Restoration and Renovation of the Egyptian Theatre
The City of Coos Bay and the Egyptian Theatre Preservation Association first assumed ownership and preservation responsibility for the Egyptian Theatre in 2006. Much has been accomplished since that time to restore, renovate, and preserve the Theatre. During the year 2006 we were engaged in organizing, fundraising and extensive clean-up inside the Theatre. The organization incorporated on March 16, 2006, as the Egyptian Theatre Preservation Association (ETPA) and entered into an agreement with the Coos Bay Urban Renewal Agency, the owner of the Theatre, to preserve, restore and operate the Egyptian. On August 8, 2007, the ETPA was granted tax-exempt status as a 501c(3) organization by the Internal Revenue Service. This exempt status was deemed to be retroactive back to the original date of incorporation on March 16, 2006. From 2007 to 2010 numerous repairs and improvements were made to the Theatre. The most notable were the installation of a modern, natural gas fired heating system made possible through a generous grant from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund and the removal of the mini theaters that had been built by a previous owner into the balcony area. The Egyptian Theatre balcony was once again opened to the public for the 2007 annual Wurlitzer organ Sounds of Music Christmas Concert.
Additional restoration and enhancement work implemented during this period includes:
Repairing the Theatre’s roof.
Mitigating flood concerns under the stage.
Raising the Wurlitzer organ console and initiating restoration of the Theatre’s organ itself.
Cleaning up the backstage area.
Refurbishing the lobby concessions area.
Refurbishing the main auditorium floor.
Upgrading the mezzanine restrooms with new toilets.
Enhancing electrical service to the projection booth and adding projection equipment that enhanced presentation of movies at the Egyptian.
Repairing, replacing, and restoring stage lighting on the front of the balcony and fixtures throughout the Theatre.
Replacing the stage curtain.
Upgrading our marquee signage.
In 2010, the City of Coos Bay commissioned an engineering study to help identify, estimate and prioritize Theatre restoration activities. The resulting study indicated that the rear wall of the Egyptian was not structurally sound and was essentially sinking into the silt beneath the Theatre. The City of Coos Bay determined that the building was not safe for occupancy and closed the Egyptian early in 2011. The Historic Preservation League of Oregon (Restore Oregon) listed Coos Bay’s Egyptian Theatre on Oregon’s Most Endangered Places list in May of 2011.
Over the course of 2011, the City and ETPA studied what needed to be done, and devised a plan to raise the funds required to implement the structural modifications needed. The ETPA reorganized itself to focus on the task at hand and, with the City’s help, retained key experts to assist in the process. These included George Kramer, noted Preservationist and past chair of the Oregon Preservation Commission; Herb Stratford, owner of Historic Theatre Consultants, with a long history of operating historic theatres, and serving on the Board of the League of Historic American Theatres; and Rich Foster, Principal of Cascadia Consulting Partnership, who designed our capital campaign and assisted in developing and implementing our grant funding strategies.
From 2013 through 2015 the ETPA successfully raised over $1,300,000, enough to implement the required structural repairs, restore the Egyptian’s Broadway facade and undertake other high priority preservation activities. Over $380,000 was raised from the local community and over $920,000 was obtained through the support of the following foundations and organizations:
Autzen Foundation
Banner Bank
Collins Foundation
Coos Bay Urban Renewal Agency Façade Grant
Coos County Economic Development Fund
Coquille Tribal Community Fund
Floyd Ingram Foundation
Ford Family Foundation
Henry Lea Hillman, Jr. Foundation
Historic Preservation League of Oregon (Restore Oregon)
Kinsman Foundation
Meyer Memorial Trust
MJ Murdock Charitable Trust
Oregon Community Foundation
Oregon Cultural Trust
Oregon Heritage – Preserve Oregon
Oregon Pacific Bank
Pacific Power Foundation
Plum Creek Foundation
Trust for Historic Preservation
US Bank Foundation
In June 2014 the Theatre re-opened with structural issues fully addressed, new roofing over the fly loft (back portion of the theatre) and drainage systems, enhanced electrical service to the Theatre, main floor ADA compliant restrooms installed, restoration of the lobby and portions of our Broadway entry, and the hire of an experienced Executive Director/Theatre Manager, Kara Long, to take the Egyptian Theatre to the next level … a truly vibrant entertainment complex operated for the benefit of the greater Coos Bay Area community.
George Kramer, our historic preservationist, designed a series of five Broadway façade restoration/enhancement steps that we could implement over time. We were able to raise the funds required to implement the first four steps prior to our Grand Re-Opening of the Egyptian Theatre. By the end of 2015 we had raised the remaining funds needed to complete the last step of George’s Broadway façade restoration plan. By May 2016 we completed the installation of the new canopy/awning (whose design harkens back to the original awning the Theatre sported), the mounting of the new “ETPA logo” marquee on the front of the canopy/awning, the refurbishment of the Egyptian head pylon sign, decorative painting at the entrance and above the canopy/awning, and the installation of new display cases with LCD TVs.
This brought to completion the majority of our structural and external restoration of the Egyptian Theatre. All that remains of our external preservation is to raise the funds for putting a new roof on the front, flat portion of the Egyptian (a re-coating of the existing roof was performed in mid 2014, but a new roof will be needed before 2020) and, possibly, to mount the Egyptian neon lighting symbols saved from the demolition of the old canopy/awning on the back wall of the Egyptian so that they can be seen from the City’s main parking area and beckon patrons to the Theatre.
Broadway Façade Restoration
Future Restoration Projects
$12,500 to recoat the front roof and replace the roof drains in front. The city has agreed to provide a matching amount in labor to perform the recoating and install the new drains. The roof over the fly-loft and its drainage system have already been replaced as part of “Phase 1”. This project will provide a front roof that should last 5 to 8 years. After that time, the front roof should be removed, and a new industrial grade membrane roof installed.
$20,000 to restore and enhance the Theatre’s lobby and concessions area. Note: a new popcorn machine, costing $6,000, was purchased in “phase 2” prior to the Grand Re-Opening.
$110,000 for conversion to a digital projection system meeting current studio standards (we have a $68,000 quotation to install a digital projection system — not including adding 3D capability but with the option of adding that later), a new screen designed for digital projection and an upgraded sound system. We currently can show movies on our big screen distributed in regular DVD or Blu-ray format.
$34,000 for remodeling our stage to remove the slope in back and place the stage flooring on a wooden (rather than concrete) base to allow “give” and be suitable for dance performances.
$7,000 to repair and enhance the Wurlitzer organ chambers. Repair chamber floors, walls, and plaster ceilings. Renovate all wind lines (replace 88-year-old leaky tin wind lines with modern materials). Build protective enclosures to protect the organ pipes. Relocate the blower switch.
$176,000 to replace the theatre’s ancient electrical distribution wiring with new electrical feeder distribution to forty-two circuit panel boards to the lobby lights, main auditorium, stage lighting and HVAC system. Note the “Phase 1” project enhanced power input into the theatre and replaced the wiring to the projection booth and the lobby/concessions area (where the new main floor restrooms are located) but left intact the rest of our old wiring.
$75,000 for replacement and enhancement of cove lighting (ceiling) in the main auditorium.
Phase “4” Projects
Refurbish the Women’s mezzanine bathroom using the same space but reconfiguring the stalls. Add a third toilet stall and a second wash sink.
Refurbish the Men’s mezzanine bathroom using the same space but reconfiguring the stalls. Add a second toilet stall, a third urinal, and a second wash sink.
Complete the restoration of the Boyd balcony – add additional seats where they are currently missing and re-tier some of the existing seating. Add a work room at the top of the balcony to the left side of the projection booth. Add a room for a small Theatre Museum to the right side of the projection booth.
$75,000, before 2020, to fully replace the front roof with an industrial grade membrane roof.
Restore, using restoration specialists, the painted decorations found throughout the main auditorium and the balcony. Restore the Theatre’s ceiling, removing all signs of the mini theaters that were removed to restore the balcony.
Purchase one of the buildings next-door to the Egyptian. Remodel the addition to add larger main floor restrooms that connect to the lobby, add dressing rooms and a green room with an entrance to the stage, and add a conference room, workspace and storage space to the Theatre.