BOZEMAN DAILY CHRONICLE | ERIC DIETRICH | MAY 10TH 2016
A plan to renovate Bozeman’s long-vacant Rialto Theatre on Main Street was given a green light by Bozeman city commissioners Monday night, clearing the way for what architect Brian Caldwell said would be a $5 million investment in the downtown space.
The project, Caldwell said, will include a black-box-style theater, as well as bars on its upper and lower levels and a upstairs dining space. Exterior alterations will see the theater’s historic neon sign and marquee restored on Main Street, and a faded paint sign on the building’s rear enclosed, he said.
Developers have also brought in a world-class acoustic engineer to help design the performance space and are planning on using telescoping seats to allow for both theater-style and standing events, Caldwell added.
“It will be a draw for downtown Bozeman,” Caldwell said.
The Rialto space, he noted, is only 32 feet wide, making renovation efforts akin to building a ship in a bottle.
Commissioners were also enthusiastic about the project, with Deputy Mayor Cyndy Andrus calling it “what we had all hoped for for some time.”
“I’m really excited to see this addition to downtown,” echoed Commissioner I-Ho Pomeroy.
Caldwell’s firm, Thinktank Design, said in a release last week that construction on the project is slated to begin this coming June with the venue opening next summer.
Eric Dietrich can be reached at 406-582-2628 oredietrich@dailychronicle.com. He is on Twitter at @eidietrich.
