The Bohm Theatre Update
For the Friends of the Bohm, the group dedicated to saving the Bohm Theatre in Albion’s historic downtown, rain is their worst enemy, and unfortunately this week has been full of it.
The biggest boon to reviving the Bohm Theatre that closed in November of 2008, is water damage coming in through its leaky roof. Since its closure, the building has suffered from substantial flooding in its main floors. The roof and east wall of the bulding are currently being replaced and repaired.
The repairs on the west wall façade will begin in the Spring of 2012.
Don’t get too excited just yet, the road to the re-opening of the Bohm is rather long. The theatre is not expected to open for at least 3 to 5 years.
Over $430,000 in cash and pledges have been raised for the Bohm’s renovation. Over $350,000 with go into the “exterior stabilization” projects. Albion Area Philanthropic Women were a significant help in meeting the local match requirements for grants numbering $250,000 from the state of Michigan and $20,000 from The Anderson’s Foundation.
Bidding Closed on Washington Gardner Middle School
Bidding on the vacant Washington Gardner Middle School property closed Monday, and Albion College is the new holder of its keys.
The deal between the Albion School Board and the college has not yet been finalized, but the college was the only party which placed a bid for the property.
The college’s interest in the property has been known since September when Mike Frandsen, Vice President of Finance and Administration, asked Director of the Honors Program Dean McCurdy to use the Honors Council as a focus group to generate ideas for how the property could be used.
It is expected that development of the property will begin in the mid-November.
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