LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- More than a year and a half after a fire ravaged the roof of the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, officials announced Tuesday that repairs are complete.
The June 13, 2018, fire was sparked by a construction crew and raged for several hours as fire crews eventually contained it to just the roof. It has taken all the time since to complete repairs to the roof of the building as well as the inside from smoke and water damage.
"To think about that first day and the shape that the facility was in, to really not be sure about what we were going to do to be today, the last of the scaffolding is out," Kentucky Performing Arts President Kim Baker said.
The construction crew's insurance ended up footing the bill, which was more than $10 million. For the most part, leaders say construction went as expected.
"Scheduling was really critical, because you've got people rehearsing and people moving in and artists that need things to be quiet," Baker said. "It wasn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but nothing major or terribly unexpected happened."
The venue had to close after the fire for more than two months but reopened and has hosted nine Broadway shows since.
"The other day, when I came in during the run of Lion King and saw the scaffolding gone, I was moved to tears," said Leslie Broecker, president of PNC Broadway in Louisville. "Because wow, it was so fast, and we're back, and its great."
In addition, it was also announced on Tuesday that a name change has occurred as well.
There are now three performance venues in Louisville: The Kentucky Center on Main Street, The Brown Theatre on Broadway and the newest venue, Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, which opened in July.
The new name for all three will be known as Kentucky Performing Arts.
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