Report 12.30.10
! ! ! ! ! memorandum report to: Eileen Cabanel, City of Laconia from: Webb Management Services regarding: Colonial Theatre Needs Assessment date: December 31, 2010 Webb Management Services is a management consulting practice for the development and operation of cultural facilities. We have been hired by the City of Laconia to assess the feasibility of revitalizing the Colonial Theatre, located on Main Street in downtown Laconia. To complete our work, we considered the market for cultural events, existing local and regional arts and event facilities, potential uses and users, and community goals, benefits and impacts. We met with nearly 150 members of the community, including representatives of local arts organizations, promoters, educational institutions, downtown businesses, constituents, and elected officials. We also toured existing local arts, educational and cultural facilities, and then conducted research on comparable projects searching for precedents and other information that might inform the study. 1. Study Context 1.1 The Colonial Theatre The Colonial Theatre originally opened its doors in 1914. Once the center of activity for the downtown, the Theatre operated as 1,250-seat venue and presented films, musical performances and vaudeville shows. In addition to the auditorium, the property includes four commercial storefront spaces and 18 apartments that are rented as affordable housing. Long-time Laconia residents reminisce about performing dance recitals on the stage, seeing beloved films for the first time in the theatre, or even having their first kiss in the balcony. The current property owner, Patricia Baldi, purchased the property in the 1962 with her husband, Lawrence Baldi. Mr. and Mrs. Baldi operated the Colonial Theatre as a movie theater, presenting films until 2001.
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