Less than a week after the grand re-opening of the MahaliaJacksonTheatre for the Performing Arts, the City of New Orleans and the Canal Street Development Corporation (CSDC) Tuesday signed an agreement that will lead to the re-development of the historic Saenger Theatre in downtown New Orleans. The Saenger is located on Canal Street at Basin Street and North Rampart Street, an important center of downtown commerce, and is on the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Register of Historic Places. Construction is scheduled to begin in late fall 2009. Work is expected to be completed to return the historic performing arts theatre to its former grandeur and glory by the fall of 2011.
”The revitalization of the Saenger is a key ingredient to the revitalization of the upper end of Canal Street, which is a critical component of our recovery plan,” said Mayor C. Ray Nagin, "Not only will citizens have another reason to enjoy our downtown in evenings and on weekends, but the impact of placing this historic facility back into commerce will have a ripple effect in the central business district, stimulating business for hotels, restaurants, parking garages and retail stores.”
The CSDC will provide oversight of the redevelopment project. The City of New Orleans today signed a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA) with the CSDC to provide those services. As part of the redevelopment plan, Saenger Theatre Partnership, Ltd., the current owner of the theatre, will transfer the property to the CSDC, which will renovate and operate the theatre on behalf of the City of New Orleans. The renovation project and subsequent theatre operation will be accomplished through a long-term lease arrangement between the CSDC and a new management entity.
“The revitalization of this important downtown venue will complement the recently renovated MahaliaJacksonTheatre, and help anchor the rebirth of the Canal Street and North Rampart corridors, in a strategy that carefully rebuilds and restores the cultural infrastructure of New Orleans in a responsible and steady manner,” said Randall Smith, President of the Canal Street Development Corporation.
Built in 1927, the Saenger evokes many memories for the city’s citizens and visitors and has long served as a nostalgic and cultural touchstone for New Orleanians and the region, providing a venue for the finest theatrical entertainment, live concerts, movies and special events. Theatrical stars such as Rex Harrison, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Tyler Perry, theatrical productions that include The Phantom of The Opera, Beauty and the Beast,andThe Producers, musical greats such as Aaron Neville, Bruce Springsteen, Patti LaBelle, and the comedy of Bill Cosby, Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld are among the acts that have graced the Saenger stage.
Having sustained substantial damage during Hurricane Katrina, the Saenger Theatre was stabilized and protected from deterioration following the storm, but has remained closed during these past three years.
The existing 2,700 seat Saenger Theatre will be reborn and its elaborately decorated interior meticulously restored to its 1927 grandeur. Patrons will once again enjoy the Saenger Theatre’s dramatically appointed inner lobby and auditorium. The venue will be a state-of-the-art facility for opera, theatre, dance, and popular symphonic, jazz and other musical presentations requiring a large seating capacity and modern staging and backstage facilities. In addition to the restored interiors, plans for the theatre include modernized HVAC and mechanical systems, and expanded support and performance spaces.
“The restored and enhanced Saenger will serve the Gulf States region as a multi-purpose performing arts facility capable of hosting a wide variety of attractions including performing arts organizations, musical & comedy productions, family shows, community events as well as special events supporting the convention, film television and special event industries from across New Orleans and the nation. We are very proud to add this property to the holdings that the CSDC manages on behalf of the City of New Orleans,” said Smith.
Funding for the renovation will come from a combination of tax credit financing and public sector funding, which together will create an approximately $38 million redevelopment budget to complete the project. Disaster Community Development Block Grants totaling $13 million will be augmented by Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credits, State Historic Preservation Tax Credits, federal and state New Market Tax Credits, as well as Louisiana Live Performance Initiative Tax Credits to complete the package.
“We are proud to work with the city of New Orleans to see its vision for a vibrant return of this historic theatre come to fruition. Restoring the Saenger Theatre will not only bring world class performers to the city, it will also increase business revenues for supporting and surrounding industries and create jobs in downtown New Orleans,” said Paul Rainwater, executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority. “As we are rebuilding the city, it is important that we bring back its traditions, its landmarks and its economic engines. Culture and the arts will aid our tourism industry in New Orleans – and in these tough economic times, we need to feed this sector as much as possible.”
Tax Credit Capital, a New Orleans based tax credit firm will secure the tax credit investments which play a significant role in this project.
The state of Louisiana is committing the $13 million in Community Development Block Grants to the city of New Orleans for redeveloping the Saenger Theatre.
According to the city, construction is scheduled to begin this fall, with completion by the fall of 2011. The project will include restoring the 1,200 seat theatre and its lobby, expanding support and performance spaces and modernizing air conditioning and other mechanical systems. The $13 million in CDBG from the state is in addition to millions in tax credits.
The $13 million in CDBG funds come as part of New Orleans' $411 million allocation under the state's Long Term Community Recovery program.
Conceived by the LRA and implemented by the Office of Community Development, the $700 million Long Term Community Recovery program provides funds to support implementation of local long-term recovery plans in the communities most heavily impacted by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Parishes must present their overall plans to the LRA board of directors for approval in order to access their funding allocation. Then, LRA and OCD staff work with parish officials to write applications for individual projects, ensuring that parishes follow federal laws governing CDBG funds and maximize their use of other federal funding sources, including FEMA's Public Assistance program. All projects are selected locally, based on community needs..
So far, the state has approved almost $114 million worth of projects in the city of New Orleans, including:
• $30 million for the "Reinventing the Crescent: Downriver Park" project;
• $27 million for a soft seconds mortgage program in the city;
• $16.25 million in streetscapes across the city;
• $5.8 million for roadway and intersection improvements;
• $4.85 million for various planning efforts;
• $1.7 million for improvements to BehrmanPark facilities;
• $1 million for improvements to Mahalia Jackson school.
Let's see now, per barrel price falling, per gallon price at the pump rising....... Alternative energy proposals/funding - 'green' automobile manufacturing? Perhaps the price of fuel per gallon will be 'caused' to hit $3.00 or better [shudder] per gallon {$5.00?} BUT the price per barrel will be controlled at $27.00 AND gasoline production/sales will be controlled at .75 cents a gallon.... The difference between 5 bucks per and .75 cents per? A $4.25 PER GALLON TAX.................................. BINGO!!! YOU WILL PAY 5 BUCKS.... Now what are they going to control on manufacturing? Our money is already being controlled.... And spent anyway folks in power please....... Say Bye-bye to Miss American Pie.................................................. Written by
on 1/16/2009
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DIMINISHING ROOM TO STORE CHEAP CRUDE....IEA predicts first back-to-back annual declines in oil demand; crude sinks again on Nymex...... Chris Kahn, AP Energy Writer ...... Friday January 16, 2009, 1:38 pm EST * * * * * * * SEEMS SPECULATION ON -$30.00 PER BR. PRICES ARE BEING ANTICIAPATED IN A LOT OF SECTORS..... OH WELL, J.PAUL GETTY ONCE SAID "TO MAKE SOMETHING VALUABLE YOU HAVE TO FIRST MAKE IT RARE" WELL, STORAGE TANKS WERE SORT OF RARE, AND STRATEGIC OIL RESERVES WERE SORT OF RARE, NOW THEY ARE COMMON.....
Written by
on 1/16/2009
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But perhaps the most perplexing thing is; Will the Saenger return the money to the state and the feds that was spent on it AND generate ADDITIONAL tax dollars??? Now that is the definition of a real return on expendeture when calculating 'profit'? Written by
on 1/16/2009
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Yes, by all means, at taxpayer expense, allow it to vie for tourist dollars along with the aquarium, Harrah's, the French Quarter, the French Market, the SuperDome, and on and on and on........ I can see the big importance of the Saenger theater.. and its great 'cultural' value...... Written by
on 1/15/2009
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While not doubting there will be theft (we are talking not just "Louisiana" but "New Orleans" no less) I do think the Saenger will turn a profit. "Profit" is an indication that the money spent was spent wisely. Live theatre has a charm unlike any other type of performance. The Sanger will hopefully bring the big shows that Le Petite - being "Le Small" - does not have room for. Written by kpf
on 1/14/2009
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But what I really love is the • "$4.85 million for 'various planning efforts' That's a sweet 5%? 'skim' off the top now isn't it?
Written by
on 1/14/2009
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A lot of folks probably think I am against New Orleans, or even Louisiana for that matter… Nothing could be further from the truth… But I am against the waste, abuse, and fraud perpetuated by the governing authorities within those confines…… As usual, the ‘planners’ are putting the cart in front of the mule in their schemes…. And it is the common citizenry that is saddled with those burdens as a result of their major lack in the area of possessing a ‘concept of reality’….. They want to pursue a ‘Gumbo’ based reality rather than a ‘Larger’ based reality…… Larger as in expanding the rigid little mindset they seem to be stuck in……. It is unreal…… Now Walt Disney pulled off a rather unique stunt when he turned an orange orchard into a major World Wide destination back in the late 50’s….. But y’all seriously need to scrap the Seymour da Fair mentality…… It is sort of rancid,,, even several decades later after the fact……. Written by
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Oh, and by the way, Broadway theatres, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located in the Theatre District, New York (plus one theatre in Lincoln Center) in Manhattan, New York City. Along with London's West End theatre, Broadway theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English-speaking world. And have you ever seen the size of JFK or LaGuardia airport?????
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The City of New York (most often called New York City) the most densely populated major city in the United States, with an estimated 8,274,527 people occupying just under 305 square miles…. The New York metropolitan area's population is also the nation's highest, estimated at 18,815,988 people over 6,720 square miles……… over 5,000 people per square mile…….. Uhhhhh,,, let me seee………….. uhhhhhh, LOUISIANA population, uhhhhh 4 million+……………….. Uhhhhhhhh 51,843 sq. miles……. Uhhhhhhh, NEW ORLEANS population…… Uhhhhhh, hoping to hit 200,000 someday???? Why don’t the two of you go figure the numbers out…. In other words, New Orleans is sort of tied with Anchorage Alaska where population values are concerned…. And between #1 New York, and #135 Anchorage Alaska there is an AWFUL LOT OF DEAD SPACE HANGING AROUND…… And most of them don’t have tax burdens that is to be run by a government partner like a theater either….. Go fig….. er uhhhh,,, begger….. Written by
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There are about 50 theators in NYC. Having 2 or 4 in New Orleans is asking too much? Written by NolaBoy
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THE SAENGER THEATER????? OH THIS MUST BE ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE WELL THOUGHT OUT 'ECONOMIC ENGINE' DEVELOPMENT PLANS/FUNDS DISBURSEMENT MECHANISMS...... WHAT A RETARDED 'FIELD OF DREAMS' "IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME" FLASHBACK * ** ** Curtains go down on 16 Broadway shows - - - - Print Mon Jan 5, 6:57 pm ET AFP/Getty Images/File – NEW YORK (AFP) – The curtain will descend on no less than 16 Broadway shows by the end of February as New York's theater district looks to China to help ride out a growing recession......... Just this weekend performers in nine shows took their final bows...... Two of them -- Tony Award-winning musical "Hairspray" and "Grease" -- closed for financial reasons, Erica Ryan, a spokeswoman for the Broadway League said....... The league, which represents theaters along the Great White Way, insisted the overall situation was healthy and that 20 shows are due to open for the 2008-2009 season...... "A significant number of shows closing this month are limited runs and were always scheduled to close on the dates they are closing," said Charlotte St Martin, executive director of the league...... "The other shows that are closing are, for the most part, closing after long successful runs and are finishing the natural cycle."..... New York newspapers said Broadway was suffering the same punishment as almost every other sector of the US economy. Tickets to Broadway performances typically cost at least 80 dollars and often far more...... "Broadway is facing hard times as the economic meltdown pinches consumers and fewer tourists visit the city," the Daily News wrote. "This year's slate of closings ranks among the biggest in memory.".... One bright spot in this gloomy picture appears to be China...... Producer Bob Nederlander is putting on an all-Chinese kung fu musical drama called "Soul of Shaolin" on Broadway next week, his assistant Diana Glazer said..... Nederlander has also joined a plan to build a theater complex in Beijing by 2012 with the idea of exporting US musicals. He already brought "42nd Street" to China in 2007..... Another New York production company, Broadway Asia Entertainment, plans up to five shows in China, the Daily News reported. - - -- - -- - - -- That Saenger is one expensive "Hood Ornament"....... Oh, but New Orleans knows more about the economics of theater than New York does.... I forgot.....
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