Potential big-money donors could not see the potential behind dark paint and gold cloth that obscured the building's architectural and ornamental details, she said. It was so worth it. The money lasted until March 1996, at which point work was halted. Even after that, deadlines and budgets came and went. Such numbers may seem large, but they are not out of line with similar efforts to restore theaters of the Lucas' size.
Every project is different.
Based on estimates from the nonprofit organization headquartered in Baltimore, there were about 20,000 movie palaces in the country at the end of the 1920s. Until recently, the league believed that about 3,500 survive. But the group has recently started a national inventory and now estimates that the number may be in the neighborhood of 7,500, Demas said. A good majority that do get rescued and reopened get converted to performing arts centers. More and more communities are realizing that these 'white elephants' are an essential component to any viable downtown.