SIDNEY, Ohio (Dayton Business Journal) — A restoration project that is revitalizing an iconic historic building in the Miami Valley is moving toward the next steps needed to bolster the efforts to maintain the facility. The $1.5 million portion of the project would help maintain the long-term sustainability of the anchor for performing arts in a growing municipality.

The Historic Sidney Theatre has been the anchor of downtown Sidney for over a century. Raise the Roof for the Arts (RTR) purchased the building in 2009 with the mission to renovate and operate the theater for cultural, artistic and educational purposes that would benefit the broader community. Over the past 14 years, RTR has renovated much of the theater, which has included installing new seating, repainting the interior and renovating the bathrooms.

For the next phase of the project, the city of Sidney is seeking $1 million in funding to support stabilizing the roof and exterior of the building. By doing so, RTR will be able to focus on efforts to continue interior renovations to the upper levels of the theater, which includes increasing seating capacity to 900.

Additionally, the revitalization of the theater is part of the city’s long-term economic development strategy.

For more on the project, visit the Dayton Business Journal.