Preserving Historic Buildings : Browse Popular Ideas

Planning the Future of Downtown's Historic Buildings

The historic buildings and homes in downtown Huntsville are important part of the city's charm, culture, and southern heritage. Three of these major structures are in transition, and we want to know your ideas on what should happen next with these buildings. The two school properties are listed on the State of Alabama's historic register, and approval for renovations must be granted by the Huntsville Historic Preservation Commission. The bank building is listed on the National Historic Register.

First National Bank of Alabama on Jefferson Street.

One of Huntsville's most iconic and recognizable structures, this Greek Revival bank was built on the Courthouse Square in 1835. It served as a bank until 2010, when Regions Bank deeded the property for community use via an arrangement with the Historic Preservation Authority. The City needs a plan and funding for the building's use and maintenance. What do you think should happen to the building?

East Clinton Elementary School on East Clinton Street in Old Town.

The site of the first school to be built in Huntsville, East Clinton Elementary is the third school structure on the property (see timeline of photos at the bottom of the page). Built in 1926 in the Art Deco style, it closed in 2012. Huntsville City Schools would like to sell the property to help fund capital improvements in other areas. It also costs the school system about $39,000 - $42,000 per year just to keep the building in its current state. The school system is asking $1,564,000 million for the 3.62 acre property. The building has 39,100 SF under cover.

Annie Merts Center

Home to the Huntsville City Schools administrative offices, this former school building sits on the corner of Randolph and White Streets. Built in 1928 in the Renaissance Revival style, it served as a high school. In 1987, the building was converted into administrative offices. Huntsville City Schools is considering selling the property along with the nearby parking lot across White Street.

Huntsville’s first public school building was built in 1882 on the site of the present East Clinton Elementary School.

This larger brick building was erected only 20 years later in 1902 on the same East Clinton Avenue site as the first frame building.

By 1938 the East Clinton Avenue site had yet another school, this Art Deco style building, which was used as East Clinton Elementary School until June 2012.

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  Create An "Arts Bank" At Old Regions Bank Building On The Square

  Create an “Arts Bank” arts and entertainment venue on Huntsville’s downtown square in the historic Regions Bank Building. Utilize the historic Regions Bank building to provide a critical programming venue to draw Huntsvillians and tourists alike to downtown entertainment, restaurants, and retail. With programmatic leadership from The Arts Council and its member arts and cultural groups, this City-owned venue could ...more »

  Create an “Arts Bank” arts and entertainment venue on Huntsville’s downtown square in the historic Regions Bank Building.

  Utilize the historic Regions Bank building to provide a critical programming venue to draw Huntsvillians and tourists alike to downtown entertainment, restaurants, and retail. With programmatic leadership from The Arts Council and its member arts and cultural groups, this City-owned venue could be used to offer jazz and blues performances, improv/comedy/spoken word performances, literary readings, intimate classical music performances, independent film showings, classic film showings, etc. The historic bank building could also provide needed office space for area nonprofit arts and cultural organizations by day, with arts and entertainment programming in the evening and on weekends.

  The bank building could become a central hub for other arts and entertainment activity on the square, hosting periodic downtown film competitions, mystery dinner theatre events, downtown scavenger hunts, small concerts and songwriters events, etc. The facility could also be used as an anchor for additional outdoor events downtown, such as en plein air arts events (similar to Asheville’s “City of 1,000 Easels”), international art & cultural celebrations, block parties, etc. As a community venue, the “Arts Bank” could also be used as a hub for the downtown Ghost Walks, community bike rides, volunteer base for 5k runs, etc. The “Arts Bank” and, specifically, its bank vault could be used to house an “Art Loan” program offering affordable fine art rentals to area businesses and individuals.

  As a community, let’s preserve and program this beautiful historic property to enliven downtown and give Huntsvillians and visitors a reason to stay on the square after they eat at a great downtown restaurant or shop at Harrison Brothers.

  Animate the downtown square with new arts and entertainment programming, engage more pedestrians, and pave the way for additional retail and residential development in the future.

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  Submitted by Arts Council 3 months ago

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  Courthouse

  Let’s add a category: "County Courthouse." Either the epicenter of downtown is a government center surrounded by lawyer’s offices or it is an entertainment, small shops and living zone--but the two do not easily mix. Rows of attorney offices hardly project the idea of "fun" and the dilapidated and overwhelming monstrosity of a courthouse is the white elephant in the room. We are trying to re-purpose around it without ...more »

  Let’s add a category: "County Courthouse." Either the epicenter of downtown is a government center surrounded by lawyer’s offices or it is an entertainment, small shops and living zone--but the two do not easily mix. Rows of attorney offices hardly project the idea of "fun" and the dilapidated and overwhelming monstrosity of a courthouse is the white elephant in the room. We are trying to re-purpose around it without dealing with the central problem. Of course moving county government to another area would be expensive but it would also redevelop areas needing attention. Serious revitalization of the Huntsville downtown is impossible as long as this unfortunate courthouse dominates that space.

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  13 comments for Idea: Courthouse

  Submitted by darrylgoldman 3 months ago

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  Realistic Plans for Preserving The Old Regions Bank Building

  The Historic Huntsville Foundation supports the adaptation of the historic First National Bank of Alabama in a way that supports a thriving downtown Huntsville, whether as a community arts center or privately-owned condos. Nearly two hundred years ago, Huntsville’s founders invested in this building as a symbol of their belief in Huntsville’s prosperous future. History has proven them correct. It is critical that ...more »

  The Historic Huntsville Foundation supports the adaptation of the historic First National Bank of Alabama in a way that supports a thriving downtown Huntsville, whether as a community arts center or privately-owned condos. Nearly two hundred years ago, Huntsville’s founders invested in this building as a symbol of their belief in Huntsville’s prosperous future. History has proven them correct.

  It is critical that we, as a community, preserve this property and its important historical legacy. The First National Bank of Alabama is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of a few bank buildings from the Jacksonian era still standing in the United States. The building’s importance is derived from its architectural style, historical significance and strategic location on the Courthouse Square.

  City leaders are wise to be concerned about the costs of maintaining this property. Updating and maintaining the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems in this building will be a costly investment. If the building stays in public hands, taxpayers must be willing to fund these costs or slowly witness the deterioration of a grand legacy. If the building is in private hands, where private money would fund repairs and maintenance, perhaps the city could use preservation easements to protect the bank’s exterior façade. Unlike properties in our downtown historic districts, proposed changes to the building’s exterior are not reviewed by the Huntsville Historic Preservation Commission. A preservation easement would not, in any way, limit modifications that could be made to the building interior as it was renovated for a new purpose.

  The preservation and adaptive reuse of this historic property presents challenges, but it is also provides a rare opportunity for a person or organization to develop prime downtown real estate full of character and unlike anything else in the city.

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  1 comment for Idea: Realistic Plans for Preserving The Old Regions Bank Building

  Submitted by historicfoundation 3 months ago

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  Condos - nono

  I disagree about the condos thing. While it might help folks MOVE there (those that can afford it), it won't help the downtown area become more pedestrian unless there's something to go TO. Right now, and handful of smoky bars and old hardware stores is not a *draw* for downtown. I recommend freeing up some space for shops, retail and otherwise, and restaurants. Most of the restaurants there are pretty pricey and ...more »

  I disagree about the condos thing. While it might help folks MOVE there (those that can afford it), it won't help the downtown area become more pedestrian unless there's something to go TO. Right now, and handful of smoky bars and old hardware stores is not a *draw* for downtown. I recommend freeing up some space for shops, retail and otherwise, and restaurants.

  Most of the restaurants there are pretty pricey and the bars don't open til late anyhow. Can we please get some different flavor other than the same chef having 4 different restaurants in walking distance of one another with similar menus? And none of them are really ethnic or highly different...

  If someone with a few bucks was smart, they'd parcel out the old Heritage club and lease 5 different businesses/bars/etc on that street level to have more to actually make DT a destination for something other than just night life...

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  6 comments for Idea: Condos - nono

  Submitted by oconnef 3 months ago

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  Think outside of the box

  If we're going to revitalize Downtown, it's going to require thinking outside of the box. Honestly, the downtown is not that interesting if art or nightlife isn't your cup of tea. You need to look how difficult the City rules make it for new businesses to open. In addition, the high cost of rental space doesn't encourage the eclectic, interesting shops that many residents would like to see. If you want it to happen, then ...more »

  If we're going to revitalize Downtown, it's going to require thinking outside of the box. Honestly, the downtown is not that interesting if art or nightlife isn't your cup of tea. You need to look how difficult the City rules make it for new businesses to open. In addition, the high cost of rental space doesn't encourage the eclectic, interesting shops that many residents would like to see. If you want it to happen, then it has to be affordable. Perhaps the City could offer tax breaks to smaller businesses or rent assistance. Helping smaller businesses would be a better investment than giving tax breaks for a major retail chain.

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  3 comments for Idea: Think outside of the box

  Submitted by rhonda24 3 months ago

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  Huntsville Ballet

  Huntsville Ballet Company and school (Community Ballet) is looking to relocate to the downtown area. The addition of a educational arts insitution (Huntsville Ballet) to a downtown location would bring up to 2000 more people downtown.

  7 comments for Idea: Huntsville Ballet

  Submitted by phil 2 months ago

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  Performing Arts Center/Music Hall/Art classes

  Transform the Art Deco building into a Performing Arts, Theater, and Fine Arts and Music Center. From what I understand, it already has an auditorium and would be perfect for community plays, and art and music learning/classes. We must preserve a place (preferably in historic Huntsville) for the arts and cultural learning. Engaging young people in the arts is the most important thing a community could do. There could ...more »

  Transform the Art Deco building into a Performing Arts, Theater, and Fine Arts and Music Center. From what I understand, it already has an auditorium and would be perfect for community plays, and art and music learning/classes. We must preserve a place (preferably in historic Huntsville) for the arts and cultural learning. Engaging young people in the arts is the most important thing a community could do. There could be art, jazz, and acting classes. The Huntsville Community Chorus, HAL, the Tennessee Valley Jazz consortium, and others can all use this facility to engage youth in the arts, something that is losing funding in our schools, and utilize the Art Deco style for an artistic purpose. HAL is always looking for space for art classes and the Huntsville Community Chorus is always looking for theater space.

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  4 comments for Idea: Performing Arts Center/Music Hall/Art classes

  Submitted by jogle475 3 months ago

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  Transform them into lofts/condos!

  I have seen it in many other cities as small as Athens, GA and as big as New York City. Beautiful old historic buildings and public schools turned into amazing modern/historical lofts and condos. I know these ideas don't come cheap, but it is a way to bring more people to downtown who still want to live within a mile OF downtown but not quite IN downtown. The idea of this beautiful historic building being torn down is ...more »

  I have seen it in many other cities as small as Athens, GA and as big as New York City. Beautiful old historic buildings and public schools turned into amazing modern/historical lofts and condos. I know these ideas don't come cheap, but it is a way to bring more people to downtown who still want to live within a mile OF downtown but not quite IN downtown. The idea of this beautiful historic building being torn down is just as bad as the old courthouse on the square being torn down and turned into the 70's-80's monstrosity it remains today. It is so important to maintain the integrity of our historic areas and not rush to demolish our cities history so quickly.

  Here is an example of this type of project in Knoxville, TN:

  http://stuckinsideofknoxville.com/category/brownlow-lofts/

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  5 comments for Idea: Transform them into lofts/condos!

  Submitted by nastacia2 3 months ago

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  Submitted by altus1 2 months ago

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  Create affordable, on-demand office space for small businesses

  Create affordable, small, on-demand shared offices within the current historic structures for startups, entrepreneurs creatives, or other small businesses, that can be rented on short-term leases like in larger cities. These types of shared work environments are affordable for small businesses, promote collaboration and foster the exchange of ideas. By growing the workforce downtown, we'll increase foot traffic during ...more »

  Create affordable, small, on-demand shared offices within the current historic structures for startups, entrepreneurs creatives, or other small businesses, that can be rented on short-term leases like in larger cities. These types of shared work environments are affordable for small businesses, promote collaboration and foster the exchange of ideas. By growing the workforce downtown, we'll increase foot traffic during the day and offer affordable brick-and-mortar options for small business owners and creatives.

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  Submitted by ad209 3 months ago

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  What is your idea for the Annie Merts Center on Randolph Street?

  

  Would you like to see loft apartments or condos, an arts center, another school? What are your ideas?

  23 comments for Idea: What is your idea for the Annie Merts Center on Randolph Street?

  Submitted by City of Huntsville 3 months ago

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  Something like (maybe better) than City Museum in St. Louis

  I wish Huntsville had something like City Museum in St. Louis. My family and I drive 7 hours to see a Cardinals game and visit this museum. My husband and I have as much fun (if not more) than the kids while at the museum. The original space was an old shoe factory. Because our city prizes family-activities, I think it would be a great use of our "old" space. Here's a link: http://www.citymuseum.org/site/

  1 comment for Idea: Something like (maybe better) than City Museum in St. Louis

  Submitted by brandy.panagos 3 months ago

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  Use the bank building for a museum

  We have the Museum of Art. We have the Space and Rocket Center. We have the Train Station, but we do not have a museum that is striictly about Huntsville. Convert this building into a 'Huntsville' museum. Regarding East Clinton School, it isn't located in a very strategic spot for community wide use. I say sell it to the highest bidder and use the proceeds to improve existing schools. At this point, it's just an old ...more »

  We have the Museum of Art. We have the Space and Rocket Center. We have the Train Station, but we do not have a museum that is striictly about Huntsville. Convert this building into a 'Huntsville' museum.

  Regarding East Clinton School, it isn't located in a very strategic spot for community wide use. I say sell it to the highest bidder and use the proceeds to improve existing schools. At this point, it's just an old building without any real community wide significance.

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  8 comments for Idea: Use the bank building for a museum

  Submitted by tommy.gibb 3 months ago

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  Historic Preservation Commission

  Some earlier posts have indicated a lack of confidence in the Historic Preservation Commission. Based on my experience with the Commission over the past twenty years, most of the Commission members are passionate about preservation and want to do the right thing. If the demolition of East Clinton comes to a public hearing, it's pretty certain there will be Commission members who will follow the guidelines of the Commission ...more »

  Some earlier posts have indicated a lack of confidence in the Historic Preservation Commission. Based on my experience with the Commission over the past twenty years, most of the Commission members are passionate about preservation and want to do the right thing. If the demolition of East Clinton comes to a public hearing, it's pretty certain there will be Commission members who will follow the guidelines of the Commission and strongly advocate for preservation of the building. Likewise there may be some members arguing for demolition, based on subjective criteria like improving property values, the rights of property owners, neighborhood beautification and incompatibility. As was the case with the recent demolition on Echols, members of the public will be there, both for and against demolition. The following is an excerpt from the Commission's guideline regarding demolition. Are the guidelines unclear or open to interpretation?

  A Guide to Design Review in Huntsville’s Historic Districts

  3.6 Demolition Guidelines

  1. Demolition Not Appropriate for Contributing Buildings. The demolition of contributing buildings is not appropriate. The Commission may only grant a certificate of appropriateness for the demolition of a contributing building where it finds that: the public safety is endangered or the building is no longer contributing to the district.

  2. Demolition May be Appropriate for Noncontributing Buildings. Demolition is appropriate if a building is noncontributing or has lost its architectural significance or integrity and if its demolition would have a positive effect on the overall appearance and character of a district.

  4. Replacement. In reviewing the appropriateness of any demolition request, the Commission may consider the proposed reuse of the property to determine if the demolition will have a positive effect on the overall appearance and character of a district. Accordingly, the Commission may withhold a certificate of appropriateness for a demolition request until such time as a certificate of appropriateness has been approved for any new construction on the site.

  5. There shall be a presumption that a building is contributing to the historic district if the building is more than fifty years of age. The Commission may determine that a particular building does not contribute to the historic district if the Commission determines that it has lost its historical or architectural integrity or is otherwise inconsistent with the historic character of the district. For guidance, the Commission will use appropriate publications by the National Park Service regarding the National Register of Historic Places.

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  1 comment for Idea: Historic Preservation Commission

  Submitted by Frank Nola, Jr. 3 months ago

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  Art and Design School

  Savannah College of Art of Design occupies numerous historical building scattered throughout old Savannah. Perhaps they need another extension campus.

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  Submitted by greghathorn 3 months ago

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  Arcade/Indie Film Theater

  By day, an arcade for families to have something else to do together downtown besides feeding the ducks and fish. Arcades are making a comeback on the nostalgia factor for 30 something parents who spent all their time in arcades as children. And this will be a pleasent alternative to Chuckie Cheese! By night, an Indie Film theater. That Huntsville doesn't already have one of these astounds me. Indie Film theaters ...more »

  By day, an arcade for families to have something else to do together downtown besides feeding the ducks and fish. Arcades are making a comeback on the nostalgia factor for 30 something parents who spent all their time in arcades as children. And this will be a pleasent alternative to Chuckie Cheese!

  By night, an Indie Film theater. That Huntsville doesn't already have one of these astounds me. Indie Film theaters keep people coming to downtown and make people want to eat/drink downtown before/after the movie. Plus, with an indie theater you can host indie film competitions and festivals! Tourism! And you inspire young people to take up filmography, because you could show the film projects of the local high schools and colleges once a month. The arcade games will get used by adults as they wait for late night movies.

  For funding, I'd look to Monaco, the richest and most successful movie theater in three states... see if they'd like to partner to make this happen and get a cut of the profits. You could even call the theater "Prive" to attract those who are already used to the Prive expereince at Monaco.

  What downtown needs is hang-outs (that aren't bars) to keep people busy and ~IN~ downtown for longer than the 30 minutes it takes to feed the ducks and fish.

  Arcade/Indie Film Theater links!

  http://www.thecharles.com/info

  http://www.echoparkfilmcenter.org/

  http://laemmle.com/viewtheatre.php?thid=6

  http://www.pinballzarcade.com/

  If anyone has some venture capital they'd like to send my way, my husband and I have been saving up to make this happen in downtown since we moved to Huntsville. Just saying.

  I think many of the other ideas on this board could be sparked by just having something to do downtown during the off seasons of concerts in the park, etc. This would be a big draw in winter and not nearly as expensive as going to see most shows at the VBC. Plus, with the VBC, people drive in, see the show and leave, they don't stay in downtown to eat. An entertainment venue right in the midst of downtown is the way to really bang up revenue for surrounding shops and restaurants.

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  Submitted by paige.colburn 2 months ago

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  Keep the historic structure with new purpose

  Upscale CONDOs is the best way to retain the building's exterior and preserve the neighborhood's historic appearance. No matter how much new homes are built to appear old, they are just not a good fit for a truly historic district. They stand out as too perfect against the funky character of great old homes. CONDOs also mean more people living downtown and supporting new restaurants, etc.

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  Submitted by darrylgoldman 3 months ago

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  Preserve as multi-use historic facility

  Convert the gym and auditorium into exercise and pool facility supported by community memberships. Add upscale condos/lofts, coffee shop, apartments, but keep the exterior as it is except with landscaping and freshening up.

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  Submitted by darrylgoldman 3 months ago

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  What is your idea for East Clinton Elementary School?

  

  Private home, community center, library, historic archive? What would you like to see and how would you fund it?

  26 comments for Idea: What is your idea for East Clinton Elementary School?

  Submitted by City of Huntsville 3 months ago

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  Providing Non-Profits with a Rent-Free Venue

  Would it not be great to use a section of buildings such as the Old Regions Bank, the Merts Center, or East Clinton School for rent-free use to non-profits for meetings of groups such as our poetry and writers groups; or as a venue for our visiting writers? Reservations would be first come, first served, with a set date or dates for making these reservations every 6 months. Kitchen privileges ...more »

  Would it not be great to use a section of buildings such as the Old Regions Bank, the Merts Center, or East Clinton School for rent-free use to non-profits for meetings of groups such as our poetry and writers groups; or as a venue for our visiting writers?

  Reservations would be first come, first served, with a set date or dates for making these reservations every 6 months. Kitchen privileges would be part of the reservation.

  Our vision is a more home-like atmosphere with sitting in groupings, with some coffee tables, and audio-visual hookups and, perhaps sources for A-V rentals available. A refreshment area is also needed adjacent to the meeting room. Perhaps one of the rooms would be an atrium or an all-weather room opening to the gardens. Sizes of the rooms could vary if architectural possible or required.

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  Submitted by omaani 2 months ago

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  What are your ideas for other downtown historic properties?

  

  There are several historic buildings on Washington and Jefferson Streets in need of a new life. What would you like to see?

  7 comments for Idea: What are your ideas for other downtown historic properties?

  Submitted by City of Huntsville 3 months ago

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  Turn Historic Bank into Indoor Waterpark

  Look, I’m a simple man with simple wants. After a long day of lawyering a guy like me just wants to slide down a convoluted network of tubes that spills out into a large pool of chlorine mixed with water. But can I just stroll down the street at five o’clock, pop off my tie, and plop down in a lazy river? No! I, and every other lawyer/paralegal in this regressive city have to make the drive all the way out to Point Mallard ...more »

  Look, I’m a simple man with simple wants. After a long day of lawyering a guy like me just wants to slide down a convoluted network of tubes that spills out into a large pool of chlorine mixed with water. But can I just stroll down the street at five o’clock, pop off my tie, and plop down in a lazy river? No! I, and every other lawyer/paralegal in this regressive city have to make the drive all the way out to Point Mallard everyday after clocking out, putting unnecessary CO2 into the atmosphere and clogging up 565. And I can’t tell you how many times I’ve pulled up to that waterpark in the winter only to find out they were closed!

  The solution is simple: No more of this nonsense about turning the old downtown bank into an arts venue or retail space or whatever other jibber jabber. TURN THE BANK INTO AN INDOOR WATER PARK.

  The floors and walls are all marble so there should be no problem holding thousands of gallons of water in the once-lobby-now-wave-pool. The ceilings are more than 30 feet high which is plenty of room for tube slides, and surely the space is wide and deep enough for one of those giant bowls that you slide around in in a spiral until you eventually get flushed out the middle. And I think it goes without saying that converting the banks boxes to lockers is just a matter of installing a few coin slots.

  Obviously, limiting this water park to indoors is strictly a cold-weather rule. Obviously we will have a slide that exits the building and ejects into Big Spring during warmer weather, and obviously the Big Spring park creek will, during summer, function as a lazy river.

  I don’t have a lot of time to write proposals like this; I’m already behind on some important legal documents that need scrutinizing. Just make it happen, people. Thumbs up this idea and get your friends to do the same so that our Lawyers-Only Indoor Water Park dream becomes a necessary reality.

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  4 comments for Idea: Turn Historic Bank into Indoor Waterpark

  Submitted by dstntmbrk 3 months ago

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  Big Spring Park Preservation

  Zone the park as a historical zone so that that there can no further infringement, new buildings, or expansions of present buildings.

  Add your comment for Idea: Big Spring Park Preservation

  Submitted by gdantatum 3 months ago

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  Reimagine East Clinton School as a place of entertainment

  In Portland, OR we have McMenamin's Kennedy School. They took an aging elementary school and turned it into a hotel with restaurants, a movie theater, and a brewery. This McMenamins group does this with all sorts of historic buildings around Oregon. It revitalizes the community, encourages tourism and gives great life to old buildings. Check out the link: http://www.mcmenamins.com/KennedySchool http://www.mcmenamins.com/Pubs ...more »

  In Portland, OR we have McMenamin's Kennedy School. They took an aging elementary school and turned it into a hotel with restaurants, a movie theater, and a brewery. This McMenamins group does this with all sorts of historic buildings around Oregon. It revitalizes the community, encourages tourism and gives great life to old buildings.

  Check out the link:

  http://www.mcmenamins.com/KennedySchool

  http://www.mcmenamins.com/Pubs

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  3 comments for Idea: Reimagine East Clinton School as a place of entertainment

  Submitted by hilary 3 months ago

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  Dinner theater

  The location is what presents a key opportunity to create a much needed tourist attraction in downtown Huntsville. A dinner theater would provide jobs, support local farmers, and enhance on-going tourism and arts programs already working in Huntsville. With a bit of collaboration, a dinner theater right downtown could bring more people to the Ghost Walks, Art on the Square, Etc., (as they could make a full night of diverse ...more »

  The location is what presents a key opportunity to create a much needed tourist attraction in downtown Huntsville. A dinner theater would provide jobs, support local farmers, and enhance on-going tourism and arts programs already working in Huntsville. With a bit of collaboration, a dinner theater right downtown could bring more people to the Ghost Walks, Art on the Square, Etc., (as they could make a full night of diverse program narratives) and it could showcase the important historical themes of Huntsville in an entertaining and memorable way, which could fit nicely with a visit to the Space & Rocket Center.

  More fun things to do in a thriving downtown area means more tourism, and more dollars brought in to the city. This would not compete with other established restaurants as much as draw attention to them bringing people to the area that would not have otherwise come downtown. The current theatrical establishments in Huntsville should be invited (maybe as consultants or contractors) to be a part of establishing this new venue.

  Alexandria, VA has a very successful dinner theater downtown that does medieval shows and serves an authentic medieval meal made with locally produced foods. As a tourist looking for something to do on weekend trips to other cities, I have also attended murder mystery dinner theaters and historic/comedic dinner theaters. Durango, Colorado also used their dinner theater space to stage community building events such as the Durango Follies, involving prominent local business leaders presenting a series of skits. I have tagged a few websites as examples.

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  1 comment for Idea: Dinner theater

  Submitted by nraymer 3 months ago

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