Black Tarpaper RCT Wall Replaced

The unsightly black tarpaper that had covered the end of the Red Clay Theatre in Duluth has been replaced with an attractive red brick wall. Installation of the brick wall was completed Friday (Sept 21).

The Duluth Downtown Development Authority is paying for the new wall and for emergency repairs undertaken to stop basement flooding.

The end of the theater building had been damaged by rain and flood water during heavy rains in 2009 and had to be demolished. Remaining parts of the wall had been in danger of collapsing into the basement.

The DDA plans to proceed with preparing a RFP and soliciting bids for other improvements proposed at the RCT that include expanding the basement and developing a foundation-ready site for future development on vacant land between Pure Taqueria and the theatre. The city owns the Red Clay Theatre located on Main Street in downtown Duluth.

The Red Clay Theatre will be the site of the annual Redevelopment Forum Oct. 11 being presented by Partnership Gwinnett and the Council for Quality Growth. About 200 city leaders and developers are expected to attend the forum for a program featuring experts on downtown redevelopment.

The keynote speaker will be Charles Waldheim, chairman of the Landscape Architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

Forum sponsors include the Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District (CID), the Gwinnett Village CID, and the cities of Duluth, Norcross, Snellville, and Sugar Hill. The cities of Decatur, Smyrna and Suwanee and their successful downtown redevelopment programs will be featured in the program.

The forum is an initiative of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce.