The fate of the Richwood Opera House remains undecided but some residents said a future without the 133-year-old building seems more and more likely.
While no actions were taken following a town hall meeting to discuss the building last week, the sentiment in the air seemed to favor clearing the property to make room for something else.
About a dozen or more community members, including Opera House Revitalization Committee members, residents and some members of council, gathered at the village offices to share thoughts.
Those who spoke expressed mixed feelings about the possibility of demolishing the structure but nearly every speaker said the $5 million price tag to bring it back to life might be too high.
“The $5.3 million or even the $1.6 million that will eventually fall back on the village is, in my opinion, just too much,” said resident Harley Jerew. “It’s just not feasible.”
Committee member Lynne Ledley, who has been a strong supporter of restoration efforts all along, said even she understands the reality of the cost.
“I remember the basketball upstairs, going to the shows. Yeah, that’s where my heart is, but I’m realistic, too,” Ledley said.
The current committee has been exploring the possibility of restoring or saving the building for three years. There were also efforts to save the building in the past but either didn’t raise the funds or gain enough steam.
After receiving grants, quotes, holding numerous meetings and having a feasibility study, the current group landed on five possible options: restoring the building at an estimated cost of $5.3 million – $1.6 million of which would have to be generated locally; saving the damaged roof with existing grant dollars and holding for future decision-making; keeping the clock tower to display it and demolishing the rest; keeping the clock and bell, demolishing the building and installing the original pieces in a replica structure on the grounds; and selling everything to a private party.
Many residents expressed opposition to options one and five and felt option two would be too much of a risk as inaction would likely result in future degradation of the already unstable structure. Options three and four were the favorites and many expressed interest in option four to save the inner-workings and turn the rest of the property into a kind of park and monument to the historical building.
“A replica means (builders) would make something that looks like it out of brand new steel and wood. The only thing would be the clock itself, the bell and the clock face,” said Reddy Brown, a council and committee member. “All the rest would be new material, which that has some strength in that it would last another hundred years.”
The estimated cost for option four is $40,000, significantly less than both the restoration cost and the $405,000 cost of option three.
Brown said it might be possible to repurpose the $150,000 grant the committee currently has for fixing the roof and put that money toward one of the other options.
One committee member had different thoughts on the matter altogether, holding firm on the committee’s original goal of focusing on restoration.
“I am all or nothing and here’s why, because if we actually renovated this for the $5.3 million option, we could make so much use of that space,” said Rachel Shadel, who also sits on the Opera Committee. Otherwise, she said it doesn’t make sense to spend the $405,000 on moving the tower if the village could tear everything down for less than that.
Also in attendance were two residents from Marysville who said they thought saving the building was a good cause, although recognized the money would be difficult to find.
“Saving that building would be phenomenal, it would be an awesome thing, but realistically, what is it going to be used for?” Ira Somerville, a Marysville resident, said. “Preserving the clock tower and building like a pavilion where you could have your farmer’s markets and that kind of thing…which again, might draw people.”
Brown handed out forms at the town hall that asked attendees to state what they would like to see.
“If you guys write anything on that paper, I’ll give it right to council and they’ll read your words,” he said. “This is your chance to tell them what you want.”