City seeks grants for playhouse

February 13, 2008
By Eric Gaertner
Chronicle Staff Writer

The quest to restore the historic Howmet Playhouse continues to be a key goal for city officials.

The 92-year-old downtown theater, which was donated to the city by Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in 2006, has become a source of pride for the community. After making a few necessary improvements to conduct its first summer season, city staff and the council have looked for ways to rehabilitate and improve the facility.

The city council Tuesday night approved two more grant requests to improve the exterior of the building and the sound system.

A $10,000 grant request is for repairs and improvements to the 14 windows on the sides of the building and two windows in the front. Based on the recommendation of playhouse Manager Tom Harryman, the city is seeking the grant funding, which requires no local match, from the David Evans Memorial Award for Historic Preservation.

City staff reported to the council that currently the playhouse's windows are covered with open-slat wooden grilles with cracks and no weatherproofing, while serving as homes for birds and squirrels. Edward Francis, a restoration architect who offered free consultation to the city, suggested that the grilles be removed for aesthetic and maintenance reasons.

If the grant is awarded for the project, the original windows would be restored and the grilles removed. City staff also would like to add a light source behind each window that would be timed with the playhouse marquee.

"The windows would be backlit to make the building stand out a little more at night," said City Manager Scott Huebler.

The other grant request would provide for installation of an assistive listening system, which would be integrated into the playhouse's new sound equipment. The playhouse currently does not have such a system, which is a requirement in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The grant request, recommended by Harryman, is for $2,600 from the Community Foundation for Muskegon County.

If awarded, the grant would cover the cost of an FM system that would include a transmitter, 16 personal receivers and headsets, and one neck coil for use hearing aid users.

City staff members expect the projects to be completed this spring if the grants are awarded.

Chronicle file hoto

The city of Whitehall is seeking grants to improve the Howmet Playhouse exterior and sound system.