Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | June 10, 2024 | Worcester Business Journal 11 Worcester Olympia eatre Foundation, a nonprofit with the mission of bringing the theater back from the dead. A web- site was launched to display renderings of what a rejuvenated Olympia might look like and to solicit donations. Since the initial excitement surround- ing the potential revitalization of the Olympia three years ago, the foundation is still trying to finalize a fundraising gameplan and figure out the next steps in the long road to reopening, said Addi- son Kahale. "We're working on smaller [aspects], but there's some waiting in getting stuff done," he said. "You make a phone call, and then you wait to hear back." Like Duffy and Alexander, Kahale sees a reopened Olympia as a venue for multiple forms of entertainment. He sees stand-up comedy and movie screenings as two possibilities, noting the lack of a movie theater within Worcester. Getting the Olympia back open will cost millions, Kahale estimated. The heart of Fitchburg Fitchburg State University is leading an effort to revive a theater complex on the city's Main Street that has been dormant since 1987. Since first acquired by FSU in 2016, plans for the space have undergone several iterations. Part of the space has been turned into a video game design lab. e next stage of plans call for a black box theater to be built within the footprint of the old theater, according to a statement issued to WBJ by the university. e school was unable to provide a timeline on completion of the project, but said the redevelopment, which has benefited from state and federal funding, is already having an impact. "Entrepreneurs and developers have cited the university's theater plans as a valuable complement to their own ambitions for the heart of the city," the statement read. Where culture can happen e Hanover eater restoration didn't happen overnight. In the end, it took eight years and $32 million. Newer projects, particular ones as ambitious as the Olympia, may take a similar amount of funds and time. Timeframe and costs will vary depending on the space, but unique architectural spaces like the Strand offer unique benefits, said Duffy. "It's a great amenity," he said. "It supports a quality of life that is unique. To be able to just walk down the street or drive around the block and take in a show or a movie is a treat. We see the Strand as a place where culture can hap- pen, and we see it as a financial engine of opportunity for adjacent businesses." First constructed in 1923, the Strand was originally used for cinema and vaudeville entertainment, according to a 2022 feasibility study published by the Town of Clinton. In 1995, it was convert- ed into a cinema dra house, offering patrons the chance to see second-run films in an architectural atmosphere with more character than the average movie cinema chain. e Strand was hit hard by the pandemic, and the final movie night was held on Dec. 31, 2021. Since then, Clinton has been trying to bring new life into this historic structure sitting in the middle of downtown. "e Strand is important to the community in a number of ways," said Phil Duffy, director of community and economic development for Clinton. "Not many towns can say they have a still essentially intact 1920s vertical the- ater that, up until COVID, was in daily operation." Unique architectural features still extant at the Strand include its original theatrical rigging system, orchestra pit, and dressing rooms, according to the feasibility report. A number of interested parties have undergone walkthroughs of the facility, Duffy said, but the search for the right tenant continues. Compared to the Strand, the Mercan- tile Entertainment Center is a youngster. First opened in 1987, the 349-seat venue closed in 2009, sitting idle since. Todd Alexander, executive vice president at Worcester-based Kelleher & Sadowsky Associates, has been tasked with finding a lease tenant for the site. He feels the right tenant could help turn Mercantile Center into a true dining and entertainment destination. "We've had a lot of interest from various groups," Alexander said. "Con- struction costs being as high as they are right now is our biggest hurdle as far as leasing the space." Despite challenges, both venues have some positives. e former Foothills will likely need some upgrades and repairs, said Alexander, but seating and other features remain intact and in relatively good condition. e 101-year-old Strand has certainly seen better days, but it has one thing going for it: Available financial assis- tance for potential developers. In total, $400,000 is available in matching public funds, which can be put toward upgrad- ing the space, said Duffy. Olympia If finding new tenants for the MEC and Strand is a challenge, revitalizing the Olympia eatre in Worcester may take a Shakespearean-level of creative thinking. Sitting less than a half-mile away from the former Foothill and the current Ha- nover, the 133-year-old, 25,000-square- foot venue, which once sat around a 1,000 patrons, sits tucked away behind a massive brick facade on Pleasant Street. Like a well-seasoned actor, the Olym- pia has played many roles over its 13 de- cades of existence. Originally opened as an opera house, the theater has been the site of dramas, vaudeville acts, and later a movie theater, according to Cinema- Treasures.org, a website chronicling the history of the nation's theaters. It features ornate architecture unlikely to be found in modern theaters, including the use of Roman brick and a mosaic title entrance. e Olympia spent some of its final act as an adult film theater before being shuttered in 2006. In September 2021, Addison, Kyle, and Tammy Kahale purchased the build- ing for $527,400, later launching the The Foothills Theatre in Worcester has been rebranded as the Mercantile Entertainment Center. A R C H I T E C T U R E , E N G I N E E R I N G , & C O N S T R U C T I O N F O C U S Empty historic theaters in Central Mass. Theater Built Ceased operations Capacity Current Status Olympia Theatre, Worcester 1891 2006 999+ Seeking contributions to revitalize building Strand Theatre, Clinton 1923 2021 300* Seeking lease tenant Purchased by Fitchburg State University in 2016, part of planned Fitchburg Theater, Fitchburg 1929 1987 1,751 three-stage renovation project Mercantile Entertainment Center (formerly Foothills Theatre), Worcester 1987 2009 349 Seeking lease tenant *The Strand's original seating capacity has been reduced due to the 1995 construction of a new projection room on its balcony. Sources: Media reports, Stand Theater Feasibility Assessment The Olympia Theatre in Worcester used to have a marquee on Pleasant Street. The interior of The Strand Theatre in Clinton shows the unique architectural designs from a century ago. W PHOTO | COURTESY OF KELLEHER & SADOWSKY ASSOCIATES PHOTO | COURTESY OF TOWN OF CLINTON PHOTO | ERIC CASEY

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