Gillioz Theatre pushes to open its doors

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It has been 21 years since the Gillioz Theatre at 325 Park Central East ran its last film: "Amityville Horror." |ret||ret||tab|

Now, according to the theater's executive director Doro-thy Lemmon, it is $650,000 away from opening its doors again "that is no bells, no whistles," she said.|ret||ret||tab|

Lemmon has been raising funds for the past four years to bring the 75-year-old historic theater back to life.|ret||ret||tab|

With bells and whistles, the theater needs a total of $4 million, Lemmon said. The "bells and whistles" category would include such things as a $500,000 three-story dressing room building on the Woodruff Building parking lot and other extensive refurbishments to recreate the theater's historic look. |ret||ret||tab|

Thus far, Lemmon said, $2.7 million has been raised for the renovation project, which has been going on for a decade. She said the project began when Jim D. Morris, of Morris Oil, purchased the lobby of the theater, which wasn't owned by Gillioz, and donated it to the theater.|ret||ret||tab|

Since then, Morris has presented a total of $750,000 the largest amount of all individual donations. Of that, $250,000 was used to purchase the 27,000-square-foot building next door, which was last used as Netters Department Store, Lemmon said. It is now called the Jim D. Morris Center for the Arts.|ret||ret||tab|

"He has been our angel," Lemmon said of Morris. "Most historic theater projects have an angel ... someone who takes the bull by the horns and makes it financially possible. And that's Jim D. Morris."|ret||ret||tab|

Lemmon said the Morris Center will "complement the activities of the Gillioz." Planned uses for the center include a restaurant on the first floor, which is being leased by Realtor Kirk Heyle, and reception, banquet, dance, seminar and convention space with direct access to the theater on the second floor. The third floor will house rehearsal and educational space for the arts as well as theater offices. |ret||ret||tab|

Butler Rosenbury & Partners is the project architect, Smith-Goth Engineers the engineer and DeWitt & Associates, the construction manager.|ret||ret||tab|

The Gillioz Theatre is owned by Springfield Landmarks Preservation Trust, a nonprofit organization that employs Lemmon. Its governing body is a 12-member board headed by President Nancy Brown.|ret||ret||tab|

The first phase of fund-raising, which Lemmon said was gathering the larger donations, is complete. "It's all been big chunks of change," she said. "You've got to get those great big gifts first ... to know that we can complete it."|ret||ret||tab|

Lemmon said $400,000 of in-kind and cash donations have been given just this year, the largest of which was a $150,000 check from Morris. She also said the Gillioz family has contributed more than $100,000 through the years.|ret||ret||tab|

Another large sum came from the city's 1/4-cent hotel/motel tax. Lemmon said the Gillioz accepted that money $500,000 up front, but also had to match it. Also, $310,000 has been re-ceived through the Community Develop-ment Block Grant Program, a federal program run by the city.|ret||ret||tab|

"These kinds of large influxes of funds is what we've been doing and now in the second phase we will be making it a public campaign," she said. "We're going to be a lot more visible with our fund raising."|ret||ret||tab|

To that end, Bob Bryant, a member of the Springfield Landmarks Preservation Trust board, is offering his company's marketing services. Bryant owns Meri-dian Creative Alliance in Ozark and has made a CD-ROM telling the Gillioz Theatre story with illustrations, and he is developing the theater's Web site with help from Ponder & Associates, a Springfield Web developing and hosting company donating its time and services.|ret||ret||tab|

"It's really kind of a labor of love by the board. ... We just all strongly feel that it's a real important key to downtown and something very much worth saving and something the community can be really proud of. In that vein, we're really looking forward to and anticipating good public response. It's something that's for everybody and we'd like to see everybody kick in a little bit."|ret||ret||tab|

Lemmon hopes that phase II leads to an operational facility. "The second part of this plan is to do the minimum to get the doors open," she said. "When we are operational, there's no doubt we will be completely successful."|ret||ret||tab|

Lemmon said she believes that after seeing it done with the Landers Theatre, which started its restoration drive in 1980. "It takes time and money. And of course, they were open," she said. "That's why we've got to be open to reach the ($4 million) goal. Most successful historic theaters are viable because of supporting facilities. You've got to have a revenue generator."|ret||ret||tab|

When the Gillioz Theatre does open, Lemmon said it will be a multi-use facility, with events centered around film like film festivals, special runs and classics. The 1,200-seat auditorium also will hold community events, conventions and live performances, she said. |ret||ret||tab|

"Music will undoubtedly be an important part of programming because of the acoustics," she said, describing them as "almost perfect."|ret||ret||tab|

The real feature, though, will be its refurbished and recreated interior, Lemmon said.|ret||ret||tab|

"We have to, for the most part, bring everything back to the original because it's a national historic site," she added.[[In-content Ad]]