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11/20/06 – Mahaffey Theater
Recognized as “Outstanding Rehab Project”
The Tampa Bay Chapter of the
National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) voted the
City of St. Petersburg's Mahaffey Theater the "Outstanding Rehab
Project" in its 2006 "Best of the Best" Awards. The
Theater, designed by Aude Shand and Williams and built by Hennessey
Construction Services, is the centerpiece of the Progress Energy Center for the Arts which by 2009 will house the headquarters of the Florida Orchestra
and the internationally acclaimed Salvador Dalí Museum.
The Mahaffey Theater was
originally built in 1965 as part of the Bayfront Center Complex that also
included an eight-thousand seat arena. The Theater was renovated in the
mid-1980s into an acoustically excellent and elegant concert hall that
presented the entire range of musical and theatrical entertainment. In
December 2004, an architectural forensic analysis of the theater revealed
an urgent need for repairs and waterproofing. The City recognized the
opportunity to create a fresh, modern, improved facility rather than simply
applying a “band-aid” to the existing hall. Furthermore, the City
recognized the opportunity to create a multifaceted cultural center unlike
any other in the southeast United States.
Funding for this project arrived via a 30-year extension
of the City’s downtown tax increment financing (TIF) district. Through this
TIF district, an estimated $97.5 million dollars in tax revenues will be
available for use in the area in which they were generated. These funds
will support several downtown projects that include the Mahaffey Theater,
The Pier, and a new waterfront park.
The operational viability of the complex was aided in
April 2006 with a long-term pledge of support by Progress Energy Florida,
Inc. through the naming of the cultural complex “The Progress Energy Center
for the Arts.” Under the terms of the agreement, Progress Energy has
committed to a financial contribution of nearly $6.3 million over the next
20 years. The City will receive approximately 80 percent of the funds for
programming at the Center. The balance will be spent directly by
Progress Energy to support or promote other activities at the Center.
For the complete project narrative, click here.
For a site plan of the Progress Energy Center
for the Arts, click here.
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