The Carolina Civic Center Historic Theater located in Lumberton, NC held a special “Annex Preview Celebration” October 13 that provided the public with a glimpse of the plans and features of its new annex addition project. The project is scheduled to break ground in Spring 2023.
The Carolina Civic Center Foundation, which is the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that manages and programs the Carolina Civic Center Historic Theater, has received over the past year a number of major gifts and grants that will allow this important project to move forward. These include the following:
- NC Department of Commerce ARPA Rural Transformation Grant: $900,000
- Lumberton Tourism Development Authority: $500,000
- Truist Foundation and Truist Regional Bank: $250,000
- State of North Carolina Budget Allocation: $150,000
- Cannon Foundation: $80,000
- Anonymous Trust: $55,000
The new annex is approximately 9,000 square feet and will be located on the existing theater’s south side (currently a City of Lumberton public parking lot), with a pass through into the existing historic lobby. It will allow the theater to continue its success drawing people to downtown through expanded capacity and amenities. It also will expand the theater’s programming offerings to include pre- and post-show receptions, dinner theater and other special events. It also will be available for rental events such as weddings, corporate special events, and regional meetings and conferences.
The facility will have a capacity in its event space of 260 people seated at tables, 390 with chairs, and 450 standing, while the new lobby will hold an additional 350 people standing. The annex also will contain concession, bar and ticketing counters, a bridal suite and changing room, catering kitchen and additional bathrooms and storage areas. With its existing 450-seat theater and dressing rooms and offices, the expanded facility’s total size will be 30,000 square feet.
The Carolina Civic Center Historic Theater originally opened in 1928 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It currently attracts approximately 12,000 visitors per year to downtown Lumberton through its busy schedule of original and touring programming, receptions, rehearsals, special events and rentals.
