Novato Theater Renovation on Council Agenda Tonight

This could be a huge night for Novato. If the City Council follows a recommendation from city staff and approves a $50,000 sale of the to a nonprofit group, residents could be a few years away from having a bustling performing arts facility in the heart of Old Town.

The council has a special meeting set for 6:30 p.m. at to take up the issue, which has been brewing for several years. The Novato Theater, opened in 1946 and a city landmark since then, has been shuttered since 1991 and a constant reminder of what many believe is a lack of nightlife in the city.

“I can’t think of any reason why they might postpone it,” said volunteer Susan Bell-Warner. “To my knowledge, we have done everything we need to do.”

Bernice Baeza, executive director of the renovated Lark Theater in Larkspur, is leading the effort to fix up the Novato Theater and present a mix of live performances, film, lectures and other events. She estimates it will take $3 million to get the theater ready for action — $2 million in building remodeling, $500,000 for various equipment and $500,000 as an operating budget for the first nine months.

Aided by about 50 volunteers, the group raised $750,000 in pledges and donations — — as required by the city to be eligible for the $50,000 sale of the property. There is much fundraising still to come, though. Baeza and her core committee have been seeking members for a limited liability corporation that would lead the ownership group (four couples have committed thus far) and donations and in-kind assistance are being heartily accepted.

The city documents now say Baeza is not obligated to create an LLC before the transaction is completed because she is not in a position to create it until a minimum of $840,000 in pledges is raised.

City staff described the theater as "a significant source of blight" for two decades in an area of Grant Avenue that is “overdue for development.” More than $10 million in city funds was pumped into enhances on Grant over the past few years to try and boost retail activity.

“The return of the Downtown Novato Theater building as an entertainment anchor would greatly benefit businesses along the eastern section of Grant Avenue,” city staff said in its report to the council.

The city owns the theater outright after making monthly payments of $2,250 to the previous owners from 1996 until August 2011.

Novato lost its downtown arts and entertainment venue, the , in 2004 when it was condemned by the fire marshal. It sits unimproved on the corner of De Long and Machin avenues except for a . Other than a few small restaurants that offer live music and events, downtown Novato has been mostly devoid of an indoor entertainment facility.