7/13/2005
Sampson Theater renovation project moves forward
By Gary Pinneo - The Chronicle-Express PENN YAN

Thursday, June 30, the internationally acclaimed United States Field Band from Washington, D.C. gave a free performance at The Smith Opera House in Geneva. The concert on this warm, muggy summer evening kicked off Geneva's Fourth of July celebrations that included several patriotic events, a parade and fireworks. Over 800 appreciative concert goers enjoyed the two hours of marches and other patriotic music performed by the 65-member concert band. At 7:30 p.m., on a perfect summer's evening, downtown Geneva was packed with people, many of them who came early to shop and eat before the concert. Seneca Street, Geneva was alive and vibrant.

The Smith Opera House, vibrant in its restoration, was the magnet and the catalyst for all of this activity. Hundreds of people had a nice evening out and came away with a good feeling about downtown Geneva. Having worked on other projects with Geneva's City Manager Rich Rising, I know he loves to use the word "revitalization." The Smith Opera House and its ability to draw people to the downtown area fits into this idea of downtown revitalization perfectly.

Penn Yan has the potential for an important means for its "Downtown Revitalization," the Sampson Theater. Our theater, although somewhat different in its scope compared to the Smith Opera House, can be one of those reasons people come back downtown. The Sampson Theater can anchor a revitalization of downtown Penn Yan. This past couple months, some important strides on the renovation of the Sampson Theater have taken place. Although completion of this project is a few years away, The Sampson Theater could be one of those magnets that draws people to the area. It could become an important reason to check out downtown Penn Yan.

The Sampson Theater Advisory Committee and the Pennsylvania Yankee Theater Company have been developing a plan for the renovation of the old building and the feasibility of using the building as a theater again. Mossien Associates, an architectural consultant who specializes in renovating old, historic buildings, and Chris Iversen, a local contractor who has worked on many such projects, were commissioned to check out the Sampson to see if it is structurally sound and if the possibility of bringing it back as a public theater existed. They made a thorough analysis of the structure and their results were very favorable.

As all buildings that are approaching their 100th birthday, The Sampson Theater needs some major attention. The concrete walls have deteriorated to some extent and need some work. But nothing that can't be handled. Their conclusion is the building is quite structurally sound for its age and especially since little upkeep has been done on the structure over recent years. The indoor areas are in fairly good shape. Some supports need to be replaced and reinforced. The stage area and the lower seating areas were found to be quite sound. The first balcony was in surprisingly good condition. The second balcony probably could not be made safely accessible and would not be open to the public. The main steel trusses appear to be in good shape and do not require repair. Many portions of the roof need repair or replacement. The leaky roof has caused damage to the interior ceiling. Approximately 30 to 40 percent of the ceiling deck needs to be replaced. But the overall outlook is not bad. All in all, it was a very favorable report.

The old theater has survived the ravages of time and can be feasibly restored and renovated back to its original intent. Dan Mossine stated, "Enough historic buildings have been demolished over the past few years. Let's work together to save this one." Very encouraging news for the local group. What's next? The pieces of this giant puzzle are all there. PYTCo and The Sampson Renovation Project Group just need to figure out how to put them together. Besides the favorable report on the building, the group has gained valuable allies in Mossien Associates and Chris Iversen. They are excited about the possibilities and the future of this theater and have the experience and knowledge to help make this happen. Both have worked on theater restoration and renovation projects in other locations and know what it takes to pull it off. Also, Mossien Associates is very knowledgeable in preparing grant applications and knows where to look for money for this type of project.

The Sampson Advisory Committee has started some fund-raising activities, including a chicken barbecue at Cruisin' Night and an upcoming Murder Mystery Dinner Theater Night at The Esperanza later this fall. They have also applied for some available grant money with some success. A Sampson Newsletter will be available this month. This publication will describe the project in depth and will try to keep the public informed on the theater project and the history of the Sampson Theater.

A project of this magnitude takes time, a lot of money and hundreds of hours of hard work by dozens of devoted volunteers. The results could be very beneficial to Penn Yan and the people of the area. Construction of the Sampson began in August of 1910. The committee's dream would be to have a new grand opening on the theater's 100th birthday in August of 2010. President Theodore Roosevelt opened the Sampson in 1912. Think of the possibilities of the Sampson Theater's second coming. This dream is what drives the volunteers and makes this project so exciting.

If you would like more information on this project or would like to help or contribute money, contact The Sampson Theater Renovation Project, PO Box 106, Penn Yan, NY 14527. The first step is to replace the roof and shore up some areas. Once this initial step is taken, the public may be able to take a tour and see the old theater up close to check out the progress.