Hundreds gather to celebrate groundbreaking at the Historic Lansdowne Theater!

Hundreds of Lansdowne Theater Donors, elected officials and the Historic Lansdowne Theater Corporation Project Team kickoff long-awaited construction

Construction to begin on landmark building in mid-August

Nearly 200 individual donors joined elected officials, funders, project team members and the Historic Lansdowne Theater Corporation Board of Directors to kick off the start of construction at the Lansdowne Theater, marking the end of a years-long campaign to raise the funds needed to renovate and reopen the theater as a major regional concert venue.

The invitation-only groundbreaking event was held on July 24 at the theater, which by mid-August will be a hive of activity as construction begins.

U.S. Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, PA State Senators Tim Kearney, Delaware County Council Chair Monica Taylor, Lansdowne Mayor Magda Byrne, Reinvestment Fund Senior Director Elizabeth Frentz and WSFS Bank Sr. Vice President Phil Hough. addressed the crowd, highlighting the theater’s promise as an economic catalyst for Lansdowne and surrounding communities and speaking about job creation, improved access to the arts and preservation of this architectural gem. Historic Lansdowne Theater Corporation President Bob Jara and Executive Director Matt Schultz spoke about the long road to groundbreaking, expressing gratitude to elected leaders, private funders and over 1000 individual donors whose steadfast support has been instrumental.

The groundbreaking comes after the Historic Lansdowne Theater Corporation secured a total of $18M in combined grants and financing needed to restore and reopen the historic theater. The Lansdowne will be under construction for approximately 12 months, reopening in 2024 as a 1,280-seat concert venue featuring national and international musicians.

The renovation effort will preserve the theater’s architectural integrity, with restoration of historic finishes and lighting fixtures including the grand chandelier. The restored theater will feature new period-style seats, plush draperies and stage curtains inspired by the theater’s original design, and a new lobby bar will highlight the Lansdowne’s opulent history. The ADA-compliant renovation also includes new and expanded restrooms and conversion of former retail spaces into a modern box office and 1500 square foot patron lounge. The roof, HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems will be entirely replaced and a fire suppression system will be installed. A one-story building addition will be constructed at the rear of the theater to accommodate performers with new dressing and storage rooms and a kitchen.

The Historic Lansdowne Theater Corporation wishes to extend its sincere gratitude to our elected leaders, major funders and individual donors for their key role in making restoration of the Lansdowne possible. We also thank the community of Lansdowne for its support during the long and challenging campaign to gather the resources needed to bring The Lansdowne back to glory. We can’t wait to celebrate the Grand Reopening with all of you!

Follow the progression of construction on FaceBook and on www.LansdowneTheater.org