Downtown Naples road closing through December for Naples Players renovation: What to know
Traffic snarls in downtown Naples may increase for the rest of 2023.
The Naples Players and City of Naples announced Thursday that, to ensure the safety of drivers and pedestrians during The Naples Players' $20 million renovation project, Fourth Avenue South will undergo regular and prolonged closures through December.
The road closure will begin Monday, May 8, with the first temporary re-opening scheduled to accommodate the Fourth of July holiday.
"We understand that any street closure, especially a street closure in the Downtown Naples area, is a significant inconvenience ― and we thank the public for their patience while we hurry to complete construction as quickly and safely as possible" said Bryce Alexander, CEO & executive artistic director of The Naples Players, in a news release.
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How often will Fourth Avenue close?
The closures will occur directly behind the theater on Fourth Avenue, between Sixth and Eighth streets. Local access will exist on Fourth Avenue to allow public entry to the parking garage to the east, and to the Inn on Fifth & Trulucks to the west. The intersection of Fourth Avenue and Seventh Street will be closed to all traffic, the release said.
"The Naples Players is committed to working directly with The City of Naples to open the street as often as it is safe to do so; and will open the street/intersection before the scheduled end dates whenever possible ― and is coordinating with the city to open the street for Downtown's special events and high-traffic dates," the release said.
When will project be complete?
The Naples Players in September 2021 revealed the $15 million project to renovate the 25-year-old building. Changes include upgrades to the Kizzie Theater (formerly Blackburn Hall), the main performance space at Sugden. The theater is at 701 Fifth Ave. S.
David Corban Architect, pllc, 1042 Sixth Ave. N., Naples, has designed the renovated facility, which will feature a large balcony in the Kizzie, a new educational theater (The Glass Theater), improvements to the space and technology in the Price Theater, and a cafe for volunteers, patrons, and the public.
The renovation project, led by custom commercial builder BUILD, headquartered in Naples, and financed by Lake Michigan Credit Union and FineMark Bank and Trust, is expected to be complete in the spring of 2024. The Naples Players is hoping to raise $5 million more during that time.
During the year-long renovation, the theater company will continue performances offsite with a nine-show season.
Dave Osborn is the regional features editor of the Naples Daily News and News-Press. Follow him on Instagram @lacrossewriter and on Twitter @NDN_dosborn.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Downtown Naples street closing through December: What to know
