The City is gearing up to sell one of Winnipeg’s theatre gems in the hope it can be developed back into the spectacular building it used to be.
A report heading to the City’s property and development committee next Monday recommends the city declare the Pantages Playhouse Theatre surplus and sell it for $530,000 to local developer Alex Boersma and his partner Lars Nicholson.
In return, the partners have agreed to continue to operate the theatre as such and provide “affordable office space to performing arts groups,” according to the report.
Boersma and Nicholson will also look at developing the lot north of the theatre, and will do basic repairs and renovations to the theatre.
The pair are asking for no subsidies from the city, and the property will be added to the tax rolls, said the report.
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If ultimately approved by city council, Boersma and Nicholson will take over in the fall of this year.
Boersma has a history of dealing with older buildings, having recently co-purchased the building at 104 and 108 Princess St. which will become an apartment and retail space.
History
The Pantages Playhouse Theatre was opened in 1914, and the City bought it in 1944.
It was added to the city’s List of Historical Resources in 1981, meaning the site cannot be demolished, only developed.
For the past two decades, the theatre was managed by the Performing Arts Consortium of Winnipeg Inc. and was eventually run by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.
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The WSO told the city last year it would not longer manage the theatre.
City staff took over management of the theatre from September through December and did not book any more events. It has sat vacant since the beginning of the year.
The negotiated price is based on an appraisal of the building, which put it at $530,000.
The WSO also put in a bid for the building, but was not selected.
RELATED: Pantages Playhouse celebrating 100 years with a historic show
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