The giant chandelier in the grand lobby of the Akron Civic Theatre is due for a polish.
The downtown theater plans to use a $530,000 grant from the state and is seeking another $50,000 through the Summit County Land Bank to refurbish the chandelier, make repairs to its roof, and upgrade electrical work and heating and air conditioning.
Summit County plans to lend its oversight during the renovation project, which theater officials hope begins in September and is wrapped up in three or four months.
“The Civic Theatre is the crown jewel of Summit County and we should do everything we can to preserve it for generations to come,” County Councilman John Schmidt said.
The facility is owned by the Development Finance Authority of Summit County, an economic development arm of the county.
The upcoming work won’t interfere with any performances, although there will be temporary lighting in place of the chandelier while it is being refurbished, said Howard Parr, executive director of the theater.
The Civic, which first opened in 1929, underwent a $22.6 million renovation in 2002. The new work is an extension of that earlier project.
When the latest upgrades are completed — the majority of the money will be spent on electrical work — Parr estimated that the facility still will need $1 million to $2 million in aesthetic work, such as painting and replacing the brass doors at the entrance.
There’s no need to do the aesthetic work until the roof repairs and electrical upgrades are made, he said.
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @armonrickABJ.