Work continues to move forward on preparing the Sampson Theatre for construction and its long-awaited revitalization in the village of Penn Yan.
Last August, the PYTCo Board of Directors approved the beginning of major demolition/site prep at the Sampson Theatre and several projects have since begun in earnest. This work was made possible by grant support from the Nord Family Foundation and the Rochester Community Foundation’s Historic Preservation Fund.
The first task that the crew took on was the removal of the large drop ceiling grid suspended from steel pipes. Constructed mostly in 2″ x 8″ timber, the drop ceiling was installed in the 1940s as a way to heat the lower area of the large building when it was converted to a Chrysler dealership. Once the ceiling removal was complete, the crew took on the task of removing the stage floor. Comprising several layers, one-quarter of the floor was covered with concrete that once was home to oil changes and other automotive services. The joists were then removed, exposing the former dressing rooms below the stage. Like the rest of the building, these walls were also made of poured concrete. The crew worked to remove these walls and the concrete floor below them.
The final tasks for the demolition crew are to remove an old boiler that sits below the audience area and remove other debris and materials that currently reside in the basement of the
building, some of which is still caked with mud from the 2014 flood.
The tasks undertaken throughout the past several months have been vital to preparing the Sampson Theatre for construction and its long-awaited revitalization. The PYTCo Board of Directors and Sampson Development Committee are working closely with their architect and state representatives to finalize the documents needed for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative award the Sampson received. The board hopes to announce bidding for a general contractor this summer.
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