Niagara Post Theater group starting engraved brick campaign
Feb. 24—As David Graf and his group of volunteers continue renovating the Niagara Post Theater at Fort Niagara State Park, they have started a new fundraising campaign to help in the effort.
The group is offering engraved bricks for purchase, which will be placed by the theater's marquee and front walkway.
"Right now we're making the effort to make people conscious and get more support," said Graf, the board president for the theater. "People have the desire to be part of what we're doing."
Two brick options are being offered — a 4" by 8" engraved brick of up to 3 rows and 20 characters and a 12" by 12" star of up to four rows of various character lengths. They cost $150 and $350 respectively.
There are 400 bricks and 200 stars available, more will be made available depending on how they sell.
The campaign is similar to another such theater, the Tybee Post Theater on Tybee Island, Georgia, which offered similar bricks laid out by its entrance.
Originally built in 1931, the Niagara Post Theater was part of a Great Depression-era Works Progress Administration program to build movie theaters on military bases. It closed in 1963 as the entire base was decommissioned, falling into disuse.
Graf, along with the 10 other board members, started efforts to repair the theater in 2019. He signed a $2 million contract with New York State Parks for this restoration, allowing him to use it rent-free for 20 years before turning it back over or signing another lease.
His desire for a place for children's theater and other community events stems from his step-daughter Amy Teal, who founded Teal's Niagara Theater based out of the Niagara Arts & Cultural Center.
The renovation plans call for adding 5,000 square feet to the building, making room for new bathrooms, dressing rooms, tech rooms, loading docks, an orchestra space and other spaces to make the theater a fully functioning performing arts center. All these updates have to follow the State Historic Preservation Office's guidelines to follow historical accuracy.
Originally designed for a capacity of 394 people, it was reduced to 260 by the time the theater closed. The planned capacity for its eventual opening is 199 so the venue can qualify as an equity theater.
Since work started, renovation costs have grown from $2.5 million to $4 million. Graf said that was due to making additions to plans, costs increasing to between 20 and 25% and construction lead times are up to seven months.
"Everybody's booked so full," Graf said, not estimating when all the work would be done.
Sources of funding included grants worth $120,000 from the Niagara River Greenway Commission and $10,000 from the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area, and $6,211 from Give716. A virtual concert was held in June 2021 as a fundraiser. Graf is working on getting a $75,000 CREST grant through Assemblyman Angelo Morinello's office.
Brick orders can be made online at www.niagarapostheater.org/bricks-stars-fundraiser.
