hundreds of millions of dollars of public money south of the
railroad tracks. Recent and planned projects in this one area include the
Durham Bulls Athletic Park, $43 million for Capitol Broadcasting's American
Tobacco project, the new courthouse, the new Durham Station transit hub and
the jail.

By contrast, Main Street is the essence of downtown. A 2800-seat theater in
the Civic and Arts District will breathe new life into Main Street.

The city's preferred site for a theater is on part of eight acres of vacant,
city-owned land. Capitol Broadcasting, the developer of American Tobacco,
has an option to buy the remainder of the land and build on it. Officials
from Capitol have said that they will develop the land with or without a
city-funded theater. There is no such guarantee for the heart of downtown.
If we are going to spend public money in the name of downtown
revitalization, shouldn't we use it where it will have the most impact?
American Tobacco will thrive on its own. By contrast, our center city and
the surrounding neighborhoods north and east of downtown could use a boost.
Public investment in a theater here would have a significant community
benefit.

I was one of several residents who met with city officials last week to
explore the issues they say are a problem with the site in the Civic and
Arts District. We were told there would not be enough parking, even though
as citizens we were able to identify over 4,700 potential parking spaces. We
were also told that the building just wouldn't fit even though the square
footage is larger than the proposed theater and there are numerous models
for theaters on urban parcels all around the nation.

We were told that because the theater was not visible from the highway it
would result in reduced revenue from naming rights. The city's theater site
is in a valley next to the jail and couldn't be seen from the highway unless
a huge neon sign was put on top of it. Moreover, the cache of naming rights
comes from what the building is used for and its consistent publicity, not
which highway it is near.

What can we do with the land? The county is already planning to build a new
courthouse. This is the one building that makes sense across from the jail.
Durham deserves better than the ill-conceived plan for a $35 million theater
across from the jail. If we build the proposed theater with public money,
let's put it where is makes sense and will provide a greater community
benefit. City Council should vote Monday night to put the theater in the
Civic and Arts District where it belongs.

Josh Parker lives and works downtown.

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