Liberty Theater Toured

On Monday evening, August 31, members of the Pottery Players Community Theater group & Wellsville's Revitalization Committee toured the old Liberty Theater on Main St. The building has sat mostly unused since the 1980s when an attempt was made to revive it as a movie theater. Today it is gutted out and used for storage.

The building believed to have been built in 1924 is the property of the PPCT, Inc. A few years ago it was donated to a local group who hoped to renovate it for use for any Community Theater group and for the Wellsville schools. That was when it was gutted out and a new floor poured on main floor. That local group then tried to donate the building to the Wellsville School District who declined the offer. A bit later it was donated to the PPCT group who enthusiastically accepted the offer. They even purchased newer seating from Jeff Tech when they were disposing of them for a remodeling project of their own.

Then the recession hit and now funds for renovating the place have mostly dried up, especially in the local area. However, the talented folks that make up the PPCT group have not given up hope. Although it is now just a shell of what it use to be the building appears to be structurally sound. It is a brick structure with concrete floors in both the main theater & basement. The roof is corrugated metal and the building appears dry.

Members of the theater group remarked that the first thing that is needed is to find an architect willing to donate their services and draw up plans & specifications for finishing the renovation. With specifications they will be able to get an idea of what it will cost to complete the work restoring the theater.

Although at first look it appears to be a daunting task it's not at all far fetched. The building is there and ready to once again to be a functional part of our community. It has potential for many uses. With a little luck and funding it's a dream that could come true. Hopefully the two groups that toured the building yesterday can find a way to get it accomplished.

ole nib