Sneak peek at Kelly Center for Music, Art and the Community
HAVERFORD >> A shining light on the local arts scene is getting brighter as Kelly Music for Life held a preview tour Thursday of the Kelly Center for Music, Arts, and Community performance center on East Eagle road in Havertown.
“We’re very excited to be half way there on our fundraising,” said Tom Kelly, chairman and executive director of Kelly Music for Life, during the tour of the center in what once was a Goodman’s 5 and 10 store. “We’re looking at January or February for completion.”
An $83,300 grant from Sun Club, a division of Green Mountain Energy has them halfway toward their $500,000 goal. The grant will fund sustainable and innovative features that include: a roofmounted solar panel and a rainwater gravity irrigation system that will support a”living” indoor garden wall.
Kelly Music for Life, a local nonprofit, hosts a number of musical events in the township, including the Spring Music Festival, the Irish Festival and this weekend’s Haver-Italian Festival.
Once open the Arts and Community center will host music and art programming geared toward children, teens and seniors. Organizers envision a setting where young student artists can develop their skills and participate in performance opportunities in a drug-free setting.
Workers have taken out the dividing walls of the double storefront building in preparation for the rebuilding. During the renovations the old marble tile entrance that was hidden under years of false flooring was revealed and will once again become the entry.
“One of the things that makes the project unique is the effort to incorporate existing aspects of the building,” said Kelly. “Including incorporating the wood of the original floor.”
“The stage will incorporate the existing flooring, keeping that material out of landfills,” said Stacy Shaffer, program and marketing manager for Green Mountain Energy Sun Club. “And additional sustainable design and construction efforts include the installation of skylights and natural lighting to reduce energy costs.”
Kelly said the building includes two upper floor apartments, one of which will become offices, a meeting room and a green room for performers, while the second will be a caretaker’s residence. Most of the first floor will be an open floor plan with a small kitchen behind the stage.
Sun Club was granted a three-year award to the naming rights to the performance stage.
Kelly said the organization has gotten advice from other non-profits, including the Lansdowne Theater as they worked on renovating the building.
“We are turning a vision into a venue, a permanent home for Music, Arts and Community in Havertown,” said Kelly at the July groundbreaking. “This will be part of our legacy and the community’s legacy. The Kelly Center will be here continuing to do great work, serving our community, long after we move on.”