GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A former West Michigan theater is getting a new lease on life. Four Star Theatre in Grand Rapids hosted its first-ever open house on Saturday.
"So today (Saturday) is a celebration of our what we're calling phase one," Friends of Four Star President Marcus Ringnalda said. "There is a great need in this community to bring hundreds of people together and I'm getting excitement just from the diverse neighborhood this is in, from all corners of it."
Ringnalda adds they're ready to host around 250 people.
"We had magic this morning; we just showed the Black Panther film, and the band behind me, they're doing sound check. They're going to do another four to five hours of music tonight with some dancing," Ringnalda said. "But with that ultimate renovation, that'll expand to 900. So we really want to kind of demonstrate the proof of concept here with the smaller crowds are allowed to do now."
Friends of Four Star is a local nonprofit aimed at bringing new life into this theater and to turn this previously unused space into something that can bring the community together.
"We have a big vision here to create a world-class cultural arts venue in the community focus," Ringnalda told FOX 17.
Ringnalda gave FOX 17 a tour of the former projector room.
"So up here, we haven't really fully programmed out the designs up here, but it will probably be some office space," he added.
Around the corner is the old AC unit about the size of a small smart car.
"This is just would suck air from the outside over here, the chilled water pipes or steam pipes. And this big fan would push it into the auditorium," Ringnalda said.
In the basement was the former coal and steam boiler.
"With our expansion, that ramp will dump down into the end of this basement so that we can ... tables and chairs down here, and then we'll back up for, you know, things like weddings and things like that," Ringnalda said.
Since taking in the keys in 2014, Ringnalda has raised around $750,000. He says they need more money to fund future projects.
"We're hoping to leverage that to reach a $4 million goal, which would enhance accessibility. We'd get a ramp on the side of the building, we'd add a green room and just really extend the sort of offerings that can be offered in here," Ringnalda said.
The nonprofit's next project for the Four Star Theatre is to update the marquee.
