The Z celebrates its 40-year history — and its future with $24 million renovation project

NEW BEDFORD — The Zeiterion's 40th anniversary celebration Saturday offered a peek at the venerable performing art center's future - a transformative $24 million renovation project.

"That's a big number," said Joseph Nauman, vice chair of the Zeiterion Board of Directors, during the event at the theater.

But the payoff's also big - a state-of-the-art facility serving as a "community hub for performances, for education, for community outreach, for community organizations and even for business meetings to take place in this building," he said.

It will not only create additional space — including the "Speakeasy" section for smaller, more intimate performances — it will signal its presence with a new majestic marquee.

Nauman is also co-chair of the as-yet unannounced capital campaign drive, which has benefited from $5 million in American Rescue Plan funding through the city and the Mitchell Administration and $1 million from the state through the stewardship of state Rep. Tony Cabral, D-New Bedford.

Nauman said they still have much work to do to raise the money needed to reach the finish line - a reopened transformed Zeiterion projected for the fall of 2024.

"Right now we are at about two-thirds of the funds needed to make this happen, which is a very wonderful place to be," he said, his words evoking applause.

But, he added, "We still have a long way to go. The last mile is always the hardest mile. A project this big can't happen from a single source. We have to draw on every source available," which will include federal and state tax credits.

The project is also vulnerable to rising construction costs.

He told the audience, "Please stay tuned. There will be more information coming in the next months to let people know how they can help."

The non-profit Z is working with Wilson Butler Architects on the project, an award-winning Boston design firm that specializes in theaters like the Zeiterion. The building — built in 1923 for vaudeville — was the last of 17 theaters to open downtown in that era at a cost in today's dollars of $12 million.

The building will have to close for a year to performances during construction but the Z and fellow non-profit residents New Bedford Symphony Orchestra and New Bedford Festival Theatre will perform in other venues during that time, Nauman said.

The building is owned by the city, and was "saved from the wrecking ball" 40 years ago by visionaries that included former Mayor John Bullard, said Rosemary Gill, Zeiterion president/CEO. The non-profit Zeiterion Theatre Inc. was created at that time.

The improvement project will create 389 construction jobs, 19 full-time jobs, plus dozens more part-time event positions and volunteer opportunities, Nauman said.

He added the new space will provide more opportunity for partnership with local arts and social services organizations, as well as stronger relations with schools and colleges.

Nauman said, "This will be one of the largest public-private investments to take place in this city, certainly for quite a long time."

And investment it is. It's estimated that the Z currently generates $10 million in annual economic impact for the city and region.

"It's been a great economic multiplier for the city," said Mitchell. "We're proud to make that ($5 million) investment." He said the city also contributes about $200,000 a year to the Z.

Mitchell added, "Today is really an occasion to celebrate four decades of success as the result of a lot of hard work and then to look forward to something that's going to be bigger and better."

A city's stature is elevated by having a performance arts center that brings in world-class entertainment, he said. New Bedford has that.

Gill said losing almost two years to the pandemic had one redeeming consequence. "It taught us we need to continually evolve."

Part of the evolution embodied in the new project will be to improve the Z's already vast educational component.

Gill said, "We offer educational programs that engage nearly 20,000 local students."

The Z also offers free community events. "To increase access to the arts we distribute thousands of free or low-cost tickets through collaborations with community partners and the Mass. Cultural Council," she said.

Cabral said, "This is really the epicenter of culture and performing arts in the South Coast - and the city, in particular."

He added, "This is the place that really brings the city alive when it comes to culture, when it comes to arts and performing arts. And you can sense whenever there's an activity going on here at the Z, not only the downtown area, but the whole city really comes alive. It's exciting."

He said that while the money from the city and state was a "key amount to really begin this capital campaign. The work is not done yet and we will continue to do it."

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Zeiterion embarks on $24 million rehab project, what you need to know