Seattle Central seeking proposals for Egyptian Theatre
Seattle Central Community College is calling on organizations to submit proposals to operate the iconic Egyptian Theatre as an arts and cultural space, according to a Request for Proposals (RFP) published today on the Seattle Community Colleges District website. The RFP specifically requires the winning organization to allow the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) and similar organizations to continue using the 600-seat venue to screen films.
“We understand the cultural value of the Egyptian Theatre to the Capitol Hill neighborhood and the City of Seattle, and we would like to see it continue to be a center of cultural arts. Our hope is that an organization will come in with new ideas that will breathe life into this beautiful venue for many years to come,” said Paul T. Killpatrick, Ph.D., president of Seattle Central.
The college is seeking an initial lease period of 10 years, which may be extended in five-year increments. All proposals will be evaluated according to project approach, financial feasibility, cost effectiveness, and experience of the organization and its key staff. A commitment to hosting SIFF and other film festivals will be weighted most heavily. The evaluation panel will include members representing the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce and the City of Seattle, in addition to Seattle Central officials.
A site visit is scheduled for Aug. 13 from 2 to 4 p.m., and the deadline for proposals is Sept. 17. The college has not released a timetable for its decision, but is expected several weeks after all proposals have been received. The complete RFP is posted on the District’s website: www.seattlecolleges.edu/solicitations
“We know there are lots of folks who were sad to see the Egyptian close, and our priority is to get this theater open so it can serve as an important community institution once again,” said Jeff Keever, director of auxiliary services for the college.
The Egyptian, located at 801 E. Pine St. in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, was originally constructed in 1915 as a Masonic Temple. It has been part of the Seattle Central campus since 1992. Landmark Theatres, a nationwide chain exhibiting independent films, had been operating the single-screen theater since 1989. The company declined to enter into a new lease in June, and the Egyptian closed at the end of the month.