Landmark Downtown Building To Recieve New Lease On Life

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For the past six years the Tyrone Community Players have called the big, brick building at 1019 Logan Avenue their home. It has been used as a rehearsal hall for their theater productions, a history spanning 2.8 seasons, a storage space for their extensive costume collection, a meeting hall and home for the groups props, decor items, lighting fixtures and all the sound equipment required to "do" theater.

This historic, circa 1924 building began its life as an Elk's Lodge. Built in the Deco and Federal styles of the day, the structure of the building was secured for centuries of life with steel beams, concrete walls and a brick exterior. It houses 3 1/2 floors of space that have been used for a variety of purposes over the past 90 years including a basement kitchen with a dumb waiter and a top floor poker room complete with a buzzer system used during prohibition.

The Tyrone-Snyder Library was the buildings next inhabitant using the Ballroom as a public computer lab and placing a children's reading room in the basement. Now this familiar and stately building, a staple in the downtown landscape, will be saved for future generations with a new purpose for its next 90 years.

The Tyrone Community Players have collaborated with local professionals, including Jon Vickers-Jones of State College who designed the space layout and concept, Sharon Lucas of Tyrone who is designing the interior and Maines Engineering who developed a cohesive set of plans to make the main floor of 'The Building" a functional, charming and unique performance space for The Players to utilize for their productions.

This space will house new rest rooms to accommodate theater patrons and a lobby area complete with some of the historic mementos accumulated during the TCP's tenure in Tyrone. A ramp into "The Building" will assure access to everyone wishing to enjoy a live presentation and a riser system with comfortable, new seating will guarantee enhancement of the theater experience. The Ballroom will be revamped and used as dressing and makeup areas as well as an office and meeting space.

The Borough of Tyrone has approved these plans and permits have been issued for the renovation work to begin. The Tyrone Community Players are thrilled to be able to maintain this beautiful building with its long and engaging history. They are confident they can escort this structure into a new millennium with a purpose, improved prospects and the sound of laughter, emotion and applause emanating from its doors. They will create a new type of theater with sharp ties to the revered history of the performing arts that Tyrone's past has always evoked. Keep your eyes on The Building to monitor our progress, beginning with a roof revamp scheduled to start next week, and stop in to see the model and plans for the renovation. We'll be thrilled to welcome you into Tyrone's "New Theater" in an old, comfortable and familiar space.

Wish List

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The Tyrone Community Players is looking for some items to help with renovating The Building

• Remnants of Carpet for our new dressing rooms (between 5'x7' and 9'x12' - color irrelevant)
• Two free-standing clothing racks (don't have to be industrial strength)
• Two sets of wall-mounted strip lighting (like bathroom lighting) with 3-5 bulbs on each fixture (They don't have to match but it would be good if they did)
• Muscles for a few demolition projects (Call 684-ART2 to add your name and contact info to our list)
• Several full-length mirrors
• Two small utility sinks

Anyone wishing to donate any of these items on our Wish List can contact the ARTs Line at 814 684-ART2 (2782)