7/17/2010 10:10:00 PM
Elks restoration unveiling set for Saturday, July 24
| |
|
| | | “For the past 13 months, Prescott’s historic downtown theater, the Elks Opera House, has been undergoing a major restoration. The goal was to bring back the historic ambience of the 1905 theater. On July 24, a gala grand-opening will unveil the restored o |
|
 |
| Renovations of the Elks Opera House (seen July 16, above, and in 1928, below) have taken about a year to complete. The first show at the opera house will take place on the evening of July 24. |
 |
 |
| | Elks timeline | The Historic Building Preservation Plan that Otwell Associates Architects prepared in 2009 included a basic timeline of major developments at the Elks Opera House. Among the important dates:
• 1905 - Feb. 20: Completion of the Elks building and grand opening of the Elks Opera House.
• 1921 - Exterior walls on the south side and west facades veneered with red brick.
• 1928 - Lobby steps removed and sloped floor created, repainted lobby.
• 1933 - New carpet; reworking of the lower balcony; center aisle replaced with two intermediate aisles; and conversion of a first floor retail space to the foyer and elevator lobby.
• 1943-1946 - Opera boxes and much of original ornamentation removed or covered over; proscenium walls covered with fluting; ladies parlor converted to storage; gentlemen's parlor on the west side converted to men's and women's restrooms; and projection booth added.
• 1971 - Benevolent Protective Order of Elks Lodge #330 moves to its new building in Prescott Valley.
• 1973 - Second marquee design removed and new marquee constructed.
• 1978-1980 - Reconstructed stage; snack bar built; and new seats constructed.
• 2001 - City of Prescott buys theater.
• 2002 -Federal block grant project for new heating and cooling system; new roof; new electrical; women's restroom enlarged; and new men's restroom.
• 2003 - State grant project for ticket booth restoration; removal of false ceiling at the first lobby; restored canvas stenciled ceiling; exposed original transom windows; new carpeting and chandelier.
• 2005 - Structural analysis and re-rigging of the fly loft.
• 2006 - "Bill" the elk, returned to the top of building.
• 2007 - State grant and City of Prescott project for removal of false ceiling from inner lobby; finishes restored; new lighting; new plaster and concession stand equipment; new sound system.
• 2009-2010 - Major $1.7 million restoration using $1.25 million from Harold James Family Trust, contributions to the Elks Opera House Foundation, and City of Prescott money.
|
|
PRESCOTT - After more than a year of darkness, the Elks Opera House in downtown Prescott will light up again next weekend, with the long-awaited gala grand opening.
"We went dark about 13 months ago," Prescott Administrative Services Director Mic Fenech said this past week. "Now, we're in the final stages of restoration."
As he spoke, several groups of workers were doing last-minute tasks - adjusting the ornate stage curtain, checking the new lighting system, and laying the new carpet.
"It will be a frenzy in here right up until the gala," Fenech said, referring to the Saturday, July 24, evening event that will unveil the newly restored theater to the community.
While Saturday's "black-tie optional" gala is a sold-out event, Fenech said tickets still remain for a 2 p.m. Sunday, July 25, matinee that will feature a program similar to the gala.
Tickets for the matinee, which will include the Phoenix Opera and a group of local performers from Spotlight Theater, are available online at www.elksoperahouse.com.
Certainly, one of the major players in the performance will be the theater itself, which has been transformed from a slightly tired space to a venue that closely resembles the grand opera house that opened in February 1905.
During its 105 years of existence, the historic Elks Opera House has seen its share of transformations, and not all of them have been to the theater's benefit.
Longtime Prescott resident and Elks Opera House Foundation founding member Elisabeth Ruffner recalls that when she first encountered the Gurley Street theater in the 1940s, it was a slightly worn version of its former self.
"It was kept up because it was an active movie house," Ruffner said of the theater during those years. "But it was nothing to write home about; everything was covered up."
An official timeline shows that many of the theater's opulent features, such as its original opera boxes and proscenium walls, disappeared during the mid-1940s, after which corrugated fluting covered the walls surrounding the stage.
And as for the theater's next several decades, Ruffner said: "It was hard-used. Like the cowboys say, it was run hard and put away wet."
In the last half of the 20th century, the theater changed hands several times, and saw the departure of its original owner, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge #330, in 1971, when the organization moved to Prescott Valley.
The Arizona Community Foundation bought the theater in 1982, Ruffner said, with the understanding that the organization would do no improvements.
The City of Prescott then bought the theater in 2001, setting off a series of gradual improvements, including a new heating and cooling system, a new roof, re-rigging of the fly loft, and restoration of the lobbies.
Throughout those improvements, the Elks Opera House Foundation was working to raise money, and in 2008, the organization received a major boost when the Harold James Family Trust donated $1 million to the restoration effort. The trust later added another $250,000 to the effort.
Overall, local architect Bill Otwell of Otwell Associates Architects, estimates the cost of the restoration at about $1.75 million. The remainder came from other foundation contributions and from the City of Prescott.
While the aesthetic improvements were a central part of the restoration, Otwell, Fenech, and Project Manager Lee Vega of contractor Haley Construction all emphasize the structural work that occurred as well.
"It was a major demolition," Fenech said, adding that the work involved taking the "existing elements down to the studs."
Vega, who was on hand at the theater virtually every day for about 10 months, calls the structural work "probably the biggest single thing of importance." He added: "The building really was approaching the point of crumbling."
Haley's crews ultimately shored up the balcony, which Vega said "was just on the edge of collapse," and installed a new fire-sprinkler system.
Otwell said other prominent steps in the restoration included the replication of the molding, stenciling, and opera boxes that were original in the 1905 theater.
He credits nationally known historic preservation firm Evergreene, and local firm Custom Surface Innovation Inc., with following through on the intricate molding and stenciling work that adds the ornate touches to the finished theater.
After working on the theater since 1979 - soon after he arrived in Prescott as a young architect - Otwell said the restoration accomplishes his longtime hopes about the Elks.
"Once I saw the historic photos (in 1979), I started thinking - I hoped - that someday we'd try to restore it," said Otwell, whose firm did the 2009 Historic Building Preservation Plan for the theater.
Along with the structural and aesthetic work, the restoration also included installation of new chairs, new carpeting, new drapes, restoration of the outdoor marquee and balustrade, and a re-created light ring (chandelier), which is similar to the theater's 1905 lighting.
Ruffner and Otwell both stress the uniqueness of the theater and the restoration job that brought so many entities together.
"It is unique," Ruffner said. "It is so rare for a community of this size to have a theater like this."
Added Otwell: "The way we all worked together is, I think, unique. It was a combination of national expertise as well as local craftsmen, and Haley's team who could replicate anything we would show them."
In addition, he said the two owners of the building - the City of Prescott, which owns the theater, and the Elks Building LLC, which occupies the remainder of the Elks building with the law firm of Murphy, Schmitt, Hathaway, and Wilson - also worked together, offering financial help and providing access to the building.
|
Posted: Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Article comment by:
Steven Ayres
To Park:
That someone called it an opera house at one point is not in question. But it wasn't an opera house then, it isn't one now, and it never will be. It's not like calling a log cabin a mansion. "Opera house" means a specific thing, and those specifics matter in planning productions. You can call a pig a hog, but if you try to sell it that way you'll be rightly called a swindler or a fool. Let the theatre be what it is, which is a perfectly good and respectable thing, and let the ignorant mistakes and advertising language of the past fade away.
Posted: Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Article comment by:
Happy Socialist.
Dear Ella. I don't exactly know why you brought this up, but... Definition of Socialism: Socialism is an economic and political theory based on public or common ownership and cooperative management of the means of production and allocation of resources. Since the City of Prescott (the local public) purchased and owns the Elk's Theater and used public monies (local and state grants, derived from public taxes) combined with some very generous private foundation monies wouldn't that cause the renovation to fall under the definition of a socialistic endeavor. Much like our fire department, police department, public education, would they fall under public common ownership, and cooperative management? How about our National Guard and Army, Navy etc.. Good grief we may all be socialists without even knowing it! If we were good capitalists all of the above would be privately owned entities including the Elk’s Theater. I am very happy that it belongs to all of us! Way to go you socialistic Prescott Council Members and Mayor!
Posted: Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Article comment by:
Parker Anderson
To Steve:
Thank you, but it isn't totally accurate. When the Elks first opened it was indeed called "Elks Opera House". Within a few years only, people did start calling it "Elks Theater", especially after the arrival of motion pictures. The marquee dates to the 20s.
To Ella: There is nothing political about this story. Why does everything have to become a Right vs. Left issue with folks like you? This is the reason people aren't having civil conversations anymore.....
Posted: Monday, July 19, 2010
Article comment by:
Ella Croshier
American Ingenuity at it's best! Great Story.
A community working with local officials doing a great job and all without government grants
or redistribution of the wealth. Who needs or wants socialism being forced upon Americans
by elected representatives in Washington?
Posted: Monday, July 19, 2010
Article comment by:
Steven Ayres
Parker, I much appreciate the effort you've put into researching the history of the theatre, but you're talking out of school when you say the Elks was "designed like" an opera house. "Opera house" is a technical designation describing a set of specific facilities, many of which the Elks does not have and could not support. It is not, never has been and never could be an opera house, and the only reason you're calling it one now is because other people who didn't know what it means have occasionally called it that for advertising purposes, with the idea of inflating its status.
Thankfully the restoration of the marquee will eventually rebury the hick-chic "opera house" mistake, reinforcing what Prescott residents have always accurately called it: the Elks Theatre.
Posted: Sunday, July 18, 2010
Article comment by:
Parker Anderson
Daily Driver: It was originally called an "Opera House" because it was designed like one. True, operas were never the exclusive entertainment performed there, but operas HAVE been performed there. A few months ago, I compiled a list of them and gave it to the Elks management.
Posted: Sunday, July 18, 2010
Article comment by:
A sight to behold
The Elks looks absolutely beautiful in the photos. I am excited to see it when it opens. We have fond memories of watching our children on that stage performing in plays and dance recitals. I always enjoy an evening at the Elks.
Posted: Sunday, July 18, 2010
Article comment by:
Jack Wilson
Daily Driver:
The Phoenix Opera will be performing Saturday, July 24 and Sunday, July 25 with three selections.
Posted: Sunday, July 18, 2010
Article comment by:
Jack Wilson
The restoration is truly breathtaking. Old time Prescott residents that have fond memories of the Elks as a movie theater will be surprised at the transformation. Excellent planning and attention to details went into this restoration and it shows. This is a true Prescott gem that has started its commencement to another hundred years!
Posted: Sunday, July 18, 2010
Article comment by:
Kathy Saunders
THIS is what Prescott is all about . . . its history. Thank you, all who were involved, for your tenacity. What a treasure!
Posted: Sunday, July 18, 2010
Article comment by:
Daily Driver
"OPERA" House. Would someone kindly give the name and date that an 'opera' was performed there?
Posted: Sunday, July 18, 2010
Article comment by:
Ron R. Harvey
Welcome back Elks!
Posted: Sunday, July 18, 2010
Article comment by:
Amber S
Absolutely beautiful, I can't wait to see it in person.
Posted: Sunday, July 18, 2010
Article comment by:
Stone Bridge
I hope those arent real elks mounted in the theater. Some greenie liberal might be offended.....
|
Article Comment Submission Form
|
|
