NORTH BEND Patrons of the Liberty Theatre in North Bend will notice a major makeover to the establishment this weekend. Once inside, they will be greeted with a sea of blue, the color of the 304 new seats being installed.

This is the first major upgrade the theater has had in almost a century.

The place is being re-plastered, repainted and carpeted. The new chairs are four inches bigger, have cup-holding arm rests that lift up and give guests more legroom.

It was a huge job, youve got get rid of all the old stuff before you start the new, Liberty Theatre restoration committee chair Jeanne Woods said.

She said the blue seats were a nod to the past, when the theater was one of a handful in the country that had blue seats and curtains many years ago when it was still a movie house.

Woods said in the past things in the theater were repaired bit by bit, but not this project.

Its hard enough to keep our doors open sometimes so we piecemeal things together, she said, Were looking at the big picture and thats really a first for us.

The project is currently in phase two of seven, phase one being repairs to the outside facade in 2015.

The seats arent the only change, the old bathrooms located on the second story are going to be decommissioned and turned into a bar and lounge area.

Theres a beautiful view of the bay from that second story, Woods said.

The old bathroom is being replaced with ADA compliant ones on the ground floor in an effort to increase accessibility. It will also allow the removal of the blue portable parked on the sidewalk. To do that, the theater is constructing an addition with an expanded foundation that can support a second story. In the future it hopes to make it a rehearsal space.

Thats one reason why its so expensive because were planning for the future, Woods said.

The $115,000 total cost is being raised through grant money from the Ford Foundation, Bay Area Hospital, the Coquille Tribe, and Pacific Power and through seat sponsorship. The City of North Bend is using its Urban renewal money to match half of what is raised, the restoration committee chair said.

The 120-day contract is expected to be completed in May, but Woods said its already looking ahead to phase three: upgrading the lobby and concessions.

A room for nursing mothers is also in the works.

Its one of those little challenges that were going to accommodate so people can enjoy the arts, Woods said.

Eventually, shed like to have the theater put on the historical register. Shes been collecting old stories and pictures of the place.

Its been pretty fun, there have been a lot of love letters, Woods said.

Older residents had first dates there and remembered what the usherettes looked like in their uniforms.

Thats what makes a community, Woods said.

The first show of the year, Big Bad and Dorothy Meets Alice, opens Friday, Feb. 10.

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Liberty Theatre gets major renovation - Coos Bay World