[ad_1]
CHEBOYGAN — The building that houses the opera house and city hall has been a part of Cheboygan since the 1870s and many consider the structure an important landmark for the city.
Destroyed by fire a couple of times, the building also fell into disrepair and was closed in the 1960s. Substantial renovation work was done between 1978 and 1984 leading to the reopening of the opera house. Since the building also houses city hall, it serves as the nerve center for city government.
Some 40 years later, the city has come to a crossroads with the opera house/city hall. On Tuesday, city council approved the creation of a citizen committee to advise and more forward on a process to repair the structure.
“Years ago there was a movement that was able to restore the opera house and that took a lot of effort. We are looking for the same type of individuals now,” said Cheboygan Mayor Brett Mallory.
In some ways the building serves as a symbol of the city Mallory said.
“There are not a lot of towns that have an opera house like we have. I have been to New York and seen their opera houses, and our opera house measures up to those,” he added.
In 2022 the Hubbell, Roth & Clark consulting engineering firm of Detroit completed an assessment of the structure. While finding some areas in good condition, the report also pointed out problems with the exterior, roof, along with the mechanical and electrical systems.
The firm suggested renovations that could cost from $7 million to $10 million. City manager Dan Sabolsky said other estimates range as high as $12 million.
“What we need to do is figure out a solution and where we are going to get $12 million to make those improvements,” Sabolsky said. “We have already spent about $40,000 on these studies. We need about $200,000 to have what is called destructive testing.”
Subscribe Check out our latest offers and read the local news that matters to you
Destructive testing involves things like punching a hole in a wall or tearing off siding to get a clear picture of what improvements are needed.
The committee will be tasked with coming up with ideas to raise the $200,000 for the testing and help Sabolsky and Owen Goslin, the executive director of the Cheboygan Arts Council and the opera house, handle the workload associated with the project.
Sabolsky said anyone in the community is welcome to serve on the advisory committee.
“They don’t even have to be residents. They could live out in one of the townships or maybe be a business owner. We want to diversify who will be on the panel,” he said.
“People who are passionate about the opera house and the city are welcome to participate,” said Mallory.
Those who are interested in serving on the panel are encouraged to apply to city clerk Alyssa Singles at asingles@cheboygan.org by Sept. 30.
— Contact Paul Welitzkin at pwelitzkin@gaylordheraldtimes.com.
[ad_2]
Source link