CITY COUNCIL TO HEAR SIMON THEATER PROJECT UPDATE

  

Brenham City Manager Terry Roberts says the entire Simon Theater project could be finished in the fall,  with a ballroom, meeting places and the old time theater.

That’s what the Brenham City Council could hear when they get an update on the Simon Theater facility at Thursday’s meeting.

Roberts says the Council will be getting an update on the project, the improvements, the status and the future operation and ownership of the facility during  a workshop session.

The project has been underway for many years.  The Brenham Main Street Historical Society was formed six years ago to find historical properties in the city and work towards preserving them.  The Society went looking for a  buyer for the old theater but couldn’t find one, so they bought it themselves. They had big plans but only some of them have been fulfilled.  Four years ago the Convention and Visitors Bureau moved its visitors center to the one-time lobby of the theater but there are plans to turn the upstairs into a ballroom, and perhaps make the theater are place for meeting, conventions and even the showcase for classic movies.

The Simon Theater was Brenham’s premier movie theater from the silent movie days of 1926 until it closed in 1984.

The total budget for the full restoration was estimated to be $5.8 million with the funding coming from both public and private sources.

The Brenham City Council will hold this workshop at 8 Thursday morning.  The rest of the meeting will continue after the workshop.  Roberts said the Council is meeting in the morning because of travel plans and personal commitments.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS