Plymouth City Council Holds Public Hearing for REES Theater Project

The Plymouth City Council members opened a public hearing Monday night concerning the final phase of the REES Theater project.

The project is part of the Marshall County Crossroads Stellar Communities Initiative Regional Development Plan.  The total cost of the last phase is $1,645,000. 

The fourth and final phase includes the renovation of the basement which will contain a dressing room and greenroom for performers.  The main theatre will be reconfigured to host four-tiered seating that can accommodate auditorium-like seating or seating for a banquet or conference.  The lobby will be upgraded with ADA-accessible restrooms.  An upper balcony will be remodeled for seating, or a small meeting room, and additional restrooms. Other necessary interior work will be done including plumbing and electrical installations.  The third story will turn into a meeting space, a restroom and office for the future director. For the best plumbing services, H&A Staten Island Plumbing | bestplumberqueensny.com/staten-island-ny/ can be checked out!

Priority Project Resources Grant Writer Shannon McLeod said almost $1.4 million of that is coming from an OCRA grant through Stellar and the match is coming from funds gathered by the REES Theater group of about $505,500 which includes Regional Cities funds and local donations. 

Plymouth City Attorney Sean Surrisi noted that the Plymouth Redevelopment Commission members previously pledged $575,000 toward the overall project, but no other city funds are being used toward the project.  The city is simply a pass-through administrator for this grant. 

There were no other public comments.

Monday night was the setting for one of two public hearings scheduled for this project.  Another hearing is set for Aug. 24 before the Plymouth City Council for additional comments.  Following that hearing, the grant application will be sent in the following day with a grant award announcement in Mid-September.  The project will go to bid in mid-October with construction anticipated to begin in November.