Rationale

Restoration of the Sterling Opera House will provide the City of Derby with much-needed municipal office space and the Lower Naugatuck Valley with a civic center for the region.

The Sterling will constitute a vital component of revitalization of downtown Derby and will help stimulate economic growth in the region. The opera house will provide a venue for the performing arts and for the events that bind a community together.

Envisioned for the Sterling’s future are performances by community and children’s theater groups, recitals and film festivals, lectures, debates, city meetings, civic conferences and business gatherings.

The cultural center will serve Derby and the surrounding Valley communities of Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton. Together, these towns and cities constitute a unique culture that is the Valley C an area occupying 100 square miles and serving a population of 94,000. Proposed is a commitment to restoration by a partnership of the City of Derby, the Olde Birmingham Business Association and the Sterling Opera House Foundation.

Budget Plan

Capital Improvement Costs *

Retail (basement)   $300,000

Office (first floor) $1,200,000

Theater                 $2,900,000

Total                   $4,400,000

* Preliminary estimates, hard and soft costs

Brochure Design by Nick Povinelli, Joseph Migani, Marsha Fried, Paul Lane

Previous

What do you think should be done with the Sterling? Complete our questionnaire.