Restoration Work Underway at the Old Town Hall in Brewster

Restoration work has begun at Old Town Hall on Main Street in Brewster.  

In late November, Ben Brandt and Brian Sichler of Newburgh Sash and Restoration, the contractor restoring the theater floor windows at Old Town Hall have removed the sashes and boarded up the openings.  Putty and glazing work ensued in their Newburgh shop (second photo). They will begin to remediate the frames onsite and replace the sashes starting in April.

Olenna Truskett, Vice President of the Cultural Arts Coalition has been integral in the coordination of the restoration efforts. Mrs. Truskett explains, "The Cultural Arts Coalition is coordinating with the many stakeholders to hone design plans and apply for monies to continue the building’s overall restoration, the end goal being to preserve this historic treasure from 1896 and give it renewed life as a viable cultural and performing arts center, housing both the Cultural Arts Coalition and the Southeast Museum." 

The Cultural Arts Coalition will continue operations at the Studio Around the Corner in the basement and manage the restored theater with a 200 seat capacity on the uppermost level.  The Studio Around the Corner is home to monthly art exhibits, Concerts Around the Corner, Community Connection (Free ESL classes), Theater Around the Corner, Garden Around the Corner (providing free fresh produce to local food pantries in the summer and fall), and a variety of educational and entertaining workshops and classes. The space is available for rental and is used for arts, exercise, and theater classes. Spotlight Arts Inc. has made the studio their home for rehearsal space, master classes and their popular theater summer camp since 2015. They have plans to be one of the organization to utilize the Old Town Hall Theater once the renovations are completed.

The Old Town Hall, built in 1896, is an architectural gem listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  This “Jewel in the Crown of Brewster” is owned by the Town of Southeast and situated a 67 Main Street in the Village of Brewster, walking distance from the Brewster Metro North Train Station.

If you wish to find out more about how to become involved with this exciting project, visit their website.

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