Franklin Opera House & City Hall

Historic Rehabilitation of the circa 1893 Soldiers Memorial Hall, for use by the Franklin City Hall and Opera House. This revitalization of a community landmark is a crucial step in implementing the city’s Master Plan. The design follows ARCove’s Historic Assessment and Feasibility Study, supporting master plan goals to “Highlight and Leverage Historic Assets”, “Revitalize Downtown as an Economic Driver”, and become a designated “Sustainable City”. These renovations address critical life safety, accessibility, and programming aspects of the theater and municipal spaces. Historic features will be restored, MEP systems replaced, fire protection installed, performance spaces upgraded, and structure reinforced, all bringing the building up to current standards. A new addition at the southwest corner provides an accessible, identifiable entrance to City Hall functions. The restored Romanesque stone entryway and lobby will once again serve the grand theater experience. Efficient reorganization of rooms provides additional usable space without adding more square footage, thereby controlling costs. A series of city-wide workshops forged consensus for this roadmap of functionality and preservation on a tight budget which will serve the entire community for generations to come.