[Durham INC] Durham Hosts "Renovation Celebration" Nov. 17

[Blalock, Amy]

CITY OF DURHAM

Office of Public Affairs

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

 

 

News Release

 

For Details, Contact:

Amy Blalock

Sr. Public Affairs Specialist

(919) 560-4123 x 11253

(919) 475-7735 (cell)

Amy.Blalock at DurhamNC.gov

 

 

 

 

For Immediate Release: November 11, 2011

 

 

 

Durham Hosts "Renovation Celebration" November 17

Ribbon-cutting Event to Commemorate Renovations of the Durham Convention Center, Carolina Theatre, and Durham Arts Council

 

DURHAM, N.C. - Durham residents should mark their calendars now to attend next week's "Renovation Celebration," which will commemorate the recent renovations to three downtown gems - the Carolina Theatre, the Durham Arts Council, and the Durham Convention Center.

 

The festivities, which are free and open to the public, will kick-off on Thursday, November 17, 2011, beginning at 4:30 p.m. with an arts processional led by the African American Dance Ensemble, the Durham Children's Choir, and the Young People's Performance Company. The parade will also include the Durham Arts Council, Durham Art Guild, Durham Community Concert Band, Durham Savoyards, Durham Symphony, KidZNotes, Triangle Gay Men's Chorus, and Mallarmé Chamber Players, which are all groups that work, rehearse, and perform in the Durham Arts Council and Carolina Theatre buildings. The arts parade will depart from the Durham Arts Council and end at the Durham Convention Center Plaza.   

 

Once at the Durham Convention Center Plaza, attendees will hear formal remarks from City of Durham Mayor William V. "Bill" Bell, City Manager Tom Bonfield, Carolina Theatre Board Chairman Paul Brock, Durham Arts Council Board President Jay Mebane, Durham Convention Center Board Chairman Patrick Byker, and Durham County Board of Commissioners Chairman Michael Page. After the formal remarks, a ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held.

 

The event will highlight the more than $12.8 million in public investment, using mostly voter-approved bond dollars, to upgrade the infrastructure as well as the appearance of these publicly-owned facilities. The renovations at all three of these facilities were overseen by the City's General Services Department.

 

The City-owned Durham Arts Council has undergone a $3.5 million renovation that will enhance the visitor experience, including ADA upgrades, exterior restoration of stucco and historic metal work, exterior painting of the entire building, and new HVAC units and roof membrane. Interior restorations include catering room renovations as well as interior finishes, such as doors, flooring (including specialty floors for dance studios, PSI Theatre, and IBM Rehearsal Hall), wallpaper, acoustical panels, ceiling tiles, and paint. Additionally, upgrades to PSI Theatre include new drapes and lighting grid, upgraded electrical and audio-visual system components, and new seating platforms and chairs.

 

The City-owned Carolina Theatre has undergone a $2.4 million restoration that brought the historic theatre back to a new condition for the first time in almost 20 years. Renovations to interior finishes include new carpet, new paint, and historic plaster restoration. Box seats that had been recreated during early 1990s restoration are finally opened for use. Other restorations include ADA upgrades, window and door renovations, electrical upgrades, upgraded lighting and sound systems, cinema screen replacement, and new projection equipment in the cinemas.

 

The Durham Convention Center, jointly owned by the City of Durham and Durham County, underwent a $6.9 million renovation which included improvements such as a new HVAC system, in-house sound and lighting package, wall vinyl, and floor coverings. In addition to these upgrades, the Junior Ballroom underwent an extensive renovation, transforming the once traditional room into contemporary meeting space that can now be divided into eight break-out rooms along with a new kitchen dedicated solely to the Durham Convention Center.

 

For more information about next week's Renovation Celebration, contact City of Durham Public Affairs Director Beverly B. Thompson at (919) 560-4123, ext. 11229, (919) 475-2362 (cell), or via e-mail at Beverly.Thompson at DurhamNC.gov. 

 

About the General Services Department

The City of Durham General Services Department provides timely, cost effective, and high-quality services in eight core business functions: Administration, Cemeteries, Facilities Operations, Landscape Services, Project Management, Real Estate, and Urban Forestry. For more information, visit www.DurhamNC.gov/Departments/General. 

 

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