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The historic Tivoli Theater in downtown Ardmore is getting a makeover.
“When we get it done, it will be something the citizens will be really proud of,” said AMSA vice president Tim Longest. “It’s really the citizens’ building.”
Main Street owns the Tivoli and is seeking a new tenant to lease the building. The board’s five-year lease with a local businessman ended in December.
“We have a few people who have given us their business plans,” AMSA executive director James Lamey said. “We want to find the best fit for the city.”
Last fall, Lamey invited the public to offer suggestions as to how best to utilize the space in the future. At the same time, he asked people to share their personal stories and memories about the historic landmark.
“We had such a great response with people’s memories,” he said. “The community has come out and expressed their love of the building.”
The theater was called the Princess in 1916 and was renamed the Tivoli sometime later. L.H. Love and T.A. Thurmond bought the Tivoli in 1924, and Thurmond sold his interest in the theater to Love in 1937. It remained in the Love family until 1999, when local attorney T. Fred Collins and his wife, Sarah Love Collins, donated the building to AMSA.
Longest, who is a member of the authority’s Tivoli Committee, and AMSA employee Lee Dawkins are doing much of the remodeling themselves. The upgrade includes roof repairs, removing water from the basement, wall treatments in the auditorium, new carpeting, sign repairs and new cabinets in the concession area.
“We need to make the building more energy efficient,” Lamey said. “I met with OG&E and they suggested that we drop the ducts about half way down. They are in the ceiling now.”
Lamey said architect Ron Frantz and designer Traci Cox, who are on the staff of Oklahoma Main Street, will be making suggestions during the renovation. Photographs of the remodeling project are available at www.ardmoretivoli.com, and the site will be updated periodically as the project progresses.
The Tivoli project comes at the same time the AMSA is celebrating its 20th anniversary. A portion of the funds raised during the organization’s 20th anniversary membership drive and at the 11th Annual Chocolate Festival will be used for the theater’s renovation.
“Work is progressing,” Lamey said. “Without the dedication of Tim and the committee, this would be a very slow process.”
“We want the citizens to know that the AMSA is committed to making this space something they can be proud of,” Longest said.
Steve Biehn, 221-6546
steve.biehn@ardmoreite.com
The historic Tivoli Theater in downtown Ardmore is getting a makeover.
“When we get it done, it will be something the citizens will be really proud of,” said AMSA vice president Tim Longest. “It’s really the citizens’ building.”
Main Street owns the Tivoli and is seeking a new tenant to lease the building. The board’s five-year lease with a local businessman ended in December.
“We have a few people who have given us their business plans,” AMSA executive director James Lamey said. “We want to find the best fit for the city.”
Last fall, Lamey invited the public to offer suggestions as to how best to utilize the space in the future. At the same time, he asked people to share their personal stories and memories about the historic landmark.
“We had such a great response with people’s memories,” he said. “The community has come out and expressed their love of the building.”
The theater was called the Princess in 1916 and was renamed the Tivoli sometime later. L.H. Love and T.A. Thurmond bought the Tivoli in 1924, and Thurmond sold his interest in the theater to Love in 1937. It remained in the Love family until 1999, when local attorney T. Fred Collins and his wife, Sarah Love Collins, donated the building to AMSA.
Longest, who is a member of the authority’s Tivoli Committee, and AMSA employee Lee Dawkins are doing much of the remodeling themselves. The upgrade includes roof repairs, removing water from the basement, wall treatments in the auditorium, new carpeting, sign repairs and new cabinets in the concession area.
“We need to make the building more energy efficient,” Lamey said. “I met with OG&E and they suggested that we drop the ducts about half way down. They are in the ceiling now.”
Lamey said architect Ron Frantz and designer Traci Cox, who are on the staff of Oklahoma Main Street, will be making suggestions during the renovation. Photographs of the remodeling project are available at www.ardmoretivoli.com, and the site will be updated periodically as the project progresses.
The Tivoli project comes at the same time the AMSA is celebrating its 20th anniversary. A portion of the funds raised during the organization’s 20th anniversary membership drive and at the 11th Annual Chocolate Festival will be used for the theater’s renovation.
“Work is progressing,” Lamey said. “Without the dedication of Tim and the committee, this would be a very slow process.”
“We want the citizens to know that the AMSA is committed to making this space something they can be proud of,” Longest said.
Steve Biehn, 221-6546
steve.biehn@ardmoreite.com
