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4. Contacts Chief Executive Officer: Kevin Carruth, City Manager P. O. Box 9037 Paris, TX 75461 (903) 784-9201 (903) 785-8519 fax kcarruth@paristexas.gov Date Submitted November 14, 2008 6. Project Period May 1, 2009 to Apri130, 2013 7. Population 25,898 (2000 Census) Summary of Project Project Director: Lisa A. Wright, Community Dev. Director P. O. Box 9037 Paris, TX 75461 (903) 784-9203 (903) 784-1798 fax lwright@paristexas.gov The City of Paris proposes to mitigate environmental hazards at The Grand Theater. Located in historic downtown Paris, constructed circa 1917, and designed by architect Jake Elder, who also designed the Interstate Theater chain, The Grand was the largest theater in Paris for over fifty years and its fly-loft was the tallest west of the Mississippi for many years. In 1996, a new movie theater was constructed on our city loop, and the already deteriorating Grand closed. The property owners later abandoned the building, and, in 2001, the property was struck off to the taxing entities. As a result of openings in rooftop structures, there is water damage to the second floor ceiling, the floor just beneath that, and the first floor ceiling beneath that, resulting in a proliferation of mold throughout the building. In the fly-loft, there is a severe pigeon infestation which has resulted in the building being contaminated with bird feces and carcasses. There is also peeling lead-based paint throughout the building in extremely high levels along with asbestos ceiling tiles. The City requires entrants to the building to wear respirators in order to avoid inhaling particulate matter that can easily be seen floating through the air. The Grand Theater was named to the list of the Texas's Fourteen Most Endangered Places in 2007 by the Texas Historical Commission. There is considerable local support for taking necessary steps to save this building, and mitigating the environmental hazards found throughout. The ultimate goal is to restore this historic structure and operate it as a playhouse, theater, concert hall, and community meeting location through the use of local funds and grants targeted specifically for theater restorations. A Phase II survey of the property revealed the existence in the interior of the building of ubiquitous amounts of lead, asbestos, and mold. In the soil behind the theater, naturally-occurring levels of inetals were detected. . 000Zy1) ~ ..T, . . . . ,r___