THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 6, 1995 TAG: 9504060330
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE KNEPLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Long : 103 lines
For nearly two decades, talk about renovating the historic Attucks Theatre mostly has been just that - talk.
Now, there are signs that years of committee discussions have stirred some activity.
A public awareness campaign begins April 15; proposals from architects will be opened this month, and plans for serious fund raising are in the works.
All this is being coordinated by Denise Christian, a former English teacher who didn't even know the Attucks existed when she was growing up just a few blocks away.
Now, Christian is trying to ignite a sense of enthusiasm over the empty, 76-year-old historic landmark, once the cultural hub of the region's black population.
The Attucks, at 1010 Church St., was designed by a black architect, Harvey N. Johnson Sr. It was built in 1919 by a black business group, and financed by two black banks. It's named for Crispus Attucks, a black man who was the first American patriot killed by the British in the Boston Massacre.
But for Christian, it's not just the building's history or how it hosted nationally known black entertainers such as Cab Calloway, Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters and Dinah Washington.
``I think that the future is the most exciting part now, what can be from an economic development standpoint and to develop the lives of people,'' Christian said. ``The history is what makes the building interesting to people.
``But I don't think that's what will hold the attention. I think that the attention is going to be held by what's going to happen at the theater.''
She envisions the Attucks being renovated and converted to a cultural arts center. It would feature live theater, music, lectures, an art gallery and educational programs.
``I also see a chain reaction of development,'' Christian said, with new businesses emerging on nearby sections of Church Street and Virginia Beach Boulevard.
For years, many local advocates for the Attucks have espoused similar ideas.
The difference, Christian said, is the level of commitment from a broader range of supporters. Some examples:
Norfolk Festevents Ltd., a nonprofit group that produces and manages public entertainment for the city, is co-sponsoring a festival at Town Point Park on April 15. Proceeds from vendors and T-shirt sales will benefit the Attucks.
A revamped citizens committee, called the Crispus Attucks Cultural Center Inc., will begin a large-scale, two-year fund-raising campaign by the end of 1995.
City Hall has promised to match any amount raised by the citizens committee. Meanwhile, the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority has added Christian to its staff.
Advocates for the Attucks are beginning to take their message citywide. In May, Christian will make a presentation to the Norfolk Historical Society.
``All of this is leading in the right direction,'' Christian said. ``We're now moving forward. The emphasis on this is here now.''
However, real work is just beginning, with many stumbling blocks ahead.
Rehabilitation must meet state guidelines for historic preservation and contend with the removal of lead paint and asbestos. The cost of renovation is not yet known. Estimates range from $2 million to $5 million.
The citizens board has been reinvigorated with several new members, including representatives of some large corporations. But the group does not yet have a clear plan for the type of programs to be offered at the Attucks.
That makes for a somewhat circular problem: architectural work is needed before a full plan for programs can be completed; lack of a detailed plan impedes fund raising; more money is needed before an architect's work can be finished.
``That's a vital part, having something that people could look at, a physical plan,'' Christian said.
The Attucks citizens group was hoping to hold a major fund-raising event at the Chrysler Museum in conjunction with the opening of an Ethiopian art exhibit in June.
``But I don't know exactly what that's going to be,'' Christian said. ``It probably will be just an opportunity to interact with potential donors. We're thinking of using it for more or less a get-acquainted time.''
So far, the only funding has been a $25,000 state grant, which triggered $25,000 in matching funds from Norfolk City Hall.
But Christian voiced confidence that a full-scale capital fund-raising campaign will be launched by year's end.
In the meantime, she and the citizens committee hope to expand a network of volunteers and supporters, even reaching into the boardrooms of the city's most prominent businesses.
``We're trying to get more interaction of business persons, and arts persons, and community persons, trying to get a good cross section,'' she said, ``so we can approach those groups during fund raising and get them involved.'' ILLUSTRATION: MARK MITCHELL
Staff file photo
In 1989, Norfolk City Council member Joseph N. Green Jr., then
Norfolk's vice mayor, and Beatrice Jennings, executive director of a
neighborhood revitalization group, checked out the Attucks Theatre.
Green is president of the Crispus Attucks Cultural Center Inc., a
citizens group. Jennings, who lives near the theater, performed at
amateur nights there when she was a child.
by CNB