THEATER CROWNS RENEWAL; AREA IN CANOGA PARK BUSTLES WITH REBUILDING AS ARTISTIC HUB.

Byline: Laura Chick

AS we approach the five-year mark of the devastating Northridge Earthquake, it's important to take a minute to remember not only the ruins that were, but also the relationships built to put it all back together. A shining example of what a community can do in the face of disaster will officially open its doors Thursday as the new Madrid Theatre takes center stage.

The 499-seat performing arts center at 21622 Sherman Way in Canoga Park is truly a testament to what government can do when it works in partnership with the surrounding community. The Madrid Theatre - its original name in the 1920s - replaces an adult movie house that was damaged beyond repair after the Northridge Earthquake.

That project was initially made possible by a $3.5 million grant that my office secured with much-appreciated cooperation from Mayor Richard Riordan's Office of Economic Development. In addition to transforming the former Pussycat Theater into the long-awaited performing arts center, the funds were also used to provide new sidewalks, street and parking improvements, trees and lighting throughout the six-block business district surrounding the Madrid.

Yet, perhaps even more important than the funds that got the project started, are the people who will make this new center a thriving artistic hub for the estimated 50,000 visitors a year. Early interest by multitudes of Valley artists and theater groups reinforced belief in the need for this new performing arts center in the area.

Commitment to perform at the new Madrid Theatre came from the Woodland Hills Community Theatre, the San Fernando Valley Symphony, the North Winds Quartet, the Valley Cultural Center and a variety of other organizations. More than 130 performances are anticipated during the theater's very first year.

While those in my office worked diligently with the mayor to get this project started, the doors might never have opened without the support of surrounding businesses and the dedicated merchants, neighborhood residents and artists in the Friends of the Madrid organization.

The city's Community Redevelopment Agency oversaw the on-time construction of this theater, now fully funded. The city's Cultural Affairs Department, which will manage the theater, joined in partnership to begin early planning for fund-raising, policies and arts programming. The Madrid Theatre is a picture of cooperative public-private partnership.

As exciting as the opening of this fantastic new theater is, it is not the only project under way in Canoga Park's downtown business district. The Madrid is the catalyst for an entire economic revitalization process, and real progress is already evident.

Now in the works is the new Junior Arts Center of Canoga Park, which will provide a much-needed place where young people will experience art and culture in a hands-on way. At the former site of the old Pacific Bell building, the Junior Arts Center will provide classes in music, dance, drawing and painting for children among its after-school and weekend programs.

Additionally, in an effort to draw new businesses to the area, the city established its Centralized Leasing Office in July 1996 as the San Fernando Valley's first multiple-listing service for retail and commercial space.

Through a city-sponsored program to improve facades and signs, shoppers will soon see architecturally coordinated shopping areas with prominent signs directing them toward parking.

Area business operators are also deciding whether to create a property-based business improvement district. Commercial property owners in such a district voluntarily assess themselves to pay for common improvements, such as added security, joint marketing and sidewalk cleaning.

Under the city's Targeted Communities Initiative, Canoga Park is now receiving $3 million over a three-year period to provide commercial area improvements, enhanced code enforcement, economic development programs and improved housing. Through the related Neighborhood Recovery Program, my office is working with the Los Angeles Housing Department to identify substandard housing, coordinate code enforcement and provide loans for owners to upgrade their properties.

Canoga Park's noted Antique Row along Sherman Way also has rebounded from the earthquake with a vengeance. New antique stores are opening, and new shoppers are discovering the wide array of merchandise available in Canoga Park.

It's an exciting time in Canoga Park. From the ruins of the Northridge Earthquake, new and lasting partnerships have sprung up, committed to enhancing the area and making it a safe and enjoyable place in which to live and work. With better housing, more attractive shopping areas, enhanced security and the exciting Madrid Theatre, Canoga Park is taking center stage in the San Fernando Valley.

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Photo: The new Madrid Theatre performing-arts center, replacing an X-rated movie theater, is the centerpiece of renewal in an area of Canoga Park.

David Sprague/Daily News