"Open the Ballroom"
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and as a cultural resource in the town’s master plan, Centennial Hall’s long term survival depends on its renewed vitality as a community gathering place.
Help us Open Centennial Hall’s Ballroom
Having completed a professional building assessment, in 2018 we launched a multi-year revitalization effort on two tracks, Rehabilitation and Access Improvement. Open the Ballroom is our most ambitious revitalization effort to date, and was underwritten in part by a matching grant awarded by the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and as a cultural resource in the town’s master plan, Centennial Hall’s long term survival depends on its renewed vitality as a community gathering place. But at present, since activities are restricted to the basement and first floor, rental and use opportunities are severely limited. Restored access to the grand ballroom, with its 225-person capacity, will provide the public space needed in allowing Centennial Hall to become of even more service and value to our communities.
Follow Our Progress
Here’s what we’ve accomplished so far with your help…
In 2018 our Open the Ballroom campaign received an LCHIP grant of $200,000, one of the largest grants given in a very competitive cycle. That grant was matched in three months and work on phase 1 of restoration began in the summer of 2019. The recent imprimaturs of our National Registry Listing and LCHIP funding had at last positioned us to do the major rehabilitation and access work we have dreamed of for decades: replacement of the slate roof, installation of two levels of snow fencing and copper flashing. Rebuilding of the chimney and flue, restoration to 44 windows original to the building, clapboard, trim and decorative molding sanded, repaired and repainted.
Having completed Phase 1 ahead of schedule in 2020 we moved solidly into Phase 2 of our rehabilitation, with the installation of a full building sprinkler system, new boiler and oil tanks. Heat is operational on the second floor. Now our goal: to Open the Ballroom.
But before we can utilize the second floor event space, there is more work to be done and funds to be raised. Once we are able to finish the second floor and close out Phase 2 of the rehabilitation, we can begin Phase 3: construction to house the new elevator.
Thanks to help from LCHIP and our generous donors, we hope to Open the Ballroom for events again in the near future!
Interior
- Installation of full building (all 4 levels) sprinkler system
- WIFI available in building
- Strip and varnish first floor
- LED dimmable lighting installed in main studio
- Repaint radiators in main studio
- Installation of hand sanitizers
- Installation of new flooring, toilets, sinks, light fixtures and hardware in bathrooms
- Strip, repaint both bathrooms
- First floor ceiling and walls repaired and repainted
- Basement repainted
- Strip, repair and repaint first floor studio ceiling
- Reframe and stain first floor main studio window sashes
- Restoration to 44 windows
- Repair to all radiators
- HVAC upgrades: new boiler, two oil tanks, and all new piping
- Installation of new kitchen cabinets, microwave and refrigerator
- Repair to brick piers and stone masonry
- Installation of new fire monitoring panel
- Sanded and stained first floor
- Re-plastering of second floor ballroom and hallway
- Restoration of ballroom lights
- Painting of second floor ballroom, hallway and upper stairway
- Sanded and stained ballroom floor
Exterior
- New 4,200 sq. ft. copper and slate roof
- Restoration of ventilator turbines
- Installation of two levels of snow fencing
- Installation of new chimney and flu
- Repair of exterior trim, decorative molding and 40% of exterior clapboard
- Installation of keyless entry
- Reconstruction and paint of front entry steps
- Reconstruction and paint of parking lot steps
- Repainting of 8,400 sq. ft. exterior building and cupola
- New Hardscape / Landscape along the side of the building
Please consider a donation to the Friends of Centennial Hall so we can Open the Ballroom.
Arts and culture are major economic engines in the lives of their communities. A revitalized and fully functioning Centennial Hall with a full schedule of large events in the grand ballroom will draw arts and culture consumers, and will have a significant impact not just on the financial health and longevity of the building, but on the whole of North Hampton’s economy. It is past time for North Hampton to begin to tap into the creative economy as so many New England communities have.