A N N O U N C I N G
The All Access Project at the historic Vergennes Opera House
What is the All Access Project?The All Access Project envisions a City Hall/Opera House that is accessible to all via a new elevator tower that will be constructed/affixed to the southwest side of the building. A beautiful new walkway to this elevator will be created, and inside the building, a discreet lift at stage left will allow for full access to the stage and dressing room.
The Vergennes Opera House was officially reopened in 1997 after a multi-year effort to restore the community space and get it “up to code” in time for its 100th anniversary. Since that grand reopening, the Opera House restoration has continued under the direction, energy and enthusiasm of the non-profit all-volunteer team, The Friends of the Vergennes Opera House (FVOH). Today the theater space hosts a myriad of events, some produced by FVOH as well as private funtions such as weddings and parties, and important community meetings and forums such as the annual town meeting in March. Since the reopening in 1997, the little city of Vergennes has grown and prospered attracting new families, new retail establishments and a wide variety of restaurants. The pride in the community is palpable and improvements in the downtown have continued. The the stores and businesses on the historic Main Street are now accessible via ADA compliant sidewalks, ramps and curbing. Now, in the building’s 125th year, and after 25+ years of successfully hosting performances and public and private gatherings of all kinds, the all-volunteer Friends have set their energies to making the entire building truly accessible to all with the construction of a fully ADA compliant elevator tower and companion ADA stage and greenroom lift for performers. Discussions about the All Access Project at the Vergennes Opera House began years ago when a local supporter asked the all-volunteer group to “please get an elevator” because “we are all getting older and climbing the stairs is getting more difficult.” |
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Our Core Team: Our core team consists of restoration specialists, Opera House board members, a local development and planning professional, the city manager, and other representatives from the local and state level including the professionals at the Vermont Department of Historic Preservation who are committed to helping us throughout each phase.
The All Access Project has three general phases:
Phase 1: Elevator Tower
This new elevator tower and related landscaping, will allow for easy access to not only the first floor of city hall, but also to the second floor theater space. The tower will be architecturally interesting, functional and convenient for all to use. Below are two pictures, one showing the current ADA access ramp as seen from Main Street looking through the alley, and the other is the 3D architectural rendering illustrating the new tower and bridge/ramp in place.
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The architectural rendering below illustrate the placement of the proposed elevator tower affixed onto the Opera House on the side of the building within the alleyway of city hall and St. Paul's Episcopal Church.
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Phase 2: Stage and Greenroom Access
The architectural drawings below show the creative solution to making both the stage and the greenroom 100% accessible. Renovations include a lift that moves seamlessly between the auditorium level, stage level and greenroom level. It also calls for creating/retrofitting a new bathroom, which will be ADA compliant.
Access to the lift is respectfully inside a hallway that is located behind a door, stage left.
Access to the lift is respectfully inside a hallway that is located behind a door, stage left.
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Phase 3: Courtyard
The landscape architectural rendering of the courtyard shows the reimagined alleyway between City Hall and St. Paul’s church.
Here we have taken an uninviting paved area and turned it into a welcoming and bright courtyard for all to enjoy. This courtyard will serve as an open and safe entrance to the elevator tower, as well as a comfortable gathering space and waiting area for the Tri-County Transit bus service.
Features include attractive lighting, porous pavers with drainage, park benches and landscaping that is appropriate for this space considering its proximity to two building with significant rain and snow runoff.
The pocket park also creates a convenient drop off area for Opera House patrons who can then easily move through the alley toward the elevator tower. From there they enter into a vestibule where they can choose the door straight ahead to access city hall services, or turn left to access the elevator to the second floor opera house level.
Here we have taken an uninviting paved area and turned it into a welcoming and bright courtyard for all to enjoy. This courtyard will serve as an open and safe entrance to the elevator tower, as well as a comfortable gathering space and waiting area for the Tri-County Transit bus service.
Features include attractive lighting, porous pavers with drainage, park benches and landscaping that is appropriate for this space considering its proximity to two building with significant rain and snow runoff.
The pocket park also creates a convenient drop off area for Opera House patrons who can then easily move through the alley toward the elevator tower. From there they enter into a vestibule where they can choose the door straight ahead to access city hall services, or turn left to access the elevator to the second floor opera house level.
Vermont Community Development Program Grant
We were recently award a $30K planning grant from the Vermont Community Development Program. These funds will go toward Phase I of the project. Phase I encompasses the creation of "shovel ready" architectural plan and market ready costs for the project.
We are delighted that we have signed on with Vermont Integrated Architects based in Middlebury, Vermont as our architects and Naylor & Breen from Brandon, Vermont as our construction managers.
Members of our core team are ready and willing to meet with you to see how you can get involved and be a part of making the opera house accessible to everyone.
Key contacts for the All Access Project are: Susan Schaefer, Treasurer (973.727.9482, sus.schaefer@me.com) and project leader and Gerianne Smart, President and project co-leader (802.777.7610, getsmartvt@gmail.com).
We look forward to continuing to share our plans and our progress as we move forward.
We are delighted that we have signed on with Vermont Integrated Architects based in Middlebury, Vermont as our architects and Naylor & Breen from Brandon, Vermont as our construction managers.
Members of our core team are ready and willing to meet with you to see how you can get involved and be a part of making the opera house accessible to everyone.
Key contacts for the All Access Project are: Susan Schaefer, Treasurer (973.727.9482, sus.schaefer@me.com) and project leader and Gerianne Smart, President and project co-leader (802.777.7610, getsmartvt@gmail.com).
We look forward to continuing to share our plans and our progress as we move forward.