JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The beat goes on with hammers and scaffolding takes center stage as the Florida Theatre's $8 million renovations are officially underway.
Downtown Jacksonville's historic theatre is now closed for renovations until October, but First Coast News is On Your Side with a sneak peek inside the hard hat zone.
"My biggest fear is that people are going to walk in and say, 'What did you do? It looks exactly the same,'" said Florida Theatre President Numa Saisselin. "Overall, the room will be brighter and the colors will be more vibrant and the lighting will be a little better. So, some of the great architectural detail in the room will really stand out."
Saisselin says the major differences showgoers will notice is new paint in the interior, which he says will be how it looked in 1927 and is not much different than how it was before, as well as making repairs to flaking plaster. They are also replacing the heating and air conditioning system and gutting and restoring the bathrooms.
Saisselin says this is what the $4.50 fee on your ticket stub the last few years is going toward.
"Ticket buyers, I think when they buy a ticket, they look at the fees and go, 'Oh, what are they doing with this?'" he said. "I think it's really important for people to know that that $4.50 fee they've paid for the last four or five years, it's really happening."
Saisselin says they're getting the theatre ready for its 100-year anniversary in 2027. They reopen October 28, just in time for a tradition: Rocky Horror Picture Show.
"It's kind of ironic that we're going to spend a million dollars to make the building look beautiful and then the first thing we're going to do is have an audience that throws toilet paper," Saisselin said.
You can still catch some of their shows and their big summer fundraiser at other local venues until October. Learn more here.