On Sept. 25, The San Jose City Council granted San Jose Stage Company $1 million to purchase stage equipment and furniture following a construction project, which is still being planned. The theater, also known as The Stage, recently received a $2.3 million mortgage from Santa Clara County and Swenson construction company to purchase the property to permanently own it. The Stage will now have to raise $4 to 5 million in order to fulfill their construction plan, which currently is to tear down the theater as it is now and rebuild it with more seats. A hotel will be built on top of the theater during reconstruction.
Some community members do not see what a hotel will do for the space. Following a performance at the Stage, one audience member said, “I honestly can’t even imagine a hotel on top,” and another expressed concern about construction and limited parking in the space.
Randy King, artistic director and co-founder of the Stage, said he wants the renovated theater “to draw people to San Jose” and for it to be an arts center for the city. The theater hopes to have a renovation plan as soon as possible.
