Group forms to save longtime theater in Louisburg
NAMED ANY SUSPECTS IN THE
$75,000 REWARD FOR INFORMATION
LEADING TO AN ARREST, GROWING
EFFORT TO PRESERVE HISTORY IN
FRANKLIN COUNTY, PEOPLE SAY
REVITALIZING THE HISTORIC
THEATER ON NASH STREET.
>> WHO HELPED LOSE BERG TO
THRIVE WRAL'S DESTINY.
PATTERSON FOUND OUT THEY WILL
NEED THE COUNTY SUPPORT TO MAKE
IT HAPPEN.
>> IF YOU COME TO THE LEWISBURG
FEEDER, YOU'LL SEE CONES OF
BOARDED UP WINDOWS AND LOCKS ON
THE DOORS. BUT PEOPLE HERE IN
THE COMMUNITY TELL ME THAT THIS
BUILDING HAS THE POTENTIAL TO
ONCE AGAIN BE A STAPLE HERE
IN THIS SMALL TOWN. THIS IS
COMMUNITY. THAT'S WHAT THAT
THEATER MEANS. TO ME. THE
LEWISBURG THEATER WAS ONCE A
PLACE TO GET TOGETHER. GRAB
SOME POPCORN AND ENJOY A FOR
THIS. THIS WAS MY CHILDHOOD
TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER SILKA STEIN
SAYS ITS LAST SHOWING WAS 14
YEARS AGO. WE NEED THINGS FOR
THE PEOPLE HERE. DO WE HAVE
TO GO TO?
>> HENDERSON, MY CARS, RALEIGH,
TO SEE IT FAIL. FRANKLIN COUNTY
BOUGHT THE THEATER IN 2022.
NOW THE COUNTY MANAGER SAYS
IT'S IN THE PROCESS OF DOING A
STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS TO
DETERMINE THE INTEGRITY OF THE
STRUCTURE.
I ASKED THE COUNTY SPOKESPERSON
IF THEY WERE CONSIDERING
TEARING IT DOWN. HE SAYS THE
COUNTY IS WAITING FOR ANALYSIS
RESULTS TO MAKE A DECISION ON
NEXT STEPS. THE COUNTY IS ALSO
CONSIDERING THE SITE AS PART OF
A FUTURE JUDICIAL COMPLEX.
WE HAVE SOMETHING VALUE.
WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT NOT
EVERYBODY HAS AND WE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THAT THIS
WE COULD REALLY BE AN ASSET
IN THE ENHANCE OUR ENTIRE
DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY, SIGNING
KNOWLEDGE IS THAT THERE'S WORK
TO BE DONE ON THIS OLD
BUILDING. BUT SHE SAYS THE LOVE
PUT INTO IT WOULD HELP MORE FIT
BACK INTO A PLACE TO MAKE THEM.
JUSTIN, A PATTERSON, WRAL NEWS,
FRANKLIN COUNTY AND WE'LL KEEP
YOU KEEP YOU UPDATED. LET YOU
KNOW WHAT HAPPENS. THERE'S A
FACEBOOK GROUP ABOUT 300 PEOPLE
SUPPORTING THIS IS WHICH
CREATED THIS MONTH.
>> SOME OF THOSE SUPPORTERS
PLAN TO SPEAK DURING THE COUNTY