SHEBOYGAN, Wis. — For the past century the Stefanie H. Weill Center For The Performing Arts has been a part of Sheboygan’s downtown.
Over the next 18 months, Executive Director Katy Glodosky said adjacent vacant buildings will be turned into something new for the center.
“Our vision is to transform this place into a vibrant and refreshed destination for arts and entertainment,” she said Tuesday. “Not only for downtown Sheboygan but also for the entire county.”
The two-phase, $13 million project includes a lobby expansion, and a list of other improvements ranging from elevator access to the mezzanine level, additional concession areas and a lobby balcony lounge.
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The second phase adds a rooftop lounge with a stage and a street-level bar.
The historic theater inside the building will remain unchanged.
“We’re going to be able to bring in those larger, high-quality productions like more Broadway, more national touring music acts. I’m really excited about that.”
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Matt Childs at Sully’s Ride Shop across the street from the theater said this project is welcomed.
“Any improvement to the downtown is good business for us. It doesn’t even have to be remotely motorcycle related,” he said. “Just the local traffic any amount of improvement brings in is beneficial to us and our neighboring businesses.”
Childs said there’s a reason the two-year-old boutique motorcycle shop chose downtown Sheboygan.
“The downtown business scene is growing and what’s here is already a passionate community,” he said. “That’s one thing that’s so great about all the small businesses down here. It’s a big community. We cross support each other, and there’s a lot of potential to make it even better.”
(Spectrum News 1/Nathan Phelps)
The theater has $6 million in hand for the roughly $13 million project. It continues to seek community support for the rest. Construction is slated to finish in Nov. 2026, depending on funding.
“What I’m most looking forward to is seeing people come into this space with that look of awe and that inspirational sense of, ‘Wow, what a gem we have here in our community,’” Glodosky said. ”’I feel like I belong here. I want to be here. What’s next and what else can I see here?’”