Contractors for the city of Jackson discussed shutting down Thalia Mara Hall for renovations for six months next year. The auditorium is recently closed because of widespread "microbial growth."
Although the HVAC problems and the resulting mold have been at the forefront of media coverage of Thalia Mara Hall. The facility suffered other major problems as well.
Auditorium Manager Angie Ladner stated in a November 2023 email sent to Human & Cultural Services Director Pamela Scott:
The orchestra pit has begun to sink. Over the weekend, I watched it drop 3 inches within 48 hours. We have children starting to rehearse tonight. We are looking into a temporary fix to empty the buckets and to fill the hydraulics with the fluid that is needed; this will cost money, please let me know how to proceed. Thank you!
Deputy Director Mike Williams replied and said he was "heading right over" to inspect the problem. CDFL's Robb Farr assessed the stage as well as the fire curtain and reported on June 28, 2024:
Farr reported:
The system is old and worn out and needs to be replaced. However it is still usable within limits. The main issue is certified personnel. He had advised Terry, house rigger, that he felt the risk associated with short term continued use was manageable provided he kept loads well below current levels and he was diligent in watching for any signs of failure or increased wear. Odd loads and high stress rigs should be avoided. However, Angela said Terry is no longer working there. I advised her against operating the system without a �competent person� physically in the building supervising as that would radically increase the risk for an accident. In this case I would define �competent person� as an ETCP certified rigger, or equivalent, with a strong preference for the ETCP..
So in Ty�s opinion the rigging while worn and in need of replacement is a manageable if operated safely by a certified person. There are significant limits to its capacity and there should be restrictions placed on it operations. So, with a competent certified rigger the fly will still function with in the Safety limits that a certified rigger would establish. There is not an emergency other than finding a certified rigger to operate the stage system as far as performances planned and on the calendar with in the confirmed limits . This does not mean that the rigging does not need replacement it is required to bring the hall back to a truly functioning. With the signature of our contact amendment by the mayor we will request and additional amendment to engage Ty Prewitt as a consultant to review the existing rigging system and prepare an in-depth scope for the replacement. His services would be an addition to the standard architectural and engineering contract scope as a specialized consultant engaged by CDFL to assist the city in the rigging review. Fire Curtain and house safety There are several issues with the curtain and the house operations for fire safety . First the existing system does not have an interlocking smoke exhaust system that would deploy the fire curtain. Without this integrated design the fire curtain would present a hazard to the evacuation of the hall if there was a fire emergency on stage. The fire curtain as it exists can be made to operate if needed to separate the house from the stage area. The current condition of the deployment mechanism is not known. Ty will confirm the condition and make recommendations for a retrofit in his review. What does this mean for current operations. Without the ability to operate the smoke exhaust system in unison with the curtain the curtain would not be deployed. The operations of the hall could proceed as they have with the life safety systems in place providing the protection. As part of the mechanical upgrade the exhaust system and the curtain would be integrated. That would allow for a new curtain to be procured and the operation tied into the overall updated life safety system. This would be accomplished in the same time frame as the HVAC rebuild and the rigging replacement. If rental chillers are needed for performances they can be connected to the system for short durations.
What did all this mean? It meant the city planned to shut down Thalia Mara Hall next year for renovations. The email stated:
A base line schedule to be confirmed July 1 to 15 Authorization of the current contract amendment for professional services- pending Authorization of a proposed amendment to the services contract for the flowing Add the rigging scope with the 2024 funds from the legislature. This would add 1 million to the available funds. Authorize the proposed additional consultant service for Ty Prewitt of BellaTex to review and scope the rigging replacement July 15 to August 30, 2024 Schematic design documents to establish scope and projected costs for the renovation September 1, 2024 to November 1, 2024 Design development documentation and projected cost estimate Refinement of construction scope and approval of design development projections HVAC updating Rigging and fire curtain replacement Possible elevator upgrades Possible replacement of escalators with stirs Possible plumbing upgrades in dressing areas Miscellaneous safety upgrades Sound system upgrades Recite of additional state funds by October 2024 November 2, 2024 to February 28, 2025 Construction documents for confirmed scope in the design development package March 1, 2025 to April 15,2025 Bidding , award and procurement April 15 , 2025 to June 30, 2025 Shop drawings and ordering of equipment July 1, 2025 Hall goes dark for construction. July 1 2025 to December 2025 Construction and rigging replacement January 2026 Hall returns to operations Total duration for design , procurement, and renovations projected at 18 months
Summary
The hall can operate safely within limits until July 1, 2025, with a certified rigger on site for shows . The operations would be limited to the allowable weights determined by the rigger.
JJ obtained the emails through a public records request.
Kingfish note: The city will probably extend the auditorium's closure since it already planned to do so next year. Shows are already cancelled so might as well take advantage of the current misfortune.
46 comments:
Once again City Hall can claim MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
The city's insurance underwriter may want to have a word or two with someone about competence and risk assessment.
Total and complete administrative incompetence.
Elect a greenhorn, wake up to a greenhorn running Jackson into the ground.
Meanwhile the loser traipses off to here and there to speak on topics and subjects for which he has no experience beyond failure.
Once again Kingfish does the civic journalism that Donna Ladd has only talked mindlessly of doing for nearly two decades.
What did the City Council know and when did they know it?
LeMaster rips off this shoe leather research in 3 ... 2 ... 1
If the garbage contract process is any indicator, I would expect Thalia Mara to remain closed for at least 10 years...if not more.
Raze it, and while you're at it raze city hall and the hundreds of abandoned buildings in Jackistan.
Shout out to Sister R if she stops by to see what all the latest rukus is.
Last week I posted that TMH would not reopen until November.
Boy- was I ever wrong!
Be sure to include Sister's grift.
This sucker is BAKED!
Current sampling of the City's continuing 404 Not Found:
https://www.jacksonms.gov/departments/public-works-department/
https://www.jacksonms.gov/departments/office-of-the-mayor/
https://www.jacksonms.gov/thalia-mara-hall/
https://www.jacksonms.gov/thalia-mara-hall-update-w-all-major-milestones/
https://www.jacksonms.gov/departments/jackson-city-council/
HEY, can the council members get mail on their offical email, or is that down too?
I'm not being hyperbolic when I say that this may be the most inept city administration I've ever witnessed. However, when I refer to them as inept, I'm reminded that this actually may be by design. Baby Chok said he wanted the most radical city in the country, but making that change sure would be a lot easier if most non-radical people were no longer residents. Since you can't force them to leave, the best way to move them along is to make their existence in Jackson untenantable.
With one disaster after another, it sure looks like that's what's going on to me.
Chowke's M.O. - create disasters and then never let them go to waste. Right?
It gets worse: The symphony is not coming back. The ballet is not coming back. IBC will find another venue. This is according to people directly involved with those productions. And it's not just because of mold - they are tired of leasing a neglected facility and dealing with incompetent COJ employees - and politicians.
It's never going to open again. I'll check back to this comment thread in one year and refresh.
"Once again Kingfish does the civic journalism that Donna Ladd has only talked mindlessly of doing for nearly two decades. "
I haven't seen or heard anything from her since around the time Katrina hit. Is she still around Jackson?
Chowke's Marxist plan is coming together. Right?
Madison or Flowood needs to build a performing arts center. No one wants to enter Jackson for a nice evening out. We went to our last concert there right after COVID. The staff was walking around making sure no one removed their mask during the performance. This was after the statewide mandates had ended. I will never attend another event in that dump.
Hard to believe that anyone who has seen the visual of mold would have any inclination of wanting to sit in those seats!
Will Donner K defend Lumumba if/when the IBC dumps Jackson?
King - the C-L reported TM has received $5 million from the state legislature since 2022 (includes 1 mil last year and 1.5 mil in '23)
Where did the money go?
10:33 is right. At this point fixing all these problems is just throwing good money after bad. The money has mostly left Jackson and isn’t coming back. The old rich people and young hip ones who think Jackson can be saved are wrong. The majority population is never going to elect honest, competent people. The Convention Center, Thalia Mara, and all the other buildings in this area are not being used to amount to anything. The Planetarium is being renovated at who knows what cost and will never be visited the way it was back when space was cool. It’s sad but I don’t know how it could ever change at this point as long as anyone with a pulse can vote.
Please stop spending State funds in Jackson. It’s throwing good money after bad. Invest it where the taxpayers get a return which is lots of other cities
The mold will "buff out," right?
I previously prognosticated that Thalia Mara Hall will continue to find issue after issue to fix and take years to reopen and recommended whatever remains of State funding should be spent on demolition and finding a new site in Madison County.
8:41am
Agree, good financial and cultural advice in best interest of patrons and the Arts.
October 18, 2024 at 8:16 PM
JFP website hasn't had new articles in over 2 years.
Many years ago now, my family came to Jackson from out of town to see Broadway plays and other events at the then-new TMH. It was truly a shiny jewel in the capital city's crown. So sad to see it now as a symbol of neglect and incompetence at the highest levels of the city's government.
Will the mayor be having a press conference to update the progress on Thalia Mara on Monday?
There is no "if" here. It is only a matter of time.
Socrates Garrett Demolition LLC in 3, 2, 1 ???
In today's episode of Pot-Kettle-Black:
"Fact-check. And if you won’t do that with side you’re sympathetic to, you’re a lobbyist, not a journalist. Sorry.":
DonnerKay
- October 19, 2024
State allocated $2 million a couple of years ago. As of a month or so ago, about $400,000 remained. $1.5 million was allocated last year but the city just got the money at the beginning of August. There is more money allocated from the session this year but the city probably won't get the money til the end of the year or a little later as DFA is working on creating a portal on its website for such entities.
Contractors hired so far have good reputations.
As for the comment that Thalia Mara is not used, that's just plain ignorant. The symphony, ballet, and opera perform there . There are several Christmas programs. There is a full Broadway season every year. Concerts are booked there. Kevin Hart and Leann Morgan have recently appeared there. Anywhere else in the area that is big enough for performers such as them?
As for someone who said the ballet is moving to Prep, well, the ballet prefers Thalia Mara. It has been forced to trim some of its production because the stage did not have the auditorium nor height needed for some aspects of the ballet.
Flowood needs to build a convention center next to the city hall!
I don't expect to see it ever open again. Unless we have someone take over the running of it.
10:33 Arden Barnett made people show their vax cards and wear masks WAY after the Wu Flu was over. I am a big supporter of the arts and live music, but I’m done with that hippie. He flexed his little liberal muscles too hard and at that point I was done.
I think it's more about Totalitarianism than Liberalism. And the quislings running Mississippi, seem fine with being the handmaidens of the totalitarians.
Use common sense and move it out of Jackson. Jackson is in serious decline.
DonnerKay is so biased, she's a joke. She insists that all criticism of Black elected officials is racist. Betting she's still a Chokwe supporter. For a lot of super liberals. supporting Chokwe is their "proof" that they aren't racist and that's all they care about. Those idiots are all over NextDoor. The fact that Chokwe has singlehandedly destroyed Jackson is immaterial.
New acronym- CRE....Chokwe ruins everything.
Mercy me! I wonder how many of those complaining actually do regular maintenance on their homes rather than wait for a problem to show up?
It's an old building. It has not been a priority given the other problems confronting the city that were visible to or experienced by more people.
That's what politics is these days...that and not giving needed funds if it gives one party the chance to make the other party look bad or might make them look good.
I can't help but be amused that the same guys who berated Stokes for decades , love him now.
Let's just keep shooting ourselves in the foot in the name of party loyalty, shall we? It'd be awful to actually focus on what the best solution to a problem might be or which problems need to be a priority.
Damn, we might actually accomplish something and not have enough to complain about every f'ing day.
I am so sick of angry naysayers who do nothing useful! They just VENT.
I guess you feel the same way about the City's neglect of the water treatment plants that meant that many Jacksonians (mostly the poor) went without water for two months in 2022?
Im confused 9:23. KF says there is $400, 000 in the TM coffers now. And a couple million in recent years allocated to them.
But you state that one party wont fund the repairs in an effort to back the other party look bad?
Have you ever considered that the city leaders got the funds and misspent them? Or they are simply too uneducated to create a maintenance schedule and therefore are liable for the plight of this gem?
If not, why do you have so much trust in the current leaders given the irrefutable proof that Chuck lied about water maintenance and EPA orders?
Perhaps you could explain in a way that would make us all support Chuck as much as you? You may want to drop the superior judgey tone when you do, if you want us to be more receptive to your cheers.
Gaining the public trust back will be difficult..eventually, a flop house will blend right in with downtown Jackson,
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