SEPTEMBER 2007: AROUND THE STATE
Granada gets a new future
THE DALLES An
important piece of the past and a key building in the
redevelopment of The Dalles historic downtown finally has a new
owner and a new future.
True North Productions, a 2-year-old company based in The
Dalles, bought the lovely Moorish style Granada Theater on
Second Street for $650,000 in late July. The new owners plan to
put between $1.5 million and $2 million into the 1929 theater,
built when silent films were still the rage, and make it a
showplace venue for acoustic music.
The theater, which is in the National Historic District, is
“tired and needs a lot of work,” says Buz Smith of
True North Productions. True North runs group tours of the
Columbia Gorge and Smith says tying in the tours to the theater
was key in making the purchase pencil out. “Restoring
this theater and keeping it going is not sustainable with its
current demographics and population base,” Smith says.
“Linking the tours to events at the Granada helps support
the theater.”
Dan Durow, The Dalles’ community development director,
says that the city had been trying for years to find a buyer
who could create enough revenue to sustain the maintenance on
the theater. The city used urban renewable money to rebuild the
roof, and True North plans a gut rehab on the building that
will maintain its historic integrity. Smith says the theater
will be open for the tours and small events beginning in
October as rehab work begins.
ROBIN DOUSSARD
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