JASPER — The Astra Theatre will soon receive $400,000 from the state for historical preservation.
Today, the City of Jasper was awarded $400,000 for the theater, 517 Main St., from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs. The grant comes through OCRA’s Public Facilities Program.
Next Act, the owner of the building, will use the money for renovations to the building’s heating and cooling system, electrical wiring and exterior, such as the windows, doors and roof.
The Astra opened in 1937 and closed in 2002. Reopening the Astra Theatre for public use is one of the projects listed in the city’s master plan for the downtown and riverfront area.
In October 2014, a group of citizens representing various Dubois County communities approached the Jasper Community Arts Commission to discuss its desire to buy and reopen the 78-year-old building. The group’s tentative name was ASTRA Venture; it eventually evolved into Next Act.
The organization completed its first fundraising campaign, a total of $465,000, in November. Of that amount, $300,000 was used to establish an endowment to cover future costs to maintain the theater and the rest was used to purchase the facility.
The Astra project was one of 16 projects receiving a part of $7 million in funding. More than $6 million was awarded for projects in 12 communities under the Wastewater Drinking Water Program and $1.5 million was awarded to three communities from the Stormwater Improvements Program.
The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program and administered by OCRA.
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