The state of Indiana has announced it’s awarding millions of dollars to two proposed entertainment venues on both sides of the St. Joseph River downtown South Bend.
In this year’s round of READI grants, the state has awarded $4 million to a proposal by the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County to renovate and redesign the historic State Theatre. City community investment deputy director Joe Molnar describes what the foundation has in mind for the long-vacant and dilapidated former theatre.
”So it would be like two theatres on one floor and I think three on the other," Molnar says. "A couple hundred (seats) each, ranging from small to medium-size theatres. That would also the opportunities to do multiple screenings and movies at once, movie festivals, but then do a small comedy show or small music acts in some of the theatres, and then renovate the ground floor to have like a bar/restaurant area as well.”
The state also is giving the city $3 million to build a band shell at Howard Park. It will be built down by the river so the performers have their backs to the water.
Molnar says the foundation needs to raise more than the $4 million they requested from the state, though he didn’t know how much more. Foundation officials Tuesday said they weren’t ready to talk about it yet.
