By John Tredrea, Special Writer
Renovations of Lambertville Hall are going well, with much work already completed, Mandee Kuenzle, spokeswoman for the Hall, said Friday.
The Hall (also known as Lambertville Music Hall) is housed in the Bridge Street structure that once was home to the Old Baptist Church.
The work that’s been done to date was shown at an Aug. 12 event at the Hall, with local business people and city officials invited.
The work in the Hall is being done by James Maxwell builders.
"The pews were back in place for the Aug. 12 event, and new lighting fixtures were in place," Ms. Kuenzle said. "A lot of other work has been done as well."
That work includes a new roof and replacement of windows. In addition, stained glass has been restored and insulated. Repairs have been done to floors, walls, ceilings, downstairs rest rooms and new exit signs and smoke alarms have been installed.
The Lambertville Hall Foundation, which purchased the building, runs programs in theatre and the arts there, as well as hosting musical performances.
Among other offerings, the Foundation has hosted a Saturday Arts Program, run by the Bucks County Playhouse (BCP), based in New Hope. The program features classes in musical theatre and improvisation.
"Hester Kamin, the Bucks County Playhouse Education director, told visitors about our programs at the Aug. 12 event," Ms. Kuenzle said.
"A rehearsal of our production of ’Ain’t Misbehavin’ also was going on while visitors were there, so they could see some more of what we’ve been doing."
Still ongoing, Ms. Kuenzle said, are talks between the Foundation and city officials over the future of the hall.
Withdrawn by the Foundation in July 2013 was an application to the city’s Zoning Board of Adjustment that involved busing people to the hall from locations around the city.
That plan drew considerable opposition from the public.
ON JULY 9, 2013, Tanya Cooper, president of the Lambertville Hall Foundation (LMH), said the group had decided to temporarily withdraw without prejudice the application that was before the Lambertville Zoning Board of Adjustment.
"Hearing concerns of the community inspired our decision. We are, therefore, temporarily withdrawing our application to refocus our efforts to best reflect the communities’ input and preferences, with respect to rescuing and repurposing this architectural landmark," Ms. Cooper said.
"As we have stated throughout this process, our goal continues to be focused on developing a venue that will enhance the lives of all who participate in its programming, while positively contributing to the quality of life in both the neighborhood and the city as a whole," she added.
LMH was founded in December 2011 by the nonprofit organization, Bridge Street Foundation, which takes its name from the street which bridges Lambertville and New Hope.
ACCORDING TO A WEBSITE, the church itself was "the second Baptist church on the site and one of the few in Hunterdon County where the architect is known." (The site identifies him as David Gendell, of Philadelphia, who designed a number of Baptist churches in that city, as well as the South Baptist church in Newark).
"The first church was built in 1825, the year the church was organized. The current building, erected in 1868, is 53 by 101 feet, and the tower, 85 feet high.
"While the front is of cut sandstone from quarries in Stockton, the sides and rear are of what we call fieldstone — that is, undressed stone. The church will comfortably seat 400. The ground floor is dedicated to a lecture room, infant school and library and the main ‘audience room’ is on the second floor.
"Across the street is the home of John Marshall, discoverer of gold in California (now a museum) and the even larger St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, built about 30 years after this building."
