Old fashioned styling merged with modern comforts characterize the 302 new seats in the balcony at the City Opera House.
Installed last week, the seats honor in multiple ways the original seating installed more than a century ago. First, the decorative endcaps of the rows are the originals installed in the early 1900s, modified to hold a modern, padded seat. The seat backs contain the original "air conditioning” hole pattern, although now that the facility has air conditioning they are mere decorations fronted by padding.
"We've paid tribute to the concept of air conditioning,” quipped Sheryl Hayward, executive director of the City Opera House.
Finally, the company chosen to refurbish, build and install the new seating — American Seating of Grand Rapids — is the original company that did the work. When contacted about the job, they managed to locate the original order in their files and were eager to step in again.
As the years-long effort to restore the City Opera House draws near conclusion, the historic significance of the balcony seating reflects the spirit of the project from its inception.
"From the very beginning we said, 'If we're going to do it, we're going to do it right,'” said Jeffry Corbin, who with Ken Zachs founded in 1979 the City Opera Heritage Association. "We could have done it for half the money long ago but it wouldn't have been right.”
A local architect, Corbin said that preserving the architectural aura has been a driving force throughout his involvement. Of course, modern people are larger so the seats are a 2.5-3 inches wider and fire codes require spring-up seating. But the look and feel of the red velvet seats reflects the original design, with a comfortable upgrade to the original plywood seats and metal stanchions.
"It was a community hall from the start, so the site lines were not the greatest from the balcony,” noted Corbin, a member of the organization's board. "So our charge to the architect was to improve the sight lines and provide a realistic number of seats in the balcony that meet today's comfort and standards and codes while at the same time meeting the original aesthetic.”
The seating upgrade also includes 46 fixed seats on the main floor and brings the seating total to more than 700 for events. The public can test drive the new seats this evening during the City Opera House's weekly Downtown Dinner and a Movie feature, which this week will screen "Harold and Maude” at 7 p.m.
With a robust booking schedule on tap for the month, including the weekly movies, proms, music events and fund-raisers — not to mention the bridal season kicking off — the new seating is just in time.
"It's really fun to get the kids all dressed up and having such a blast and celebrating the end of the year,” reflected Hayward on the prom bookings. "This ties their past to the future, it becomes part of their history and memory, their sense of community and place.”
"We know that they will be here with their children and grandchildren someday,” she added.
The City Opera House's restoration efforts was recognized locally last Thursday during the Grand Traverse Heritage Association's first Historic Preservation Awards event. The City Opera House received the Preservation Project of the Year award, one of 20 awards given that evening.
"We felt that this was such an important part of Traverse City culture to recognize,” said Dan Truckey, executive director of the Grand Traverse Heritage Center.
For more information about the City Opera House or to buy Downtown Dinner and a Movie tickets, call 941-8082, x 203 or see their Web site at www.cityoperahouse.org.