title
Ordinance Appropriating $2,950,000 for Building Improvements at Thalian Hall
body
Department: City Manager Meeting Date: 9/22/2026
Contact Name: Mary Vigue Public Hearing: No Contact Phone: 919-765-7474 Advertising Date/Advertised By: Attachments: Attachment #1: Ordinance
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this ordinance is to appropriate funding for the city’s portion of the proposed renovations at Thalian Hall. This agenda item is a companion to the resolution authorizing the overall project and city portion of the project.
BACKGROUND:
Since its construction in 1855-1858, the City Hall/Thalian Hall building has had the unusual distinction of serving as both the area's political and cultural center. Listed on the National Register for Historic Places, Thalian Hall is the only surviving theatre designed by John Montague Trimble, one of America's foremost 19th-century theatre architects. It was built at a time when Wilmington was the largest city in the state. The new building housed the town government, the library, as well as an "Opera House", seating 1,000 people, which was 10% of the population of the town.
Thalian Hall has gone through many renovations throughout its history including a $5 million renovation funded through voter approved bonds and a capital campaign in the 1980’s. Over the past 10 years, the city has made some other improvements including HVAC and skylight replacement funded through ARPA funding.
Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts is currently conducting a capital campaign to fund needed renovations at Thalian Hall. These renovations include improvements to entrances, accessibility features, a re-designed lobby, an education and workforce training center, additional performance spaces, and overall building and façade improvements. While Thalian Hall is under renovation, there are several building improvements that the city needs to invest in and update. These include fire suppression for the building, elevator r...
Click here for full text