For years, crews have been working to restore the historic Grand Theater in Steubenville. For the first time since work started, the doors will be opening to the public, temporarily, to show how far it's come.

"We've come a long ways and we have a lot left to do," said Scott Dressel, board president for the Grand Theater Restoration Project. "Of course, the entire inside of the theater (still needs to be completed), which if you visit during our open house, you can actually take a tour to see what remains to be done in there as well."

The tour is available with a $5 donation.

Work is just about done in the lobby, which will be free to see during the open house. Decorations are up for the holidays, thanks to the Women's Group at St. Peter's Church. Fresh paint layers the walls and new carpeting lines the floors.

"We're trying to revive downtown and make it something that will attract people, be attractive to people visiting the university, attractive to tourists coming to town. (We want) people that grew up here to have something to do when they come back. And we are trying to take the four square blocks around Fourth Street and Market and make it sort of like a dining and entertainment nightlife kind of district with a variety of shops," Dressel said.

To celebrate the progress, the board is even holding a photo contest leading up to the open house, with the winner receiving a $100 gift card. All participants have to do is take a picture outside in front of the lobby with the Christmas lights on and post it to the restoration project's Facebook page. The winner will be selected in a drawing at the open house.

Dressel said the progress made is not possible without the help of the hundreds of volunteers, the city and the county.

The open house is being held Saturday, Dec. 8, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., which coincides with the 2012 Eastern Gateway Community College Steubenville Christmas Parade.