Hollywood Theater tour a highlight of Downtown La Crosse Day

Renovation Open House will be playing at the Hollywood Theater in La Crosse on Saturday, and ticket buyers will get to play interior decorator voting on finishing touches to restore the old theater.

The $10 admission for the 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. fundraiser will entitle buyers to tour the building and 10 tickets to cast votes for faucets, wallpaper, paint, tile and lighting fixtures, said Phil Addis, who bought the dilapidated theater, sight unseen, at a sheriffs auction Feb. 28. Proceeds will go toward the restoration.

The open house, with tours every half hour, is part of the 17th annual Historic Downtown La Crosse Day, which starts with a 5K run/walk at 8 a.m. at Viterbo University and continues with family activities through the day.

One of the more popular events, the 21st Annual Chili Cook-off in the State Bank parking lot, has been canceled because of predicted rain.

At the Hollywood, open house patrons will be able to see Addis progress since he gained access to the building for the first time in April and discovered it had no heat, air conditioning, seats or running water but plenty of crumbling plaster and mildew.

The inside has been cleaned, the moldy carpeting removed and the decrepit furniture tossed, and repairs are in process, he said.

On display besides the decorating options will be the final architectural plans and seats that will be installed before the theater reopens, which Addis has targeted for February.

Addis, who declined to estimate the ultimate cost of the project, said he has received some small donations and has received extensive in-kind donations from the roofing and electrical contractors.

He envisions the theater as a venue for second-run movies, as well as old and classic movies and a concert hall. People also will be able to rent it for meetings, and a couple inquired about being married there. Unfortunately, the renovation wont be completed in time for their nuptials.

Historic Downtown La Crosse Day will feature an array of other activities highlighting the citys heritage, including tours of Mary of the Angels Chapel at Viterbo, open house tours at the Grand Hotel Ballroom, free trolley rides and horse-drawn carriage rides around downtown and music of bygone and current days.

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Hollywood Theater tour a highlight of Downtown La Crosse Day