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Tarrytown Music Hall Undergoes a $1.5M Facelift

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September 2, 2014

Tarrytown Music Hall renovations

While the renovations are extensive, ranging from the pouring of a new concrete foundation to drainage modifications, most of the changes will not be obvious to concertgoers.
Executive Director of the Tarrytown Music Hall, Bjorn Olsson, said the project was delayed for about a year, due to a contractor pulling out then being replaced by Meyer Contracting Corporation of Pleasant Valley. Among the changes being made is the replacement of the emergency egress ramp that got slippery in winter due to flooding issues. Olsson said the ramp is now being leveled off to make it safer.

In addition, the replacement of side exit doors will make it safer for concertgoers and offer improved soundproofing. New gutters will also be installed, something Olsson is looking forward to. “Especially with this past really hard winter, we had horrible icicle problems and had no way to fix them because we couldn’t get to it,” he said.This is not the first time the building has undergone a major renovation. In the 1940’s the new balcony was installed inside the theater.

Then in 1976, it was closed due to structural problems and was nearly torn down in 1980.
The Queen Anne-style building is comprised, Olsson explained, of two different structures. One is the older, original brick building in front, while the theater itself is a wooden framed building comprised of wood and plaster.
Music Hall Executive Director Bjorn Olsson To look at the front of the building, one would not realize construction was going on. However, the rear of the building is another story, with extensive scaffolding, tarps and drainage ditches dug out. The sound of jackhammers, electric saws and other mechanical equipment could be heard.
The rear parking lot, while not being used for show parking during the construction process, is still being used by neighboring restaurants, Santa Fe and Lefteris Gyro, for food deliveries while the construction is going on.

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Funding for the improvements came from multiple sources, according to Olsson, including a grant from the federal Save America’s Treasures program, two grants from the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, as well as a $400,000 Get New York Working grant. In addition, he said, the music hall restructured its mortgage to make cash available and used funding from individual contributions.

By the time performances resume on September 16, most of the structural changes are expected to be completed, including the foundation, revamping of the backstage areas, and the replacement of the large side doors. Olsson said work is expected to continue on the roof and some other areas into November and that Meyer Contracting will accommodate the hall’s performance schedule.

Once this $1.5 million project is completed, Tarrytown Music Hall is hoping to make some internal renovations in the next few years. Olsson said plans include restoring portions of the theater area that have damaged plaster and paint as well as a revamping of the facility’s bathrooms.
He noted that the Tarrytown Music Hall is a non-profit organization that is still in need of matching funds for continued restoration moving forward and said those interested can do so by contacting him at the theater’s office or via its website, www.tarrytownmusichall.org.
“We know that this is bigger than just us and what we do onstage,” Olsson said. “This is a landmark for the whole community. We want to leave everything better than we found it.”

Written by Sue Guzman

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