Politics & Government

RCT Expansion Plans Modified

DDA may be able to move ahead expeditiously with project to expand Red Clay Theatre and eliminate unsightly depression next to it.

Members of the Duluth City Council and Duluth Downtown Development Authority informally agreed on a design for a Red Clay Theatre expansion at a joint work session in the Community Room at Duluth City Hall Monday (April 29).

Based on a design presented by DDA Vice Chairman Rob Ponder, an architect, the city may be able to move ahead with the project expeditiously. Ponder said RFPs (requests for proposals) for constructing the expansion could probably be sought using his design, which was modified during the meeting.

The expansion would eliminate an unsightly depression next to the theatre created when the end wall was replaced to stop water from leaking into the basement.

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“The DDA is ready to go,” Ponder said. “The city needs to fill the hole as soon as possible.”

Eddie Owen manages and books music acts at the city-owned 257-seat theatre on Main Street in downtown Duluth.

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As now proposed the existing basement would be expanded to provide for a food and beverage work area and storage. Owen plans to establish a music school in the remainder of the basement.

The existing first floor would be expanded to provide pre-function space for theatre patrons, restrooms, and a 36-seat bar serving beer and wine. This floor would be ground level on the Main Street side of the theatre.

A second floor addition would consist of an outdoor rooftop tavern that would serve beer, wine and a limited food menu. Owen indicated he would be interested in operating the tavern and keeping it open on a regular basis, not just when there were shows at the theatre.

A previously discussed second floor restaurant and kitchen that would offer third floor rooftop dining was eliminated from the design.

Instead, an 80-seat tavern would be located on the second floor rooftop. Owen said he was not interested in operating a full-service restaurant. An elevator and stairs would connect the basement and other floors. A dumb waiter would carry food up from the basement.

Owen said there were several options for providing food for tavern patrons, including preparing it on site in the basement and having it catered. Ponder said a mini-kitchen might possibly be added to the tavern floor.

The rooftop tavern would be usable an estimated 240 to 270 days a year.

Each of the three floors would contain about 2,400 square feet of space.

The city is keen on creating a downtown dining and entertainment district and has hired the consulting firm of Morris & Fellows to develop a master plan. The rooftop tavern fits into this concept.

The Red Clay Theatre expansion, DDA member and Pure Taqueria partner Bill Weaver said, would “kick start what we want to happen downtown.”

The expansion lies between Pure Taqueria and the theater. About six feet would separate the two buildings.

PKF Consulting USA, an outside consulting firm contracted by the city, presented a feasibility study on suitable sites in Duluth for a 100-unit “select service” hotel that concluded the best site was in the Old City Hall Block.

City council and DDA members agreed to authorize city staff to issue RFQs (requests for qualifications) for developers interested in constructing a retail restaurant district and high-quality urban residential neighborhood on two locations in downtown Duluth. The two-step process would later seek RFPs (requests for proposals) from qualified developers. Public Financial Management and Bleakly Advisory Group provided input to city planning staff in developing the process.


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