251 South Street Construction Tour_March

The auditorium at 251 South Street will provide an indoor performance/event venue.

This is the stage in the auditorium.

One of the distinctive features of the 251 South Street building is the transom windows - 2 of which are visible in this photo. The windows open to the main hallways of the building.

This room is being “preserved” to look like one of the original classrooms. All asbestos products were removed during the renovation process.

This is another view of the auditorium - looking from the front to the back of the room. A new sound and audio booth is being constructed at the back of the room.

With the installation of new steel framing, this low ceiling in the auditorium lobby will be opened up to the second level. The historic arched doorway was preserved to highlight some of the original distinctive architectural features.

Not sure of some of these legacy signs will be left in place.

As a nod to those initial transom windows, even new dividing walls include transom windows to let the exterior light reach the interior hallways.

Some of the former classrooms will be turned into meeting rooms and community spaces, still others will be staff offices.

The basement will be meeting space and used by Parks and Rec. This space has accessible entry from the back of the building.

The new construction will be located at the back of the building, and will include a new entryway, new restrooms, and an elevator to provide access to all 3 floors of the building.

The original built-in cabinets will be preserved in several of the old classrooms.

The old gym as viewed from a second floor room inside 251 South Street.

The oversized crawl space runs the length of the building.

The building includes a rather large “crawl space” that has provided access for new plumbing, electrical, and ventilation infrastructure.

In one location, a new doorway was created. In addition to the brick exterior walls, interior construction includes brick and terracota tiles.

New interior walls include regular windows and transom windows to let light into the interior of the building.

The terrazzo hallway floors and glazed terracota wall tiles are being preserved throughout the building.

This long view down one of the main hallways shows the importance of the transom windows.

Community spaces and town offices will be separated, requiring secure access for the offices.

This is another view of the auditorim - this time from the back of the room looking toward the stage.

Another view from the back of the auditorium looking toward the stage.

This is a closer look at the sound and lighting booth being constructed at the back of the auditorium.

Poured concrete squares with the names and handprints of former students were dug up from the front of the building and will be relocated on the property.