Triumvirate Theatre got the green light to build its new playhouse on land donated by the City of Kenai during a meeting of Kenai’s Planning & Zoning Commission on Wednesday night.

Commissioners voted unanimously to give the group a conditional use permit that will allow the group to put a performing arts center near the Kenai Walmart. Triumvirate has been working to build a new playhouse since its former building burned down in early 2021.

The permit approved Wednesday was requested by Triumvirate Theatre President Joe Rizzo.

Kenai Planning Director Linda Mitchell told commissioners Wednesday that the proposed structure meets all of the city’s criteria for issuance of a conditional use permit, which considers, among other things, whether or not the proposed use would affect the value of surrounding properties and whether or not the use would be harmful to public safety.

The playhouse design describes a $4.7 million facility that is two stories with an audience capacity of 150 people. There would be approximately 63 parking spots and one driveway access along Daubenspeck Circle near Beacon Occupational Health.

To date, Rizzo said Triumvirate has raised about $2.8 million for rebuilding efforts. Of that, $800,000 has come from local donors and small foundations, $1 million came from a Rasmuson Foundation grant and $1 million was secured by U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski in the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2023.

Rizzo said project architects think the final building cost will be less than $4.7 million and that Triumvirate is still waiting to hear about some other funding opportunities, such as a $500,000 from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust.

“We’ll have to see, like, how all those things fall into place, but even right now with the money we have we can certainly build something,” Rizzo said.

Multiple commissioners expressed their support for Triumvirate’s rebuilding efforts during Wednesday’s meeting.

“We can see that you have a quality project here and that you’ve been very faithful in coming and explaining where you are with your project situation, the triumph you’ve had (and) the hurdles you’ve had to overcome,” said Commissioner Jim Glendening. “I know you’ve granted yourself a generous timeline and I think it’s realistic. Someday, front row center, I’ll be there.”

Wednesday’s meeting of the Kenai Planning & Zoning Commission can be streamed on the City of Kenai’s YouTube channel.

Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.

Triumvirate Theatre President Joe Rizzo testifies before the Kenai Planning & Zoning Commission on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)