On Tuesday, Chattooga County Commissioner Blake Elsberry released a proposed marquee sign for the Tooga Theater in downtown Summerville.  WZQZ News asked the commissioner about his plans for the building.

The theater was purchased by the county by former Commissioner Jason Winters from the Chattooga County Shrine Club.

Commissioner Elsberry told WZQZ News that the marquee project was started by the previous administration.  The commissioner says that he is planning to use the remainder of the grant money on making sure the building is water tight and continue with what renovations that funding will allow.

Currently, there is no work going on at the theater other than the structural engineers completing their assessment for the marquee project.

WZQZ News asked the commissioner how much will need to be spent to make the building usable.  Commissioner Elsberry said, “I believe at around $500,000-$700,000 the building could be made useable again. We will be releasing a fund raising initiative to raise the additional funds, and once we get the finalization of the grant from 2014  we can start applying for other available funding. Complete renovation, taking into account unseen problems that may arise as tend to do with older building renovations, complete renovation would be around $1 million – plus.”

The commissioner says that once the building is complete, management of the Tooga Theater will be a “joint venture between the County and the (Chattooga County) Chamber.”