It has begun!
- Adam McBryde
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Theater remodeling has officially begun with demolition of the nexus building which will be the new bathrooms and expanded concession area. I have been working with the demolition crew this week and am actually enjoying the gritty dust and excitement of seeing this project start into motion. It won't be long until we break through the wall to connect the two buildings and get to see the expansion joining the original theater lobby.
Meanwhile, theater seats are being unfastened from the floor and a storage facility is being prepared to house all items that must be relocated to make room for the auditorium demolition. A volunteer work day will be scheduled soon to help move all of the seats and clear the way for awesomeness to come.
Speaking of seats...
Many people have asked if the theater will be updated with new reclining modern theater style seats. The simple answer, unfortunately, is no. Although it was discussed at length in the planning portion of this project, here's a list of reasons why.....
The current seats are nearly original and a historical element of the theater. ( 🥱 boring)
The current seats were reconditioned and reupholstered less than 15 years ago and they are still in very good condition - It would be wasteful to discard them now. 💰
The current seats are twice as big as seats found in the Berglund Center or Salem Civic Center. (I might be exaggerating a little on that one but they are actually larger than modern stadium seating. 🏟️)
The Buchanan Theater auditorium currently holds about 200 seats. Bigger seats would mean a reduction in capacity and The Buchanan Theater already falls into the "smaller than average category". Larger / better live entertainment typically limits theater sizes to 200+ seats so this is a logistical decision to hopefully attract some higher demand shows.
I remember what seat I sat in when I watched the movie E.T. for the first time at the Buchanan Theater in 1982 and I think it's cool that I can still sit in that seat - just not as comfortably as my 8 year old self did. 🍿
The remodeling budget is being applied towards major building maintenance, new construction to offer more/better services and comfort in other areas. As the Buchanan Theater evolves and capacity issues are addressed, new seats may be back on the table for discussion but at this time, it just doesn't make sense. As a larger than life giant myself, I DO feel your pain and desire for a larger seating option. And what about cup holders? That would almost be better than a bigger seat in my opinion - but that's for a later update.
Thank you to everyone helping, planning, funding or simply cheering us on. I'll be posting more in the near future and hopefully soon, I'll see you at the movies.
-Adam
Chairman of the board - Buchanan Theater. Standing Room Only
So glad you are keeping the old seats... love the small theater feel!