Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for

Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
AIA Rochester
Our mission is to promote the profession and practice of
Architecture in the Greater Rochester Area. We are dedicated
to providing our members opportunities for professional
advancement, community involvement, and promoting design
excellence in the built environment.
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AIA Rochester is a Registered Provider with The American Institute
of Architects Continuing Education Systems (AIA/CES). Credit(s)
earned on completion of this program will be reported to AIA/CES for
AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and
non-AIA members are available upon request.
This program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional
education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed
or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any
material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using,
distributing, or dealing in any material or product.
Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be
addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this program, participants will be able to:
1) Participants will be able to solve building code and management
issues when attempting rehabilitation projects within old opera
houses.
2) Participants will be able to identify prospective uses for
underutilized or vacant opera houses in order to revitalize downtown
areas.
3) When a community is assessing the rehab potential for an
underutilized opera house, participants will be able to communicate
to elected officials, the general public, and business leaders, the
economic benefits of rehabbing these buildings.
4) Participants will be able to design adaptive reuse projects in
historic opera houses that both preserve the building’s important
character defining features and that make the building safe and
useable for new 21st century uses.
Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Building Code Considerations
Orleans Renaissance Group
Preservation League of New York State
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
c. 1873 - 1890
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Building Type
Built in the 2nd half of the nineteenth century
“Ordinary Construction” (now, Type III)
Masonry exterior walls
Wood interior framing
No (or minimal) side yards
Multi-story (often three)
Mixed use
One or more underused floors
“Historic Building” as defined by the New York State Building Code
Assembly use on an upper floor or floors
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
1915
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
1865 – 1873 (1871 photo)
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
c. 1873 - 1890
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
2012
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Proposed
Uses
3rd floor:
Auditorium
2nd Floor: Restaurant
1st Floor: Retail
Bsm’t:
Offices
2012
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Areas of Code Regulation (partial listing)
Permitted heights (in feet and number of stories) and areas
Fire-resistance ratings
Interior finishes (flame spread)
Fire protection systems
Means of egress
Accessibility
Energy efficiency
Structural strength and flexibility
Electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems
Elevators
The New York State Codes are “Reference Codes”
Note the difference between Zoning Ordinances and building codes
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
2012
1915 Sanborn detail
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
1915 Sanborn detail, updated to 1940
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Summary
The Existing Building Code can be your friend
Code study is essential for initial evaluation
Changes of use have serious Code consequences
The Code recognizes the special circumstances found in
existing buildings
The Code recognizes “Historic Buildings” in important ways
Meet with your Code Enforcement Official as soon as possible to discuss
all aspects of the project, especially current legal uses
The local Code Enforcement Official is authorized to make many
decisions concerning code compliance
Because of the complexity of the Code, CEOs are well trained
Consider the CEO a consultant and partner
Plan on sprinklers in any building used for assembly
Be willing to modify initial plans for reuse in order to reduce costs and
preserve historic fabric
Youtube: search for Bent’s Hall “Bring it Back”
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Next Act for Opera Houses: Strategies for Preservation and Renewal
Building Code Considerations, Bent’s Opera House, Medina
Rick Davis
Executive Director
Restoration
Fredonia Preservation Society responsible for restoration:
Nine years (1985 – 1994)
Cost of nearly $1.2 million
Very much a grassroots effort
> 30,000 volunteer man hours
Ownership/Operation
Village of Fredonia building owner
1891 Fredonia Opera House, Inc. non-profit management organization
3 full-time employees
55 volunteers
Year-round operation
Village Responsibilities
 Maintenance of Village office space, common areas, parking lot,
sidewalks, etc.
 Rent = $1/year
 Pay utilities up to $13,000/year (down from $20,000 initially)
Opera House Responsibilities
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Complete management of the theatre
Maintenance of theatre’s facilities
Continued facility and equipment upgrades
Weekend snow removal, maintenance, etc.
Impact of Municipal Functions
 Police Department located directly under house floor
 Village gets free use of facility
 Village Square activities impact parking, building access & sound
Biggest Challenge
 Village responsible for building upkeep, with no money to do so
Suffered through roof leaks for 5+ years
No boiler November 2013-February 2014
Window sashes & frames rotting
Fire escape doors rotting
Biggest Success
More than
277,573 patrons …
… attending
2,153 events …
… over the past
20 years!
Earlville Opera House
Arts Center
1892 – National Historic Landmark is
the third opera house built on this site
History of the Earlville Opera House
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First built in 1890
Present theater dates from 1892
1892-1922, the Opera House provided
a stage for vaudeville acts, threepenny operas, and traveling medicine
shows
Circa 1912, converted to silent movie
house, public auditorium, and then
1937 renovated to play talking pictures
1952, with advent of TV the doors
were locked the seats were removed
and it was now a basketball court
1971, theater threatened by
demolition
Purchased by local artisan and given
to Earlville Opera House, Inc.
1974, first live performance in more
than 50 years
• Restoration and renovations continue
through the new millennium
• EOH historic theater is now universally
accessible to everyone
Saving EOH
Long on enthusiasm but short of
renovation dollars
 Next three years the Opera House
building and Annex had arts and
crafts workshops, a crafts
cooperative store, and to offer
instruction in film, video, dance, and
music
 Close of 1974 saw all craft and
workshop activity in the Opera
House gone…but in 1975 it started
all over again with presented a turnof-the-century type concert on the
Opera House stage featuring
performers from the Colgate
community. The event successfully
created renewed interest
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The Long Campaign
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1995 Historic Preservation
Grant
Foundations come on board
Corporations get involved
Individuals – Giving on every
level: from Heritage Circle at
$5000 down to Cast members
at $100, tracking donations
and giving opportunities to add
each year
2003 Reality after the bids
Mortgage and more
fundraising!
2006 Paying off the mortgage!
What is the Earlville Opera House Today
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A multi-arts center that houses a
beautiful historic 2nd floor theater with
nearly perfect acoustics and a strong
performance season, three art
galleries, workshop space, arts café &
and Artisan Gift Shop
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To promote arts in a rural region of
Central New York by offering programs
of cultural, educational, and historical
significance
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Seek to preserve and restore the
architectural and historic integrity of
the Earlville Opera House
Multiple Revenue Streams
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68% Earned Revenue
Storefront Rentals 5%
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What does this mean for a
non-profit?
Admissions
Tuitions
Gallery sales
Fundraisers
34%
3%
13%
13%
32% Contributed
Memberships
8%
Corporate
7%
Grants
17%
Programming at the
Earlville Opera House Arts Center
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EOH has three areas of programming that interweave and build new
audiences: Performance series in the historic theater and arts café
are the big draw, but exhibitions in three galleries draw 4000-5000,
and arts education programs serve 500-600 each year
The Performance Series runs from May through October in the
historic theater annually drawing 8000-9000, now supports EOH
 Series designed to accommodate the widely divergent interests of a
rural constituency with very little access to the arts but would not
survive without 30-35% tourism visitors
 Series includes, but is not limited to: children’s performances, folk,
Americana, world music, musical theater, drama, blues, Zydeco and
Cajun music, bluegrass, rock, and country music – the Artists are
the reason that people will drive to Earlville!
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Earlville Opera House Highlights 2014 Series
John McCutcheon, Solas, Tannahill Weavers
Right now in the
Earlville Galleries… building community
TeensART - 9 schools
Lisa Iannello, Patricia Coyle
…through May 10
Stewardship - Earlville
Opera House
Board of Directors
Meet Monthly
Arts & Ed Committee
Committee structure
Youth Development
Nominating, Budget, Bylaws,
Annual Retreat committees
Workshops
Building Committee
Repairs- Maintenance
Capital projects
Architects, Contractors
Program Committee
Performances
Fundraisers
Gallery Committee
Exhibition oversight
Fundraisers
Development Committee
Fundraising
Staff: Full time Executive Director
/seeking part time Associate Director
Lessons from the
Earlville Opera House
Arts Center
Long campaigns can take a
toll…EOH had to rebuild its
board as all those players
moved on with the success of
the first campaign. EOH hopes
to add air-conditioning/heating
to the historic theater, which
will allow the theater to be
comfortable year-round
 EOH looks to continue building
future audiences for the arts
with its programs ensuring
future support of the 1892
building
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Course Evaluations
In order to maintain high-quality learning experiences, please access
the evaluation for this course by logging into CES Discovery and
clicking on the Course Evaluation link on the left side of the page.
This concludes The American Institute of Architects
Continuing Education Systems Course
Contact: Linda B. Hewitt, Hon. AIANYS
[email protected]