PUBLISHED ON September 11, 2009
Yakima Herald-Republic
This editorial appears in the Sept. 11, 2009, Yakima Herald-Republic.
Seismic change in a community -- the kind that's bold and breathtaking -- is memorable not only for what it offers but the future it portends.
Such is the grit and grandeur of the Capitol Theatre expansion in Yakima. The iconic theater has long been the centerpiece of Yakima's downtown core. With the planned expansion that will greatly expand its facilities and broaden its reach into the entertainment world, the Capitol Theatre will remain as the axis around which the city's downtown will revolve.
It's also fitting that on Tuesday, when official groundbreaking ceremonies were held, former state legislator Jim Clements was there to praise the project. Through his efforts and those of late state Rep. Mary Skinner, they were able to engineer a funding mechanism through which the theater has received more than $7 million in tax money.
"It is a permanent symbol of who we are, who we were and who we are going to be," Clements said.
Work has already begun within the Capitol Theatre footprint. Construction of the $9.4 million production center at the rear of the theater will enable the Capitol to attract much larger, more ambitious Broadway-style shows.
By next summer, work will be completed on a 500-seat Black Box Theatre at that site along with a 2,800-square-foot patio. Imagine salsa dancing under the stars.
But the expansion doesn't end there. The ultimate goal is to restore the nearby Wilson Building, north of the Capitol at the corner of Yakima Avenue and Third Street, and turn it into the CTCenter, opening the structure for administrative offices, a box office, retail space and an area for light food and beverages.
That part of the project, though, still lacks funds. Nearly $11 million has been raised but work on the Wilson Building is still $2.5 million short of the mark.
The money may take awhile to flow in, but it will happen. This community has too much invested in the Capitol Theatre to let this final hurdle stand in the way. Ever since it opened in 1920, the theater has attracted attention as one of the premier venues for the performing arts. It's no small coincidence that after the tragic fire in 1975 that gutted the old theater, America's foremost comedian, Bob Hope, came to perform when the refurbished edifice reopened.
In the shadows cast by the Capitol Theatre, Yakima's proud past truly meets the city's revitalized future. That's how seismic change takes place in a community -- by everyone coming together for the common good.
