Memorial Opera House

The board of works Friday approved a memorandum of understanding, letting the city begin a 60-day due diligence period.

The Memorial Opera House reopens Friday, following a four-month, $5 million renovation.

"It's in the heart of our downtown," Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas told the city council Monday. "We do events. We have a significant staff to promote, manage, sell tickets, and we think it's an important facility for our citizens, certainly."

Less than a year after stepping down as executive director of the Memorial Opera House, Scot MacDonald is back as its interim director.

The Porter County Commissioners have found a tenant for the former sheriff's residence, after a year of searching. The commissioners voted two-to-one Tuesday to lease out the main level for up to $25,000 a year.

Porter County continues working on plans to upgrade some of its facilities.

Renovations are moving forward at the Memorial Opera House and the former Porter County sheriff's residence. The masonry project at the Opera House is substantially complete, including roofing work on the two turrets. Any remaining cleanup should be done by the end of the month.

The Memorial Opera House's new director is quickly getting to work. The hiring of Megan Stoner was announced during Monday's Porter County Commissioners meeting. She replaces Scot MacDonald, who resigned earlier this summer.

A contractor has been chosen for the first round of improvements at the Memorial Opera House. The Porter County Commissioners on Tuesday selected Berglund Construction Company for exterior masonry restoration and tuck pointing.