The New York governor announced that the renovation of the former National Biscuit Company bakery into a Capital repertory theatre on 251 North Pearl Street in Downtown Albany has been completed. The Theatre is the Capital Region’s only professional producing theatre and is a 28,000 square foot facility that includes a 300-seat stage and auditorium; a 100-seat “black box” theater; wardrobe and props construction and storage facilities; and an extensive dressing room and actor preparation space. This project undertook a historic restoration and adaptive reuse of the vacant original bakery, which in recent decades was used largely as a storage facility. Refinished original hardwood floors and extensive exposure of brick walls and original wooden timber beams define the interior space.
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Capital Repertory Theatre, an affiliate of the Proctors Collaborative, was located for more than 25 years at the ground level of the parking garage located two blocks south that is currently being redeveloped by Redburn Development. The US$14 million project was supported by thousands of individual donors and subscribers through a capital campaign. Empire State Development has agreed to provide US$1.8 million through Round 5 of the Restore New York Communities Initiative, and US$950,000 through the Round V of the Regional Council initiative, as recommended by the Capital Region’s Regional Economic Development Council. New York State Homes and Community Renewal is providing $2 million through its Rural and Urban Community Investment Fund, and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has agreed to provide federal and state Historic Preservation Tax Credits that generated US$5.2 million in equity. Over the last decade, the Historic Tax Credit program has spurred more than US$12 billion in private investment in more than 1,000 buildings across New York State.
The governor stated; “New York’s vibrant arts and entertainment venues have been among the pandemic’s hardest-hit businesses, and their expected reopening under strict state guidance is a welcome part of the state’s recovery from COVID-19.”
