Penobscot Theatre Company loan request headed to council

BANGOR – The Penobscot Theatre Company’s request for $90,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds cleared the first of two key hurdles Wednesday night, when members of a City Council subcommittee sent it on to the full council with an ought-to-pass recommendation.

The theater group is in the midst of a $500,000 overhaul of its home, namely the historic Bangor Opera House building on Main Street. Much of the work aims to restore the building to its original 1920s Egyptian art-deco style.

Repair of the building’s facade, the addition of a sprinkler system and upgrades to its heating system and restrooms are part of the first phase of improvements needed to ensure the building is available for generations to come.

So far, most of the project’s funding has come from public sources, including a $285,000 “loan” through Bangor’s Community Development Block Grant program, a $15,000 grant from the Maine Historic Preservation Commission and money from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation.

Under the terms of the 20-year CDBG loan the city issued PTC a year ago, loan payments are to be waived during any year in which the theater remains open, employs at least five people and produces shows that are open to the public.

In his letter requesting an additional $90,000 CDBG loan with the same conditions, PTC producing artistic director Scott Levy said the additional money is needed to cover unanticipated and unbudgeted cost overruns. He provided the following breakdown:

. $21,000 is needed to replace a pre-cast concrete beam over the second-story window. During the overhaul, theater officials found that the beam was not merely aesthetic but was a key part of the building’s support structure.

. $9,800 for replacing all of the building’s pre-cast concrete elements. The original plan was to replace only those that had already fallen off but doing that would have resulted in a similar problem in the future.

. $17,118 for covering and heating the scaffolding used by workers because the masonry work began later and took longer than expected and was done largely over the winter.

. $18,082 for the replacement of more bricks than planned.

. $24,000 for hardware needed to make the front doors accessible to people using wheelchairs.

“None of these overages represent any element of the work that became more expensive because we wanted something fancier for the building. All the overages are related to safety and [Americans with Disabilities Act] requirements,” Levy wrote in a letter requesting the additional financing.

The loan request will be on the agenda of the council’s next regular meeting, set for 7:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall.

dgagnon@bangordailynews.net

990-8189