COLUMBUS – A Bexley landmark for decades, the Drexel Theatre is now being recognized on a national level with a listing on the National Registry of Historic Places.
The non-profit, 1930’s Art Deco theater is the fifth location in Bexley to be recognized as a historic building “contributing to the community’s recreation and culture and worthy of preservation,” said Rolanda Copley of the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts.
The recognition allows the Drexel to apply for state and federal historic tax credits in the fall to use for renovations of the theater’s iconic marquee, lobby, and its three inner theaters planned for next year, Copley said.
The theater has already broken ground on an addition on former Bexley City Hall property to the west side of the building for new restrooms, said Copley. That project is scheduled to be completed in the fall.
In 2012 and 2013, a “barrel” roof over the three theaters and a 10-ton heating and air-conditioning unit were replaced.
State-of-the-art digital projection and sound were also added, allowing for a closed captioning system that uses holographic technology to project text onto the lenses of specialty glasses provided to hearing-impaired patrons, Copley said.