The wind did not lead to postponement of last week’s Los Altos City Council study session regarding a new theater. But a lack of financial information apparently did.
Backers of a downtown performing arts center stood ready March 14 to give a presentation on the findings of a theater feasibility study. The preliminary vision is to build a 160-seat theater. Among locations discussed is a city-owned parking plaza between Second and Third streets.The projected 23,400-square-foot theater would serve uses including adult and youth theater, special events, film screenings, classes, camps and rehearsals.
Asked for an overview, supporters, led by Los Altos Stage Company board president Vicki Reeder, were then told by council members that they needed more detail.
“There were requests for more complete information, so we’ve postponed for a few weeks while the complete study is finalized, accepted by the Stage Company board and the New Theater Working Group and then submitted to the council for their review,” Reeder said in an email to the Town Crier. “Once those things happen, we will hold the study session, likely early April.”
According to Reeder, theater backers were originally asked to provide a “high-level summary” of their study, but some council members “wanted the details that are in the large final report.”
“We wanted to have a little more time to provide them with those details,” she added. “The final report is in draft form but soon to be submitted. There are a lot of numbers involved.”
The campaign for a new downtown theater has proved controversial. Supporters, including the ad hoc New Theater Working Group, see the facility as a viable downtown attraction that would add “feet on the street” and increase revenue for surrounding businesses. However, skeptics question the costs involved, the loss of parking and any city financial commitment in the wake of more important funding priorities.
“There is no financial feasibility study. I do not find any proof that a new theater downtown will be financially feasible,” Los Altos resident Roberta Phillips said in an email. “The public does not know how much money the (Los Altos) theater company is asking the city to contribute. There is no indication if the land will be provided at no cost by the city. There is no analysis of the ongoing maintenance costs.”
Theater supporters hired AMS Research to conduct the feasibility study. A council majority approved $38,000 to help fund the study.
“The proposed location for the theater, as well as its size, estimated construction and operating costs, programming improvements targeted for youth and community members in a state-of-the-art structure and estimates indicating improved downtown vitality will be presented,” backers stated in a press release prior to the scheduled March 14 study session.
Next steps include a capital fundraising analysis and possible financial commitment from the city to begin a fundraising feasibility study.
The preliminary feasibility study projects an annual attendance of 20,500 for more than 725 activities in a year. It notes a survey from 445 area resident that indicates “high interest in diverse content including programs for young people, film, lectures, theater and live music.”
The cost estimate to build is $23 million, raised as a “public-private partnership,” with an “open” operating budget of $1 million, the feasibility study reported.
Disclosure: Town Crier co-publisher Dennis Young is a member of the New Theater Working Group.
