Charleroi’s historic Coyle Theater to be demolished
CHARLEROI 鈥� The owner of the historic, rundown Coyle Theater in Charleroi has decided to end the debate about restoring the building with an Art-Deco marquee.
Mon Valley Alliance, which had hoped to restore the 128-year-old theater, announced last week that the building will soon be demolished.
鈥淲e tried,鈥� said Ben Brown, the alliance蘑菇视频 chief executive officer.
鈥淎t some point you have to say enough is enough,鈥� Brown said Friday.
The nearly 1,000-seat theater was built at 331 McKean Ave. in 1891 as an opera house, and it was later used for burlesque and vaudeville shows. The playhouse was enlarged in the 1920s.
It closed in 1999 with a showing of 鈥淭itanic,鈥� and several attempts had since been made to return the theater to its sparkle, but the project never attracted enough money.
The theater is in a district that has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Nikki Sheppick, spokeswoman for the Charleroi Area Historical Society, said there is nothing the society can do to stop the demolition as federal funds are not being used to pay for the project.
鈥淲e are sorry to hear this,鈥� Sheppick said.
Brown said the alliance, which isn鈥檛 releasing the cost of demolition, has already spent $250,000 on the Coyle, including the razing of two neighboring buildings and making repairs to the theater蘑菇视频 roof.
He said an earlier study determined it would take as much as $1 million to stabilize the building and 鈥渟tave off damages,鈥� but the investment was never made.
The alliance in March shelved a $7.5 million plan to repurpose the building after the project was denied funding from the Local Share Account of money pulled from the take at The Meadows Casino in North Strabane Township.
鈥淚t has become clear that demolition and redevelopment is the best path to support the economic viability of Charleroi going forward,鈥� Brown said.
Hazardous materials, including asbestos, must be removed before the contractor can begin to tear down the Coyle, he said.
Brown said attempts will be made to salvage the marquee.
The building is expected to be removed from the landscape within the next few months.