Staff outlines Tampa Theatre restoration progress ahead of 100th anniversary

Historic preservation staff told the Architectural Review Commission on July 6 that restoration work at the Tampa Theatre and Office Building is underway with the goal of authentic restoration in time for the theatre's 100th anniversary in October.

Elaine Lund, preservation staff, said the project includes structural repairs to the orchestra pit, installation of a new organ lift, replacement of the stage floor, accessibility upgrades including an operable stage lift, and extensive restoration of ornate paint and plaster throughout the auditorium. Lund said expert artisans need scaffolding to reach decorative surfaces and that some fixtures have been temporarily removed for cleaning and restoration.

"The project goal is to fully restore the Tampa Theater in time for its 100th anniversary in October," Lund said during a photo presentation that showed historic plans, Sanborn map references and current aerial views. Lund noted the building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and was among the city's first local historic landmarks under Tampa's preservation ordinance.

Dennis Fernandez, architectural review and historic preservation manager, praised the conservation work and noted staff's ongoing engagement. He described tests to recover original paint colors and said the current restoration aims to return the theatre to a more historically accurate appearance after earlier restorations had altered some color choices.

Staff entered ARC approvals into the record for the meeting and noted the theater project as the preservation-in-progress feature for the month. The presentation was informational; no formal ARC action was required on the restoration update at this hearing.