Huntridge Theater making progress

February 25, 2014

The Huntridge Theater has seen good times and bad times. It has been a first run movie theater, a second run house, and a concert venue. For many, they only know it as that empty building at the corner of East Charleston and Maryland Parkway.

Over the years, many have tried to help restore the building, renovate it, there have been many ideas over the years. Here at Classic Las Vegas, we were involved in the preservation efforts in 2006 and 2007. The Great Recession brought those efforts to a halt. Then, last year, Michael Cornthwaite and a group of investors, announced that they were going to revive the Huntridge. Hundreds showed up to help paint the facade and clean up the parking lot.

While there hasn't been much headlining making news on the venture lately, work has been going on. Joe Schoenmann, of the Las Vegas Sun, reports that the building has a new logo adorning it.

New Huntridge Logo being added- Photo Courtesy of the Las Vegas Sun

Until today, little new information has emerged about renovating the historic Huntridge Theater, plans of which so energized the community that an online fundraiser collected more than $200,000 to assist in the renovation.

After that money came in, several companies then vowed to donate time for lighting, design and more. In addition, hundreds of residents answered the call and showed up to whitewash the building, whose ancient paint job had flaked away.

Months passed. Some thought the theater revival plans had faded away. Others figured that a December deadline for Huntridge Revival LLC to raise $4 million to buy the 69-year-old building had been missed (another $11 million is needed for renovation).

Then late this morning, signs of life.

A crew with a hydraulic cherry picker began to erect a massive square banner on the building containing a new logo — an “H” inside a circle.

Chris Fahlman, hired as Huntridge general manager last year and on site to watch as the banner-crew worked, said the banner serves as a reminder that the project is moving forward. He also said that the $4 million deadline had been extended to June as “qualified investors” are sought.

“We’re at a phase where we’re raising additional investment to finalize the purchase,” he said. “The clock is ticking.”

For more on the article: http://lasvegassun.com/news/2014/feb/24/new-logo-graces-huntridge-signaling-projects-progr/

Share your memories of the Huntridge with us in the comments section!

Read about the history of the Huntridge and articles on the efforts to save her, here:

http://classiclasvegasblog.com/classic-las-vegas-blog/2008/3/11/more-huntridge-theater-history.html

http://classiclasvegasblog.com/classic-las-vegas-blog/2008/2/28/more-info-on-the-history-of-the-huntridge-theater.html

http://classiclasvegasblog.com/classic-las-vegas-blog/2013/6/7/help-save-the-huntridge-theater.html

http://classiclasvegasblog.com/classic-las-vegas-blog/2008/2/28/huntridge-tops-the-list-of-immediately-endangered-buildings.html

Help save the Huntridge Theater

June 7, 2013

The Huntridge Theater may be the most beloved historic landmark in Las Vegas. But over the last decade, the community that loves it has watched it helplessly fall into a seeming final state of disrepair. We plan to bring this Theatre back to all its glory and more, and make it once again Las Vegas' favorite venue for performing arts and community programming.

We want to end this madness, and bring The Huntridge back for the people that love it.

Members of the downtown Vegas business community who are behind this effort recognize that many attempts to do this have failed despite concerted efforts and massive, long-term community support, and this might be the last shot to save it (covenants on the property expire in 2017). But the tools for organizing community engagement and support have evolved so much, so quickly -- we can do this.

Even if we raise this campaign’s full amount and end up with $150,000 or more, that’s obviously not even close to enough to buy, lovingly renovate, and reopen the Huntridge.

But! It will prove that community support exists to justify much larger private investment in a project that is motivated more by passion than just profits. Buying the Huntridge and renovating it could cost up to $15 million, so if we can show interested investors how much the community still cares about the Huntridge by raising the first 1% of the money from its fans, and in doing so pass smaller initial financial hurdles that are beyond our personal means, we are confident that this show of community support will preface a beautiful revival of the greatest music and arts venue Vegas has ever known.

Nostalgic Huntridge-lovers of all stripes, this is where you come in: Help us prove that community support is there, by funding the important pre-work of this iconic revival project!!!

What do we need the money for?

We extended all our financial resources to come up with the first $60k for the non-refundable deposit and appraisals to make this process possible. The next chunk of deposit ($50k) is due immediately after this campaign ends, and we have an estimated $100k of required costs before we can start bringing in (already very interested) private investors for the project. These costs include remediation due diligence, environmental certifications, appraisals, legal work, renovation design work and marketing materials, etc, all by the end of the summer. These start-up costs would normally be much more for a project of this magnitude, but we expect that we'll be able to get it all done very efficiently thanks to many tentative offers we've received to volunteer professional services. Estimated costs are as follows:

$20k - Due Diligence / Feasibility Studies

$15k - Marketing / Web Development / Admin

$50k - Architectural / Design / Engineering

$15k - Inspections / Appraisals / admin

$50k - Second Deposit

$150k Total Start-up Capital Required

Who are you?

This IndieGoGo campaign was initiated by The Huntridge Revival, LLC, which was founded by Downtown Las Vegas community members Joey Vanas, Michael Cornthwaite, and Rehan Choudhry, and adopted by members of #startupblock, a group of tech entrepreneurs living near The Huntridge.

Are contributions tax-deductible?

No, Huntridge Revival is an LLC because this campaign is only a necessary first step towards raising up to $15MM in total investment and it needs to also attract private investors and be able to show returns. Because it is not a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization contributions are not tax-deductible. To avoid ever rehashing its current fate if we do nothing, the Huntridge does need to sustain itself financially once reopened (while keeping ticket and food and beverage costs affordable).

More details about the campaign and the Huntridge can be found at Save.TheHuntridge.com!

The Neon Museum, the NY Times and Us!

February 2, 2013

The New York Times did a wonderful piece on the Neon Museum and the Stardust sign and included in the story is a link to our history of the Stardust Hotel!

Check it out:

We may be made of star stuff, as the astronomer Carl Sagan once said, but our imaginations contain a strong dose of “Stardust” — at least as the word appears here. The capital S, its 17-foot-tall body peppered with bulbs, is shaped like a coy lightning bolt. Its jagged strokes change thickness and meet at unexpected angles, like the stylized clothes of “The Jetsons.” The T’s are like toon sketches of rays shooting from stars.

For the rest of the article (and the link to us is in the next paragraph):

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/02/arts/design/the-neon-museum-in-las-vegas.html

Thanks, New York Times!!!!