Amid remediation efforts at Thalia Mara Hall, Jackson officials have announced that the downtown theater’s reopening will be briefly delayed.
The capital city venue has been shut down since August after mold was discovered in the facility. The city’s indoor air quality assessment confirmed that microbial activity was present likely due to a faulty heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system as well as roof leaks. Human waste was also found in the balcony area.
A campaign began to rid the facility of mold, install a new air conditioner and chiller, and make additional updates to pass an inspection from the State Fire Marshal’s office while simultaneously adhering to health requirements. As efforts to restore Thalia Mara Hall made strides, city leaders marked Jan. 18 as a tentative reopening date.
According to a release from the city, recent air quality tests from within the venue came back positive in some areas and negative in others, prompting officials to move back the reopening date to sometime next week.
One of the primary reasons for the delay was the fumigation of Thalia Mara Hall’s foyer and lobby areas. The fumigation, which began Tuesday afternoon, required the building to be cleared for two days. Crews, after being unable to carry out their responsibilities for a couple of days, will work through the weekend and the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday to bring the facility up to speed.
In addition, it was also discovered that a major pipe within the building needs to be replaced. Officials are currently gathering proposals for this replacement and plan to obtain a purchase order for the estimated $19,000 repair immediately to prevent any further delays.
“While we were hopeful to reopen Thalia this Friday, that was always the most optimistic projection,” Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said. “Given the circumstances and underlying importance of adhering to strict public health and safety requirements, we understand the delay and look forward to the reopening very soon.”
City officials will provide updates if additional changes are made regarding the upcoming reopening of the venue.
