Required Benchmark Reached for Theater Fundraising

Volunteers for the are wiping away tears of joy as they celebrate a funding milestone set by the city that would allow them to purchase the long-shuttered movie house on Grant Avenue and start with plans to reopen it.

Susan Bell-Warner, communications chair for the nonprofit group, handed over a letter to Novato City Manager Michael Frank at Tuesday’s meeting of the Novato City Council that assures the $750,000 figure set as a goal last year will be met. The announcement was met with a round of applause in the chamber at .

Bell-Warner said the letter contains proof that a donor — anonymous now but possibly to be made public later — will make up the approximate $200,000 gap to reach the benchmark.

“The letter is confidential, but we want the council to know that we are ready to go,” she said earlier Tuesday.

The next step is for the city to add the theater restoration effort to a City Council agenda so the council can vote on accepting the at 924 Grant Ave. to the nonprofit group. City Clerk Sheri Hartz said the subject is slated to make the agenda on Oct. 25.

Bell-Warner said four couples have publicly committed to membership in a limited liability corporation by making by pledging $30,000 as members of the nonprofit ownership group (LLC members are eligible to contribute a half share at $15,000). According to the group’s website, those donors are John and Alexandra Dickerman, Keith and Christine Greggor, Jack and Kathleen Gallivan, and George and Kele Gasparini. Eighteen other parties — individuals and businesses — are listed as donors of $5,000 or more. Several hundred donors have given or pledged $4,999 or less.

Bell-Warner said her only worry is that Novato residents might think the volunteers don’t need any more cash to get the theater reopened.

“Fundraising hasn’t stopped because of this,” Bell-Warner said. “We met the goal set by the council so we can purchase the building, but nothing moves forward until we raise a lot more money. We don’t have the money to spend on what it’s going to take to open the building. This just allows us to move to Phase 2.”

Several potential donors and companies told theater volunteers that they wouldn’t think seriously about pitching in until the building was purchased from the city, Bell-Warner said.

“If those people are true to their word, we’ll be able to take some big steps,” she said.

Rough-draft plans are being made for more fundraising events, including some higher-end gatherings. Bell-Warner said LLC members Keith and Christine Greggor have stepped up and asked how they can help. A Novato resident since 1998, Keith Greggor and business partner Tony Foglio bought Anchor Brewing of San Francisco in April 2010 and run the Griffin Group, which owns several other businesses in the spirits industry. Griffin Group serves as an investment bank for craft beers and artisan spirits.

“I think the theater is vital to the downtown,” Greggor said. “Our schools and our community need an arts center. That’s what it really comes down to.”

For more information about how the nonprofit’s LLC works or find out how to volunteer or donate, or go to www.novatotheater.net.