TAMPA, FLA. — Creative Contractors Inc. has begun the $13.5 million renovation and modernization of Tampa Theatre, a historic cinema in downtown Tampa that opened on Oct. 15, 1926. The Tampa Bay-area general contractor will make audiovisual enhancements to the theater, as well as upgrades across the property’s HVAC, electrical and mechanical systems, including the installation of a new elevator. Other enhancements will include a refreshed concessions area, new bathrooms, a new stage truss system and upgraded theatrical lighting to support live performances and film presentations. The second and third floors of the theater will also be renovated to include new rooms for education and archives. Creative will also bring in a specialty plaster restoration contractor to restore the main Duncan Auditorium to its original grandeur. On the exterior, Creative is refreshing the building’s signage with new paint and enhanced lighting. DLR Group designed the overhaul, which is set to wrap up in time to celebrate the theater’s centennial celebration.
