CARBONDALE - A recently appraised $815,000 landmark on Carbondale's famed "Strip" has been donated to the city and will become home to at least one and possibly two venues of the arts.

Mayor Brad Cole announced Tuesday that Kerasotes Theatres is going to donate the Varsity Theater at 418 S. Illinois Ave. "to the community," and the building "will be available to become the permanent home of The Stage Company and likely other not-for-profit organizations such as Carbondale Community Arts."

The news was delivered during his fifth annual State of the City address hosted by the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce at the Civic Center.

Cole said the theater closed in June 2003, a few months after he began serving his first mayoral term, and "there was much discussion about what could then go into that building to preserve its place in Carbondale, particularly its place in Carbondale's downtown history."

The mayor said the structure needs some renovation work, but a $600,000 estimate given by a local architecture firm in 2005 was "really high,"

The Varsity Theater opened in 1940 and was built to seat 600.

Representatives from Carbondale Community Arts and The Stage Company who attended the mayor's address said they were thrilled at the news, adding that Cole had informed them a day earlier.

"We're very excited about the potential future of the Varsity Theater. We've been keeping an eye on it for a long time and realize how vital it is to help bring people downtown," said Carbondale Community Arts executive director Nancy Stemper.

The organization is governed by a 14-member volunteer board and supported by major grants from the City of Carbondale and the Illinois Arts Council.

Craig Hinde, a co-founder of The Stage Company, said Cole's news was "Great! With a capital exclamation point.

"It's wonderful. We've already started a capital campaign to help with the renovations," Hinde said.

The mayor praised the Kerosotes family for its generous donation; Trace Brown and Charlie Brown and Associates for their property inspection and appraisal work; and Stage Co. volunteers Blanche and Fred Sloan, and Trish and John Guyon.

scott.fitzgerald@thesouthern.com

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