Balboa Theater price tag jumps to $3.5 million

Noaki Schwartz

BALBOA PENINSULA -- The nonprofit foundation trying to resurrect the

Balboa Theater has run into some unexpected costs that will drive

fund-raising efforts up to $3.5 million.

“The biggest problem with this whole building scenario is the

Americans [with] Disabilities Act requirements,” said Dayna Pettit, board

president for the Balboa Performing Arts Theatre Foundation.

Although she anticipated incurring costs from redesigning the interior

of the 1927 building for disabled patrons, she did not foresee the extent

of those costs, Pettit said. The theater must install an elevator, wider

aisles and handicapped bathroom stalls. Even the projection room must be

wheelchair accessible.

Foundation members remain optimistic.

“We have to raise another $2.5 [million],” Pettit said. “It’s not so

much money.”

In comparison to ongoing efforts by the Orange County Performing Arts

Center to raise $200 million and the estimated $12 million necessary to

build the Newport Beach Arts and Education Center, $2.5 million seems

conservative.

However, given that it took three years to raise the initial $1

million -- $480,000 of which was Newport’s purchase of the Balboa

Boulevard building -- the unforeseen costs could push the theater’s

timeline back.

The foundation had hoped to have the renovated theater open by fall of

2000.

But Michelle Roberge, the foundation’s executive director, said she

hopes the group can raise the funds within a year and still expects to

have the theater up and running by this time next year. If the funds

don’t come through, she said the foundation would take out a loan to

finish the project.

That kind of dedication has been consistent among foundation members

since the nonprofit organization started in 1995. They were a group of

active residents who didn’t want to see a community landmark crumble and

stuck with the effort through more than one setback.

Over the years, the movement blossomed and the foundation pursued an

organized fund-raising campaign.

Roberge said one of the problems may have been that the initial

estimate -- $1 million to rehabilitate the entire theater -- was naive.

As part of their Capital Campaign, the foundation has organized a 5K

run and walk for Oct. 23. The course will loop through Peninsula Point to

the Wedge and return to the Balboa Pier.

As an added incentive, the first 500 entries in the run will receive a

free round-trip ticket to Catalina on the Catalina Flyer.

WHAT: Run for the Arts

WHEN: Oct. 23

WHERE: Balboa Peninsula. The start of the race will be at Washington

Street and Bay Avenue

HOW MUCH: $18

REGISTER: Before Oct. 16, make checks payable to: Balboa Performing Arts

Theatre Foundation and mail to: The Finish Line International, 7846

Bonnie Drive, Huntington Beach, CA 92648. For more information, check out

the Web site -- https://nealand.com/finishline .