Hertford to buy former State Theater Building for $125K

Hertford Town Council voted unanimously Monday to adopt a resolution approving the town’s purchase of the former State Theater Building for $125,000.

Councilors also agreed to the town’s plan to seek state grants to expedite improvements to the building at 144 North Church Street that’s sat vacant for the past 60 years.

According to the resolution, the State Theater, which closed in February 1964, “is in a state of disrepair.” And because its owners have acknowledged they are not “financially positioned to restore the theater” to its historic purpose, they are willing to sell the building to the town for $125,000.

Hertford Mayor Ashley Hodges said he was glad to see the owner acknowledge those limitations and agree to sell the building to the town. Any revitalization plan at the site could have have dragged on for some time, significantly affecting Church Street. The street not only provides access to downtown businesses and government offices, it’s also used for a growing list of public events.

“Our intent is to front the money to buy the building, and maximize the grants available to us, so this doesn’t drag on,” Hodges said. “It’s been closed since 1964 so there is no way it is commercially viable.”

Town Manager Janice Cole noted that the town has more options than the current owner to apply for government-funded grants designed to renovate old buildings for the purpose of attracting news businesses.

As the next owner of the building, the town will be eligible to apply for the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Rural Downtown Economic Development Grant. Cole said the maximum amount of that grant, $850,000, requires a matching 5% investment, or $42,500, from the town.

Hertford officials believe if the town is awarded a Rural Economic Development Grant, it likely would be able to develop and execute a restoration plan for the State Theater Building more quickly than a private owner would.

Hertford has seen few developers or business owners willing to invest in downtown buildings without assurances that a sufficient customer base is available to bring them a return on their investment.

Councilman Keith Rouse said he agrees that the town has to take proactive steps to improve its chances of luring visitors and investors who will spend money in the local economy.

“I’d love to see it (State Theater Building) bring some money back to downtown. We need something strong in Hertford, so they (visitors) have more to do when the are here,” Rouse said.

“The paddleboat riders are in Edenton, their downtown businesses are there, the boat rides are there. They have things for people to do so more people go there,” he continued, making an apparent reference to the Albemarle Queen, Harbor Towns Cruises’ new dinner-cruise boat.

Town Council also approved the town’s plan to allocate $42,500 as matching funds should the town able to secure a Rural Downtown Economic Development Grant.

Town officials are asking local residents to share photos of the State Theater’s interior when the building was in use so they’ll have better ideas about how the building should be restored.

Cole also reminded councilors and citizens to watch the town’s website and newsletter for upcoming events in August. Those events include:

• Friday Night Stroll in downtown Hertford on Aug. 9 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• Seeds of Success Movie Night at Central Park on Aug. 3 at 8 p.m. The Perquimans County Recreation Department will sponsor a screening of the film, “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.”

• Seeds of Success will host a science program led by Perquimans County Agriculture Extension 4-H’s Tori DeWald Aug. 17 from 1 p.m. to 3. p.m at the Community Center on Grubb Street.