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Montgomery Ballet seeks county help to finish rehab of gifted Coliseum Boulevard building
Summary
Montgomery Ballet requested county support to cover renovation shortfalls for a newly gifted 4,700 sq ft facility and said an unexpected $25,000 architectural bill remains; the company described plans for a black-box theater to host small touring groups.
Montgomery Ballet Artistic Executive Director Danny Mitsios asked Montgomery County Commissioners for financial assistance to complete renovations on a newly gifted building on Coliseum Boulevard and to support the company’s upcoming season.
Mitsios said the ballet was given the old Dixie Cleaners building and plans to move from a 3,000-square-foot rented space into roughly 4,700 square feet the company will own. He told the commission the group has relied on federal and state surplus materials, volunteers and partner nonprofits to reduce costs but recently received an unexpected $25,000 invoice for architectural drawings.
“We got a horrible tab of 25 k from our architectural designs … anywhere from 0 to 25, I'd be super grateful for,” Mitsios said, attributing the amount to a recent bill the company did not anticipate. He said the company already received a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and is seeking additional help to “get us over the finish line” so the ballet can eliminate rent and establish a stronger financial footing.
Mitsios described plans for an in-house black-box theater he intends to rent to small regional performing groups and cited community partnerships with volunteer groups and Life House Ministries for plumbing and electrical work. He said the new facility would allow reduced storage and rental costs and create a modest rental space for visiting small ensembles.
Commissioners asked whether the ballet had submitted a formal funding request; Mitsios said he had emailed the county and would resend materials if needed. No formal county appropriation or vote on the ballet’s request occurred during the meeting.
The commission thanked Mitsios for the presentation and asked him to follow up with county staff via email so the county can locate his application and supporting documents.
