TROY, NY (Troy Record) — Proctor’s Theatre plans to be the next Troy City Hall.
Mayor Carmella Mantello, some City Council members, stakeholders, and representatives from building owner Columbia Development Companies gathered Tuesday morning at 82 Fourth St. for the announcement.
“Welcome to the historic Procter’s Theatre and the future home for City Hall,” Mantello said. “This is history, folks. This is history.”
According to several officials, the city’s Local Development Corporation will acquire the space for $1.8 million, and LDC Chair Jeff Betts said they are estimating $8 million for the renovations. The 1914 theater also has several historical elements that they will do their best to preserve and put on display for visitors while updating the building.
Timeline-wise, Mantello said they will have finances nailed down at the end of the year, and construction will happen between January and October of 2026. Though other parts of the building may still be under construction, City Hall will be in Proctor’s by Jan. 1, 2027, she reaffirmed.
There will also be several community and internal meetings to come, Mantello said. They want public input to help shape City Hall. The City Council must also approve the new site.
The announcement comes within a week of The Record’s reporting on potential legal issues with the city attempting to vacate its current lease agreement. According to representatives of landlord First Columbia, the city is locked into their rental agreement for the fifth floor of the Hedley Building until Jan. 1, 2029.
The city disputed that characterization of the lease previously and on Tuesday, with Mantello adding that they “feel very confident” should it go to court. Law firm Tully Rinckey CEO Michael Macomber, who represents First Columbia, said in an emailed statement on Tuesday that the Proctor’s announcement “changes nothing and is just theatrics.”
