You can't put a dollar value to the sense of grandeur and wonder created by such venues, however the comment in the video regarding people coming to see the
venue even if the performance stinks is only valid if the
venue is what is being sold. I believe that much of the justification for any public investment in a restoration of the Uptown would be the potential impact on the surrounding community and much of that would be predicated on it being a viable and active performance
venue.
There is so much of a restoration like this that relates to aspects hidden from the public. The Uptown was apparently vacated 30 years ago due to the potential cost of repairs required at that time and was without heating or ventilation for part of that 30 years. That obviously has a tremendous impact on what would have to be included in any restoration or renovation. So would addressing
current code compliance, there have been many changes over that time even with any exemptions due to the historic nature. As an example,
ADA accessibility and the capacity of the restrooms are two aspects that typically still have to be addressed in historic venues. Then there is the need to do all this within the constraints imposed by the historical considerations. When you're looking for public funding and donations at some
point it is inevitable that the question of how the cost of restoration compares to that of a functionally comparable new
venue will be asked and I haven't seen much presented that suggests that the answer here would look that good.
Keeping in mind that there are not only the initial restoration costs involved with such venues but also often large ongoing operations and maintenance costs, many historic theater restorations are politically and economically viable due the the
venue being able to cost effectively support a variety of events that both serve the community and generate a regular income stream. The Uptown apparently has limited
stage and support space and other than the lobbies I cannot find any mention of ancillary event spaces. Maybe there are such spaces or they could be created as part of the restoration, otherwise the potential long term viability and success of a restoration of the Uptown would appear tied almost exclusively to events that are
practical to hold in the
auditorium.
Both audiences and productions really like coming to such unique venues, however production companies are businesses and patrons have finite funds so they will only do so as long as it makes economic sense to them. I have seen first
hand that if production costs, and as a result the ticket costs, end up being significantly greater than for competing venues then there is a
point where that will become a deciding factor. That can be a factor with older venues as the existing facility most likely does not incorporate many of the modern systems and conveniences that contemporary audiences expect or that modern productions require and addressing those within a building that was not designed for them and within the historic constraints would be financially if not physically challenging. If that prevents being competitive with other venues then there is only so much the aesthetic allure of the
venue can do to prevent people choosing those other options.
Apparently the property is owned by Jam Productions, a private, for profit corporation, who, from what I could find, purchased it in 2008 for $3.2 million and as part of the sale also assumed liability for $1.8 million the City had previously invested. While there is still the argument for the potential value to the community by having such a
venue, the ownership by a corporation, and one that also owns other venues in the area, would seem to create a rather unique situation in regards to any public funding and private donations. Things would probably be much simpler if some entity whose only interest was the Uptown, such as a dedicated non-profit, owned the property, however I have not seen anything indicating that the
current owner seems interested in relinquishing ownership.
The reality is that many historic
venue restorations happen because the people involved don't recognize, or refuse to recognize, that what they are doing makes no sense other than on a purely emotional basis. However, in the case of the Uptown the
practical challenges of a restoration seem to be huge. The video and other information I could find do a very good job of presenting the ideals and good intent, however I wish they addressed the
practical side a
bit more. It would be great to see the Uptown be restored but somebody is going to have to create a plan that addresses the
practical aspects or it may be just another failed attempt.