City of Rochester buys historic theater with help from Mayo
Like this?
Log in to share your opinion with MPR News and add it to your profile.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
![Rochester will buy the Chateau Theatre.](https://img.apmcdn.org/c1638bcc80dca0ffa0be0050324eaf8d126e3c15/uncropped/158b53-20150316-chateau-theater.jpg)
The city of Rochester has closed on the $6 million purchase of the historic Chateau Theatre.
The theater purchase is considered a Destination Medical Center project, which allows the expense to count toward the city's $128 million contribution for public infrastructure costs. The Mayo Clinic paid $500,000 of the deal.
Rochester City Council President Randy Staver said it's still unclear what the building's long-term use and financial model will be.
"There's a distinct desire to use the structure for arts and cultural sorts of activities but any definition beyond that is still open," he said.
The theater opened in 1927 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Barnes and Noble vacated the site a year ago after operating a store there for 15 years.
Support the News you Need
Gifts from individuals keep MPR News accessible to all - free of paywalls and barriers.