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Richmond CenterStage

burt

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burt Megalopolis

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They've been a bit lax about posting photos under "What's New". But here are last week's pix (dated June 24th). They're putting plumbing into the old Thalhimer building which they call the Southeast Quadrant and working on the blackbox theatre space which will have some sort of hydraulic lifts that will configure seating to the desired style.

http://www.richmondcenterstage.com

For those of you who remember visits to the Carpenter Center, former lavatories for men and women on the mezzanine level will be turned into bars/lounges. New rest rooms will be on the first and second floors of Southeast Quadrant via newly cut passageways between it and the Carpenter Theatre. Also, if you have not noticed, the main theatre lobby is being extended into the former retail shops along Grace Street, and the box office on 6th Street is being substantially enlarged.

Just a little more than a year to go before Grand Opening!

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D_C Whistle-Stop

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The rear addition to the Carpenter Center is coming along nicely. To see it in person is a lot different that looking at it in photos. It is a HUGE addition and should triple the stage/backstage area. I took a stroll around the area the other night and was amazed at how much construction material is around. I would assume that they will be backfilling around the foundation of the new addition soon. Once that happens, it should really start to take shape. The Thalheimer's building looks like it has a really long way to go. The brick is coming up on the rear of the building but the front, facing Grace is still wide open and you can really get a good look at the original Carpenter Center wall that is the partywall between the CC and Thalheimers. Interesting when you look and see all of the original doorways and windows that were bricked-up when Thalheimers was originally constructed. It made me want to go to the State Library and see if I could find any old photos of the CC, pre-Thalheimers.

Has Carpenter Center gotten their historic tax credits yet for this construction? Is this project even eligible for them?

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source Unincorporated Area

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The rear addition to the Carpenter Center is coming along nicely. To see it in person is a lot different that looking at it in photos. It is a HUGE addition and should triple the stage/backstage area. I took a stroll around the area the other night and was amazed at how much construction material is around. I would assume that they will be backfilling around the foundation of the new addition soon. Once that happens, it should really start to take shape. The Thalheimer's building looks like it has a really long way to go. The brick is coming up on the rear of the building but the front, facing Grace is still wide open and you can really get a good look at the original Carpenter Center wall that is the partywall between the CC and Thalheimers. Interesting when you look and see all of the original doorways and windows that were bricked-up when Thalheimers was originally constructed. It made me want to go to the State Library and see if I could find any old photos of the CC, pre-Thalheimers.

Has Carpenter Center gotten their historic tax credits yet for this construction? Is this project even eligible for them?

Before Thalheimers the YMCA was on the site.

http://dig.library.vcu.edu/cdm4/item_viewe...OX=1&REC=11

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burt Megalopolis

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After the Loew's Theatre (Carpenter Center) was constructed in 1928, it abutted the lower level wing of the YMCA. There were no windows or doors in the theatre wall. After the YMCA was demolished in the late 1930's, Thalhimer's paved over the space and it was known as The Parking Lot Canteen during World War II. On warm evenings, the parking space was transformed into a large dance floor where big bands played for service personnel and chaperoned young ladies who volunteered as USO hostesses.

The present Thalhimers was erected after the war. The openings you see in the Carpenter wall are recently cut and will serve as passage ways between the theatre and the former Thalhimers building, now referred to as the Southeast Quadrant of Richmond Center Stage. Elevators and rest rooms for theatre patrons will be in the old department store, thus the newly cut entries.

PS: If any of you subscribe to Richmond Magazine, there is a supplement this month about the Richmond Symphony. On page 19 of the supplement, there is an excellent rendering of Richmond Center Stage which might clarify how the old Thalhimers is being retrofitted.

Also, as with the National, a reproduction of the original marquee will be installed wrapping around the 6th and Grace corner.

Incidentally, the Kicked Back Symphony series will move to The National this year. See pages 10 and 11 of the supplement.

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burt Megalopolis

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New pix for today (July 22nd) are up.

http://www.richmondcenterstage.com

Cllick What's Up.

The vacant filled-in hole along Broad between 6th and 7th will be landscaped even if it is used for parking in the short term. Decision on use of the lot will be made between now and 2011.

Negotiations are going on among the State, City, CDA and RCS about erecting new garages in the immediate area.

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ric75 Hamlet

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Here's Will Jones' full story about progress at Richmond Center Stage from today's inRich. Check out the accompanying slide show:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-co...07-23-0130.html

Thanks burt. When I read about all the groups that are going to call this place home I take a much more positive outlook on the project. Hope everything stays on schedule and we have a grand Grand Opening in Fall of 2009!

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burt Megalopolis

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Thanks burt. When I read about all the groups that are going to call this place home I take a much more positive outlook on the project. Hope everything stays on schedule and we have a grand Grand Opening in Fall of 2009!

And thanks to you, too, ric75. You have to do a little manipulating to make the slide show work -- like clicking that little square thing up right that enlarges and reduces. Even then, I can't seem to get the audio.

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burt Megalopolis

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The newest update probably will be posted tomorrow. I have seen it and WOW! The size of the new trapped stage as pictured will sure make opera, ballet companies happy!!

I'd scan my version if I knew how to do it. Meanwhile, we'll have to wait for the web site version.

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burt Megalopolis

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Someone asked what the backwall of The Carpenter Theatre and the Southeast Quadrant will look like from Broad Street. There will be some windows in the old Thalhimer building, but the stagehouse will be a bare wall as far as I know. There are some renderings in the current Richmond Magazine.

Perhaps large banners will be stretched across the stagehouse wall until something rises on the empty Broad Street frontage. Or maybe some inventive led lighting design such as is used on the new Raleigh Convention Center could enhance the wall.

http://www.newraleigh.com/articles/archive...er-wall-begins/

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Shakman Burg

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Someone asked what the backwall of The Carpenter Theatre and the Southeast Quadrant will look like from Broad Street. There will be some windows in the old Thalhimer building, but the stagehouse will be a bare wall as far as I know. There are some renderings in the current Richmond Magazine.

Perhaps large banners will be stretched across the stagehouse wall until something rises on the empty Broad Street frontage. Or maybe some inventive led lighting design such as is used on the new Raleigh Convention Center could enhance the wall.

http://www.newraleigh.com/articles/archive...er-wall-begins/

It is to my knowledge that the rest of the block will support future development; hence why the blank wall? Currently what land is not developed, will be converted into a City park in the mean time.

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