City of Anderson Buys State Theatre

(Photo courtesy: The Herald Bulletin)

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The city of Anderson has decided to purchase the historic State Theatre after several attempts by outside groups to purchase the landmark failed. According to our partners at The Herald Bulletin, the city hopes to find someone interested in leasing or buying the property.

“It’s a unique building with some possibilities,” said Anderson Mayor Tom Broderick. “We want to be able to market and identify people with an interest and make it available at a reasonable cost.”

The newspaper reports that the city paid $127,500 out of its loss fund to purchase the property from State Theatre Properties of California. The warranty deed was finalized Monday.

According to the publication, the theater has been at the center of a legal dispute filed by the former owners against the city. The owners accused the city of turning off the wrong water meter to the theater in the 1990s causing water damage.

Broderick told The Herald Bulletin the estimated settlement for the water damage was in the $80,000 range and the city could obtain and control of the property for the additional amount.

The theater was first opened in 1930 and was closed in 2008. Broderick hopes the building can see life once again. “There were people interested in the building, but because of the pending lawsuit it was difficult to find a buyer,” Broderick said.