ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, August 29, 1996 TAG: 9608290040
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-16 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: PULASKI
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
Efforts to save the 85-year-old downtown Pulaski Theatre may be nearing an end after three years.
The Friends of the Pulaski Theatre, a group organized to try to reopen the building as a performing arts and community center, wants to hand off the project to the town's Economic Development Board. But the board's executive committee decided Wednesday it may not be able to take it on right now.
The owners of the building gave it to Pulaski County after it closed as a movie house in 1992. The friends group put in hours of volunteer labor and obtained some grant money to try to stabilize the building, especially its roof, which needs to be replaced.
The building began as the Elks Theatre in 1911, offering live entertainment. When vaudeville faded away, it became a dry goods store and reopened as a movie theater in 1938. It closed at the start of 1992 and has since been dormant, except for its marquee being used to advertise events and activities in downtown Pulaski.
The county supervisors designated the friends group as their agent in working to restore the building. In 1994, Supervisor Bruce Fariss suggested that it be demolished for parking space, which prompted the friends to ask for a board commitment giving them time to come up with a restoration plan.
The board gave them two more years to start restoration work. No start has been made and time is up next month.
The town's Economic Development Board considered asking the supervisors for another year to look for an appropriate use for the building. But its executive committee decided that current efforts should go toward such projects as extending the New River Trail into Pulaski, restoring the Draper Mountain Wayside on U.S. 11, and expanding the town's Train Station park.
"I'm not opposed to the building being renovated and used," said committee Vice Chairman Wayne Carpenter. "But I believe we need to keep focused on what our original goals are."
Economic Development Director Barry Matherly said he has been approached by people hoping to put together another group for restoring the theater. The executive committee decided to table the matter until it sees whether such a group is formed.
Individuals have approached the county offering to take the building off its hands. But county officials want to be sure any future owner would develop it, and not just let it sit in downtown Pulaski and deteriorate further.
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