In announcing the new owner’s plans,Central Element director Wayne Chivas told Commercial Real Estate,which is owned by Nine,also the owner of this masthead,that the community’s long-held aspirations of bringing the Art Deco venue back to its former glory as a 1000-seat theatre wasn’t possible given the changing nature of building and safety standards.
A statement from the company was also quoted in industry publication Architecture AU,in which Central Element said it had commissioned consultancy Arup to assess the building’s capacity and found it could only house less than 700 seats.
But in a leaked letter to Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore,Mr Harwin said Mr Chivas’s statement in the media contradicted results of the joint feasibility study commissioned by the City of Sydney and the NSW government,which found there was “sufficient space to be able to house 1000 patrons”.
He said that,in addition to the study’s findings about the positive impact on the night-time economy and the building’s heritage,the report also took into account the type and duration of productions that would be showcased at the theatre,ticket sales,and food and drink operations.
“I have urgently sought further advice from our consultant team who prepared the joint feasibility study on these matters. Based on that advice,I do not accept the statements made by Central Element and Arup,” Mr Harwin said in the letter.
“We remain of the view that bringing the Minerva Theatre back to a 1000-seat theatre is the most desirable result for the local community,the night-time economy,and for the arts and cultural sector.