Restoration Plans for the Opera House...

The goals of the planning process were as follows:

In order to accommodate all of the programmed requirements, it was determined that a 3-story addition would be added to the rear of the existing historic structure replacing the ground level rear areas of the current storefronts. The addition will enable heating, air conditioning, and ventillation ducts to be brought into the historic building from the new addition which will result in far less interruption to the integrity of the existing structure. The drawings that follow show how these goals will be achieved.

Visible from Washington Street will be the Ticket Foyer and Lobby area with coat storage. A curved stairway will rise to the second floor landing. The lobby opens into a Banquet Hall which will accommodate 88 people seated at tables or up to 250 for a standing reception. The facility connects with restrooms and an elevator lobby providing access to second floor meeting space, dressing rooms, and the third-floor auditorium lobby. Two sets of fire stairs also provide access to the floors above and the basement below. Covered parking is available off of the alley providing handicapped access to the elevator lobby as well as an unloading zone for caterers, stage props, etc.

Highlights of the second floor include museum space for displaying artifacts from the opera house. The museum will also tell the story of businesses that operated in the opera house block as well interpretive panels depicting the history of Delphi with emphasis on the Delphi Courthouse Square National Register Historic District. The collection of materials donated to the Delphi Preservation Society by local historian Charles Gerard will be housed in a temperature and humidity controlled Archives room. The center's staff will have office space on this floor. The warming kitchen has dumbwaiter access to the floors above and below. Dressing rooms, with their own set of stairs leading to the third floor stage area, provide space for performers to prepare makeup and to dress. A large multi-purpose room can provide overflow dressing space for large casts. The same size as the Opera House stage, it can also be used as a rehearsal hall. When not in use for theater productions, the room can be rented for other purposes and used for community meetings.

The Opera House takes the stage on the third floor with its historic balcony and auditorium space accessible via elevator through the wide lobby area or the historic stairs rising from the second floor landing. Larger men's and women's restrooms on this level will accommodate theater goers during intermissions. Performers' comforts are provided for in the Green Room which connects to the second floor dressing rooms via stairs. A stage right area provides set and prop storage for current productions.

In the theater itself, a recessed light bay in the ceiling will handle most lighting requirements managed from a light and sound booth on the rear balcony. During theater productions, up to 200 seats will be available for patrons. The flat floor of the theater space will enable flexible usage including dinner theater performances, ballroom dancing, weddings and receptions, community meetings, and other events..

Opera House Restoration Cost Estimates

Construction costs for the renovation of the historic three-story building and the three-story addition to the rear are expected to be in the range of $3 million dollars. Theater lighting, sound, and other finishes will add up to another $.5 to $1 million dollars. The entire amount need not be raised before work can begin on the restoration. The project can be broken into several phases.

Phase I and II have been completed including restoration of the building's facade, storefront renovations, and the replacement of the roof on the historic structure.

Phase III will include the renovation of the historic structure with fire upgrades, the additional of support beams to increase floor loading to current standards on the opera house auditorium space and stage. Also included will be the restoration of the rear windows and brick facing.

Phase IV will include the tearoff of the rear of the ground level buildings from the back wall of the historic structure to the alley. (This has already been completed behind the northern retail bay.) Also included will be relocating of utilities and digging of the foundation for the three-story addition.

Putting up the shell of the three-story addition is Phase V of the project. Designed to complement the historic structure, the addition will provide two sets of fire stairs and an elevator. HVAC and electrical feeds for the new addition will be fed into the historic structure from the new addition.

Phase VI will consist of all of the finishes for the historic theater space as well as the museum and archive room in the new structure.

Sponsorship Opportunities

You can make a lasting tribute by becoming a donor to the restoration of the Delphi Opera House. Returning the theater as an active meeting space and performance venue will enable area residents and visitors to experience the joy of watching live theater, hearing a music recital, enjoying ballroom dancing, or just admiring the historic architecture. The Assion-Ruffing City Hall can once again become the community gathering space from which its name derives.

To find out how you can help, contact sponsorships@delphipreservationsociety.org.