After over three years of being closed due to water and smoke damage following a fire at the John A. Lau Saloon in 2020, repairs and renovations to the Thunder Bay Theatre building, located at 400 N. Second Ave., have begun this week.

The majority of the funding for the $1.4 million project was secured through a variety of state and local grants including the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Michigan Arts and Culture Council, State Historic Preservation Office, First Federal Legacy Foundation, and the Besser Foundation. While the theater received insurance funds for the damage, the funds were not adequate to address all of the building needs.

Thunder Bay Theatre is a 501(c)3 non-profit that has provided year-round theatre productions and educational opportunities to the community since it was formed in 1967 by Keith Titus. In 1983, the organization purchased and renovated the building at 400 N. Second Ave. after the closure of Alpena Cigar & Candy Factory. The building was built in 1904 as the “new Spens block” and housed the Spens Pharmacy and Grocery Store originally.

In a statement, the Board shared: “It has been a long journey to get to this point requiring a lot of patience and determination to keep moving forward. The theater board has been unwavering in its plans to reopen and continue our mission of providing live theatre and educational opportunities for the Alpena community.”

Meridian Contracting Services and Meridian Restoration will be serving as general contractor on the project. The anticipated timeline for completion of the building repairs is roughly a year, with a potential reopening in the Fall of 2024. The first priority for the building is to repair the brick facade, replace the windows, and replace the roof which has been in desperate need of repair for over five years. Construction will then move indoors to renovate the six upstairs apartments, rebuild the lobby, update the fire suppression system, and update the building’s electrical and plumbing.

Additional funding will be required to update the stage, lighting grid, and the auditorium. A fundraising campaign is expected to launch this Fall but donations towards the project are appreciated at any time.

For more information, visit the theatre’s website www.thunderbaytheatre.com or on Facebook.

ABOUT THUNDER BAY THEATRE:
Located in historic downtown Alpena, Michigan, Thunder Bay Theatre, Inc. is a year-round non-profit theatre committed to providing consistent, high-quality productions and educational
opportunities utilizing a professional core company, augmented with community talent.