The question has come up again and again over the last 50 years: Can the Strand Theatre function as an anchor in Uphams Corner? It is being raised anew in the midst of a wave of new construction in the neighborhood and its designation by city officials as an arts and innovation district.

Despite all the activity – a significant investment in repairing the city-owned venue is on target for January – the Strand’s viability remains doubtful to some, but not, when they are asked, to artists and entertainers who have performed there.

Closed during the height of the pandemic, the theatre re-emerged with the regionally popular Van Gogh interactive exhibit, which evoked new optimism but also exposed holes in the city’s script for showplace and its surroundings, issues like cosmetic appearances, antiquated utility systems, and the constant refrain, “Where do people go when they want to have a drink and a sit-down meal?”

Since last winter, several operators have produced shows at the Strand and those who were interviewed by the Reporter said they believed it could be restored as a pillar of the community.

Few were as enthusiastic as Company One, which produced “can I touch it?” last summer. The show operated on a “pay what you want” model, and had 1,600 people attend their performances, with 1,300 tickets sold. Statistics revealed that among attendees, 65 percent identified as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) and 51 percent were under the age of 35. In addition, 70 percent were first-time Strand attendees.

Summer L. Williams, creative director at Company One, said that while the theatre can be a big draw, any improvements need to coexist with current people, businesses, and institutions.

“The Strand can and should be a hub and I think there are some great creature comforts that can come into the neighborhood and coincide,” said Williams. “With the Boston Center for the Arts and the Huntington Theatre, the South End became a completely different place. There is a real opportunity to have that sort of vibrancy that could align with what the Strand can be. I hope the first move is to make sure what’s coming is scaffolding and supporting the sum of what’s already there.”

The Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP) used the Strand this summer for the first time, performing Anthony Davis’s opera, “X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X.” The run was a success, according to Chuck Furlong of BMOP, both during the performance and during a recording session. A CD of the recording made in the Strand, without an audience, has been nominated for a Grammy in the “Best Opera Recording Category.”

Chalk one up for fantastic acoustics, said Furlong. “The sound is great, and we have plans to work with them for future productions. We’re excited to be in the venue,” he said.

That run also used the “pay what you want” model and the company was able to fill 90 percent of the theatre with an enthusiastic audience. Parking was an early concern that BMOP had as a first-time show operator, but those worries were unfounded. That said, Furlong added, there were some “cosmetic” fixes that need to be addressed, and the old electrical system could use updating.

Add to those practical matters, said Furlong, the fact that there aren’t enough nearby places for people to have a sit-down meal, which was an issue with the Van Gogh exhibit. “As to going out for an evening,” he said, “the feedback we got was it was hard to find a restaurant one would want to sit down at. There are a lot of things great for a quick bite, but no sit-downs.”

Williams countered that there are good dining places, but they need to have the opportunity to expand beyond take-out. “I’d like to see the Strand be successful and that would spark some liquor licenses to flow in and benefit the expansion of an existing business,” she said. “There are plenty of options and places that often get ignored because they are not mainstream or white, but they are there.”

At least one longtime user, the Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre, questions whether the business model can support a theatre this size. “The Strand is a drain on financial assets and it’s also a huge community asset,” said Scott Fraser, the ballet group’s executive director. “But can a community – any community – support a theatre that big? On a programmatic level, are people going to go there that many times a year? It needs one of every three nights to be brightly lit.”

Despite recent investments, he said, “It’s not clear to me that a sustainable business model has been developed and presented to maintain that kind of civic investment without an ongoing plan looking 25 years down the line and not being in the same predicament.”

For all that, he said he is optimistic that an solution will be found to preserve a “much-needed” venue in Boston.

Kara Elliott-Ortega, City Hall’s arts and cultural chief, said that the theatre is a cultural mainstay in their plans for Uphams Corner, a showplace that will foster economic development and the neighborhood’s sense of place.

Officials are committed to a grant program with local operators like Company One, and they are conducting a “capital assessment” beginning next month with plans to shut down the theatre for several months to complete some capital upgrades.

“The city has made significant investments in the theater over the years to improve accessibility and safety and has supported many local producers in bringing their work to the theatre,” she said.

Williams added that, to her, the Strand is still trying to find its place in a city attempting to find its place in the world. “One thing that gets me about the Strand is it is a little scrappy and a work in progress and working through its identity even after 100 years,” she said. “That speaks to what the city of Boston is, too.”