The owners of the Crump Theater in Columbus are looking to sell the historic venue, but they're having trouble finding interested buyers.
The organization that owns the 125-year-old theater, The Columbus Capital Foundation, had initially hoped to find a private partner from within the community to take over the building, which is part of the Columbus Historic District.
But foundation board member Tracy Souza says despite months of public discussions, no one has expressed interest.
"If there were local organizations or local individuals that were interested in the city, I think they've had time to step forward" Souza says. "We've not heard from anyone."
That means the organization needs to widen its net.
"The next steps are to broaden that circle and to reach out beyond Bartholomew County," she says.
But when it comes to selling a 600-seat theater, posting a few pictures on Craigslist just won't cut it. The foundation has enlisted the help of Richard McCoy, an Indianapolis-based preservation consultant, to help find the best way to market the venue to potential buyers state and nation-wide.
"We're hoping to find an excellent buyer who could rise to the challenge of the Crump Theater and find a good purpose for it," McCoy says.
And it may be a challenge. A feasibility study from last December estimates the cost to make the theater operational at more than $1 million. However, that same study pointed to Columbus' thriving arts scene and demographics as evidence a renovation would be a success.
"For just as many challenged properties, there are a lot of success stories out there," says McCoy, "so we remain optimistic."
The Columbus Capital Fund has owned the theater since the mid-1990s. Until early last year, while the theater struggled, it was kept running by a single volunteer.
The Crump closed its doors for good last April because of major safety issues, which prompted the Columbus Capital Fund's search for a new owner.
