Opera House renovations, other plans creating Dothan excitement

DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY) -A respectable crowd in numbers and excited about the overhaul of downtown Dothan turned out Tuesday to receive the latest information on an ambitious project.

Multi-phase plans first center on tearing down the Dothan Utilities building and drive-through to create green space and renovating the adjacent Opera House.

An expansion project will include a multipurpose room in the historic building,

With a southward add-on, the Opera House will be prominent along Main Street and North Saint Andrews Street it currently faces.

“We’re going to invest heavily in (the Opera House’s) modernization,” said Dothan City Manager Kevin Cowper, among approximately 125 who attended the first public session since a year ago when city officials unveiled the aggressive project.

Other plans include:

• Additional accessibility.
• Complying with ADA regulations.
• Luring enthusiastic crowds to premiere entertainment events in the Opera House and green space.

Cowper believes the venue will become the core component to a bustling downtown as the Saenger Theatre has been to Pensacola, which Cowper praises.

“The idea here is to create a center for entertainment, culture, dining, shopping, business, and hotels,” he told News 4.

Projections are for the Opera House will be completed by 2025, with work also nearing on Wiregrass Innovation Center.

Also planned is a new civic center than will seat 6,000.

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