December Tl, 2019
The Rose isawarded $l3,500
Fox Theatre grant for marquee
The Fox Theatre Institute (FTI)
has awarded The Rose Theater a
$13,500 historic preservation grant
to refurbish and upgrade its 20-year-
old marquee. Atlanta-based FTI is
i the Fox Theatre’s outreach program
offering historic preservation exper-
; tise, consultation and education to
1 performing arts venues in Georgia
I and the Southeast.
. The Rose has been an entertain-
} ment venue serving Forsyth and
surrounding communities since 1911.
First it featured silent films, then
movies with sound and color. The
1980’s saw The Rose as an “open-air”
amphitheater for entertainment. The
Backlot Players, a community group
dedicated to presenting live stage
plays, took over the building site in
1999, restoring the old movie house
and making The Rose its home for
live theater.
“We are grateful to the Fox The-
atre Institute for their financial and
professional assistance in helping us
refurbish our aging Marquee,” said
Kim Ducheneau, President, Backlot
Players. “Our Marquee has been a
beacon for great live stage plays here
in Forsyth. Preserving a building with
historic value requires a lot of com-
mitment. Our community appreciates
the partnership with our friends from
The Fox Theatre Institute.
Once threatened and saved itself
by caring community members, the
Fox Theatre created FTI, fostering a
strong sense of togetherness, empa—
thy and insight that remains visible
through its ongoing work. FTI pays
it forward by helping other cultural
institutions renew, reinvigorate and
restore artistic vitality by offering fi—
nancial assistance, restoration support
and operatiOns mentoring needed to
leverage scarce resources and stimu—
late local economies.
“For over a decade, the Fox The—
atre Institute has worked tirelessly to
Page 5C
save and resurrect historic theaters
throughout our state,’ _’ said Adina
Erwin Vice President and COO of the
Fox Theatre. “These historic land-
marks hold immense cultural and
economic significance in their com-
munities, and we are passionate about
ensuring these exceptional perform-
ing arts centers will be here to serve
future generations.”
FTI’s Preservation Grant Program
and Historic Preservation Services
maintains an ongoing commitment
to historic theaters and has supported
64 projects to date, totaling more
than $1,580,817 in maintenance and
physical improvement efforts. The
program raises and awards funding
to venues with projects designed to
foster education through perform—
ing arts. The nonprofit organization
also manages Georgia Presenters, a
statewide booking consortium, which
helps spark collaboration among doz—
ens of accomplished arts presenters.
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Forsyth P&Z gives thumbs up to Forsyth Gardens
upgrades, home health agency on MI.K Drive
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
Forsyth’s Planning 8: Zoning
Commission recommended
approval of a variance requested
conference room for training.
The building is 1,100 sq. ft., and
its lot is 2,800 sq. ft. The flooring
needs to be replaced, and the bath—
room needs to be handicapped
accessible.
by Janice Slaughter and Free- “gm in“ glad‘it,s gOing t? be fixed
man Funeral Home, owner of the up; staid Plannng 8‘ zonmg com‘
property, to use the building at 164 misswn member Steve Coleman.
Martin Luther King In Drive as One problem is there are only
an office on Nov. 25. The building
is in an R—3 District but has been
used as office space.
Forsyth Economic Development
director Tammie Pierson told the
Commission that 164 Martin Lu-
ther King Jr. Drive was never used
as a residence. Slaughter told the
Planning 8r Zoning Commission
she plans to open a home health
agency at the location. It will be
two parking spaces in back of the
building, and Slaughter’s business
needs six spaces available. She said
that Freeman Funeral Home also
owns a property across the street
where she may arrange for park—
ing, and there is on street parking.
“None of these properties have
adequate parking,” said Planning
& Zoning chair Martin Presley. “As
long as you go in with eyes wide
used as the administrative office Open?
and for training No one will be The request for a variance will
living them be posted and will go before city
The business, whichwillbe council for final approval-
called Marcescent Healthcare
Services, will provide in-home In Other Forsyth P&Z board
personal assistance with dressing, news:
meals, cleaning and companion-
ship. It will be a service to provide ' PreSleY “ked CltY
attfi’mey I
weekend care and regular checks. BObbY Melton What_z°nl{lg Prdl'
Slaughter said that generally the nan?“ say ébout a “me 11_mlt to ‘
staff will be working away from begm ‘1 PrOJeCt anfl t0 fiImh
'f‘PrOJ'
the home office, but she will have a 3“ after the Plannmg 8‘ zonmg
Commission and city council give
approval and construction permits
are issued. Melton said city zoning
ordinances say work should begin
within 90 days and should be com-
pleted within two years. After two
years permits expire.
Pierson said Planning 81 Zon-
ing can’t discuss time constraints
because it is not in its realm of
authority. Presley asked if P&Z
has any say in whether things are
completed when it recommends
approval for a project, and Pierson
said “no.” Presley asked what
department it would fall under
if a project is not completed, and
Pierson said, “enforcement.”
P&Z Commission member
Silas Peed asked who represents
enforcement for the city if a project
is not substantially completed
within two years, and Pierson
said “me.” Peed asked whether a
developer would have to come
backto Planning & Zoning for
new permits if it did not meet the
two-year completion requirement,
and Pierson said the county also
has compliance permits. Melton
said a developer might have to go
through city council or enforce—
ment if it does not meet ordinance
requirements for starting or finish-
ing a project.
o Also at its Nov. 25 meeting the
Planning 8r Zoning Commission
heard from the architect whose
company is designing renovations
for Forsyth Gardens Apartments,
Edmundo Gonzalez of Notting-
ham Studios, PC of the Chicago
area. The Commission recom-
mended approval of the plans for
the renovations.
Gonzalez said the new owner
expects to close on the property
in December and start renova—
tions in about February or March.
Forsyth Gardens Apartments is at
500 Cabaniss Road and includes
78 units. The new owner is work—
ing through a government bond
program to renovate six properties
in different cities. Forsyth council
approved the Athens Housing
Authority issuing bonds not to
exceed $11 million for the Forsyth
Gardens project at its Nov. 4 meet-
ing.
Gonzalez said the intent is to
renovate the residences and en-
hance the grounds of the complex
Flamed amenities include a new
community building and concrete
walkways, a new playground
equipment set with ADA com-
pliant walk surface, an outdoor
fitness area, dog park, gazebo,
community garden, pavilion with
two charcoal grills, new fence and
improvements to parking and the
laundry area.
Gonzalez said about 95 percent
of the improvements will be on the
interior of the buildings. Outside
will be new siding and amenities.
The new community center will be
wood framed with asphalt shin-
gles. He said all siding throughout
the complex will match. Wiring
will be brought up to code. There
will be fire partitions, even though
they aren’t required and there are
fire extinguishers in each unit.
Two units will be equipped for the
hearing impaired, with features
like flashing lights for the door
bell.
Presley asked how the company
will handle displacing residents
while the work is done. Gonzalez
said there is about a one week
turnaround to upgrade an apart-
ment, with most of the upgrade in
the kitchens. Residents will receive
per diem payments to secure other
housing for the week
“It should be a welcome im-
provement,” said Presley.
Forsyth council hears requests tO close city streets
By Diane Glidewell
news©mymcmet
0
Forsyth council heard two
requests to close city streets
at its Nov. 18 meeting, one
request to deed streets to a
private owner and the other
to close a street for an event.
Council decided to grant
each request partially.
George Emami requested
that the city deed Cedar
Street and part of North
Harris St. and East Morse
St. to the company that now
owns all the land surround-
ing these streets. He said he
has no immediate plans for
the streets and would not
permanently close access
to them but could envision
possibilities for the property
as one contiguous tract not
divided by public roads.
.
The whole tract is about six
maybe food truc ,” said
Emami. “I have a vision for
the area that would open up City Manager Janice Hall
another cell of downtown, cautioned that if the road
bringing positive activities becomes private and there
and tax dollars.” is an accident on it, liabil-
He said the roads and ity will fall to the private
right of ways total about owner. Emami said that
.429 acre. He said deeding scares him a little, but he
the property to a private would still like to merge the
owner would alleviate the two tracts on either side of
city’s responsibility for Cedar Street.
maintaining the roads, Council member Mike
which are currently in need Dodd said there is a good
of some service. He said he bit of traffic on East Morse
would be glad to work with St. angling back to Adams
the city if anything, like ac- St, but he agreed there is no
cess to utilities, came up. reason for anyone except
Cedar Street is a short the property owners to use
street between East Morse Cedar Street. Emami said
St. and Railroad Ave. It there was precedent for the
l
four houses, three of which
. acres. are currently occupied.
“We envision doing Council voted to advertise
outdoor stuff in the block, to deed Cedar Street and
its right-of-ways to The
Brokery.
1
city deeding a street to a the owners and see if they parking in downtown,
in-
property owner because it want to acquire the prop— cluding around
restaurants,
deeded a side street either erty and finalize closing the is limited.
to Forsyth Baptist or For- roads. “Can yOu move it down
syth Methodist Church. Council then heard a so you don’t block U Save
City attorney Bobby request from Forsyth Main It, Pickled Okra and busi-
Melton asked council’s Street to close North Jack— ness around
there?” asked
approval 'to go forward son Street from Main Street Swearingen. “With
a Car
with closure of two roads on the square to King Street Show, you never know
how
that were in effect closed in for an Antique Car Show many will come; so
start
2012, but the process was
never finalized. The roads
are Hatcher Street and
Rotan Street off the new
Railroad Ave.
Melton said in 2012
council approved a motion
to close the streets because
they were no longer used
and declared them aban—
doned. However the RLC
Group, which owned the
property at the time, never
responded to Melton. He
said he will try to contact
i
on Saturday, Nov. 30 from 8
a.m.-3 pm. The Car Show
was sponsored by Scoops.
Kerri Swearingen said
that Nov. 30 is ‘Shop Small
Saturday: the Saturday
after Black Friday when
shoppers are encouraged
to patronize locally owned
businesses. She said Main
Street is publicizing a
Pop Up Shop at 20 North
Jackson Street and special
deals at several downtown
businesses and convenient
t
in front of the Presbyte—
rian Church first and fill in
toward the square.”
Hall proposed the city
close North Jackson St.
from Adams St. to King St.
during the requested time,
and council voted to do so.
“I don’t want to discour-
age businesses from having
events like this; I think we
can do both,” said Swearin-
gen. “1 don’t think this will
negatively impact the Car
Show.”
Q.
