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STEUBENVILLE -- As good as 2023 has been in terms of fundraising for the Grand Theater, Scott Dressel, the lead volunteer for the restoration effort, is hoping the new year will push them over the top.
"Part of our work next year will be funded by a $500,000 award through the Save America's Treasures grant program through the Historic Preservation Fund, as administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior," Dressel said. "We also are receiving a $300,000 grant from the state of Ohio through the Capital Bill Grant program. These grants, along with a $1.5 million POWERS grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission, will fund $2.3 million of the restoration of the theater."
Those dollars "will focus on the ceiling and wall restoration of the main theater, an emergency exit tower and some other items," adding it will be "an amazing (time) for the project."
"(But) we're still applying, hopefully, for a bigger grant to get the rest of it done as well," Dressel said.
That bigger award would be from Ohio's Appalachian Community Grant program. Unveiled by Gov. Mike DeWine a year ago, the program is intended to spark transformative development in the state's Appalachian counties.
The Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District recently added the Grand to its Heart of Appalachia grant proposal, which touches at least 22 of Ohio's 32 Appalachian counties, a regional impact that Ohio Department of Development considers a must-have. Aaron Dodds, the conservation district's project manager, expects the projects to come in at around $100 million, the funding level ODOD said applicants should shoot for.
Local projects included in the application include a downtown streetscape, the Floto Building and Castle Hall, marina improvements, Blum Park and a veteran-themed greenspace opposite the Jefferson County Tower building.
Dressel said getting those projects done would be good for the business community -- including his own bed-and-breakfast brands.
"I'm very excited that we are applying for another grant with the Heart of Appalachia Project to help finish the Grand," Dressel said. "These projects will drive traffic and tourism to Steubenville, which will directly improve business and provide us with more guests and residential renters."
He said the Grand restoration is currently in the middle of the request for quotes process for architectural services. On Friday, representatives of five firms interested in providing architectural services did a walk-through at the theater to get a feel for what would be involved in the design work.
"We also have at least two others who did not attend that are submitting a response as well," he said. "The responses are due on Dec. 15, and we will be making a decision by the end of the month, (but) that decision has to be approved through the grants as well."
Dressel said whoever they choose "will have a couple of months to finish all the drawings for the project and bid the specs."
He said whichever firm is chosen will do the design work for all three grants "and for any future grants."
"I'm still working through the federal paperwork we have to do for the Save America's Treasures grant," he said. "It's just complicated, that's all, but once it's done it's done, so if we get any more federal grants, I'll be ready."
Meanwhile, he said they've finally been able to hang the chandelier that once graced the showroom at Team Ford.
"It's finally been installed in the ballroom, pending the ceiling going up," he said. "But at least now it's safe, sound and functional."
He said building inspectors have to sign off before they can finish the ceiling, "but I think we should be in construction (around) April, just as soon as everybody can commit."
"Even once we get contractors (lined up) we have to get them worked into the schedule," he said. "This round of work should take a year, maybe less. That's why we want more funding before we get going (so we can finish everything at once.)"
He figures they'll start with the ceiling, "but some things can happen simultaneously -- construction of the north side exit tower, that can happen anytime because it's outside, and some of the demolition and construction work inside, a lot of that can happen at the same time.
"We could have three or four contractors working at the same time inside, easily," he said. "I can't wait. It will be fun to walk in (one day) and have all the scaffolding gone and all the plaster work done. At the end of this phase it should look pretty much like opening day, other than it won't have carpet and seats." Dressel said he's hoping they'll be able to host a musical event there, even if it has to be a "BYOC" - bring your own chair - kind of party.
"It would be nice to have some sort of an event to celebrate the progress," he said. "We can put temporary chairs up, since we'll have the emergency exits in place, and people can bring them like they do for (other events.) We'll still need restrooms, but that's the next round of grants. It's a process."