Pouring the footing for the expansion of the back stage area
Laurie Farquhar
The new walls are going up and the old seats are being taken out. The expansion and renovation of the Renaissance Theatre continues on schedule and now residents can see the progress rising above the construction fencing.
Project Manager Pat Meyers says the frame-up for the new back stage area should be completed by early July. After that, they will work on the plumbing and other mechanical installations. By early September the fencing should be down so that the landscaping and other final details can be done.
While the exterior expansion began in May, the HOA’s interior renovation did not start until early July. One of the exciting changes for theater-goers is that the sound booth will be pushed back so that the seats in front of it will now have the same legroom as all of the other chairs in the theater. As HOA Director of Facilities Ken Sergio says, “What were the shortest will now be the best seats in the house.”
Another new feature to be added will be hearing loops in the floor. Audience members with hearing aids will be able to tap into a loop, giving them unprecedented sound. More information about the hearing loops and how they work will be presented by the Activities Office as the theater prepares to re-open.
The project to expand and renovate the Renaissance Theatre is a collaboration of the HOA and the Performing Arts Council with a significant financial contribution by Mr. Ed Robson. PebbleCreekers have also shown that they are behind the project by donating more than $120,000 for the Build the Backstage fund. With so many people invested in this undertaking it should be quite a party when the theater re-opens this fall.