The Capitol Theatre is one of Yakima’s proudest accomplishments. Built in 1920, the theatre has served as a cultural icon, entertaining hundreds of thousands of patrons with a diversity of programming ranging from touring Broadway musicals to community-based events including our own Yakima Symphony Orchestra and Yakima Town Hall Series.
As beautiful and historic as The Capitol Theatre is, each passing year shows the current infrastructure to be less than adequate for today’s performances. The electronic requirements for computerized lighting, staging and sound; the need for prop and equipment storage; even the parking facilities for production trucks, is insufficient to host most of the larger performances that are affordable but cannot fit in the facility.
We recognize that the theatre is a significant community asset and a broader social responsibility has always been the heart and soul of the Capitol Theatre. With the closing of the Yakima Mall in 2002, Yakima experienced a tremendous exodus, as business after business fled the downtown area in search of greener pastures. In response, the Capitol Theatre Board of Trustees (CTC) began to move forward in addressing both the facility’s infrastructure shortcomings as well as how the theatre’s presence might be used as an asset to downtown rejuvenation. With a $500,000 grant from local benefactor, Helen Jewett, the highly regarded Traho Design firm was engaged and the vision for a Capitol Theatre Campus was created. This plan is grounded in the belief that carefully designed, purposeful improvements to the Capitol Theatre will serve to increase activities and significantly contribute to growth in the downtown area.
DESCRIPTION
The Capitol Theatre Campus is divided into three separate and stand-alone phases:
PHASE I – Research & Developement
$500,000 for planning and fund raising.
PHASE II – Capitol Theatre Production Center & “Pavilion”
$10,213,750 for two support facilities. First is the Production Center (attached to the back of the Capitol Theatre facility) that will include a 200 to 400 seat flexible “Black Box” theatre. Second is a two story annex on the corner of Yakima Avenue and 3rd Street. With the working title of “Pavilion”, this structure is designed to serve as a beacon to the center of downtown, providing both public and private meeting and gathering spaces, including a CT lobby annex, food & beverage service, box office, jazz club with administrative offices on the second floor. It will be designed to represent what is authentic to our Valley, complimenting both the Capitol Theatre and the architectural environment that makes up our downtown core.
Included in phase two is $500,000 to move the utilities in back of the Theatre to accommodate the Production Center.
PHASE III – Pedestrian Plaza
$5,000,000 for a pedestrian plaza and lobby extension by closing traffic on 3rd Street to traffic between Yakima and Chestnut Avenues. The concept of the plaza in an integral component to defining a destination draw that will enhance the community that is becoming Yakima’s downtown core. The Plaza is still very much in the conceptual stage and more work needs to be done. We do know that a defined city center, one that offers open space for gatherings and activities, and featuring spaces for performance along with food and beverage service will attract and sustain the visitor — a key element in enabling a viable and exciting future for Yakima. Attached is a supplement to this policy issue that offers a concept designed by the Berger Partnership in Seattle (and paid for by the CTC.)
PROGRESS
To date, the Capitol Theatre has secured in excess of $9 million dollars through a combination of local fundraising and changes in State legislation that increases the authorities of the Public Facilities District (PFD).
Phase 1 ($500,000) is completed, funded entirely with private donations secured by the CTC.
Phase 2 is 86% funded through a combination of PFD revenues and bonding ($7.4 million) and private contributions ($1.4 million) with the remaining $1.4 million committed to be raised by the CTC (through a combination of grants, private fundraising and soliciting the State of Washington.)
The CTC has embarked on a bold and historic course to secure the future of The Capitol Theatre by contributing to the quality-of-life of Yakima’s downtown core. Their efforts, to-date, have raised over $9.3 million along with a commitment to secure the remaining $1.4 million needed to complete Phase 2.
Opened
1920
Destroyed by Fire
August 19, 1975
Rebuilt in 733 days
The Theatre Today
130 Annual Events
100,000 Annual Visits
