Construction Updates

Three tunnels have been excavated inside the theater, running from the back of the house to the stage, for the new HVAC system. The previous one was not only outdated, but the air return grates were in inconvenient locations on the auditorium floor – literally underfoot in several places. Concrete walls for the air ducts have now been built. Soon enough, the full system will be installed and the new theater floor will be laid on top.

Speaking of walls, the shaft of the central elevator is now complete. You might remember we hit rock ledge in the basement several months ago, which needed to be removed before construction of the shaft could begin. The new elevator will access all four floors to connect the theater with the upper floors for the first time in the building’s history. The original elevator, built in 1923, didn’t go down to the basement and was located outside the theater footprint (staffers had to go outside to access the theater from their offices). Similarly, a main stairwell will offer egress from all floors, and contractors Colantonio have just started its construction.

When we first contemplated renovating, we wanted to address patron comfort and only considered the spaces accessible to the public. The second and third floors were Zeiterion, Festival Theatre and (at one point) Symphony Orchestra offices and storage for (mostly) unwanted items. There were even the remnants of an apartment built in the ‘70s by former building owner Jim Penler. Wilson Butler Architects saw this underutilized space and encouraged us to include all four floors in the project. The rest, as they say, is history. The upper floors will still be used for offices, as well as the movement studio, classrooms, and more.

Recently, we took Jim Marshall and his crew on a tour of the Zeiterion under construction. He covered events at The Z before, like when he interviewed Jay Leno backstage, but things look much different now! You can catch his piece on New Bedford Cable Network soon.

Nicole Merusi, Vice President of Strategic Advancement, recently spoke with Townsquare Sunday about all the exciting changes coming to The Z. Check out the interview here.

Construction inside the theater is coming along nicely. The orchestra pit is now complete, with the exception of the top slab. The focus is now on digging three tunnels running from the back of the house to the stage for the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system. Contractors Colantonio are currently a third of the way there and expect to complete the tunnels by the end of January.  

Elsewhere in the building, the CMU (concrete masonry units, formerly known as “cinder blocks”) shafts have been constructed for “Stair 1” and the main elevator, from the basement to the third floor. Speaking of the upper floors, they began framing the interior walls on the second and third floors, and electrical has started!

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For major construction projects like ours, it’s customary for those associated with the project to sign a beam that will be installed in the new building. In December, several staffers and board members from The Z, Festival Theater and NBSO, as well as partners and friends of the Zeiterion, like Z champion and former Mayor John Bullard (below), were able to leave their mark on the building for years to come! The steel beam will be used near the main elevator.

One of those who signed the beam is Erin Miranda, Executive Director of the Waterfront Historic Area LeaguE (WHALE). You might recall that WHALE played a pivotal role in the history of the building, and they continue to be a remarkable partner. “The Zeiterion is more than just a building, it is a community – one that came together four decades ago, led by WHALE, with a vision to save this historic theatre from the wrecking ball,” Miranda said.

“This rehabilitation will not only allow more people to experience The Z, its history and cultural offerings, but it will ensure that ‘the heart and soul of New Bedford’ remains a part of our community for another 100 years. To be a part of this revitalization is deeply meaningful to WHALE. It really is a full circle moment, and we are proud to contribute to this next chapter.”

As construction allows, we are able to take stakeholders inside the building to experience the progress firsthand. We had several tour the building in December, including Zeiterion staff, major project donors, and Reps. Antonio Cabral and Chris Hendricks. We also welcomed Bristol County Savings Bank, who generously contributed $250,000 to the Beyond100 Project! They continue to invest in The Z and our community, for which we are extremely grateful.

In the first installment of Nuts & Bolts, we mentioned that the second and third floor were completely gutted – including the floor that separates them. Colantonio, the project’s general contractor, was eager for the arrival of the structural steel that will support the third floor’s, well, floor. The beams have now been installed, along with the wood framing and decking. This means we are one step closer to having a new, level floor for our movement studio and more.

Over the summer, our cherished chandelier was removed and transported to Connecticut-based Grand Light for deep cleaning and re-cabling. The lighting experts are now in the process of ultrasonically and hand cleaning the massive lighting fixture. High-frequency sound waves agitate the liquid solution of water or solvent and cause the cavitation of solution molecules. That’s the technical way to describe the cleaning of 25,066 crystal components! Thanks to Grand Light for caring for our chandelier – and for counting all the crystals. We’ve long wondered just how many there are!

In the previous issue of this newsletter, we shared that the construction of the new elevator pit hit rock bottom, literally. The elevator pit is the deepest part of the project, and when they unexpectedly encountered ledge, the construction crew had to fracture the large rock into smaller pieces before they could continue. We’re happy to report that the ledge has been completely removed and the concrete elevator pit has been poured!

One of the major highlights of this project is new and uniform seats, but there is more to consider than just comfort. This is a restoration after all, so the seats need to be historically accurate as well. The trouble is, we don’t have photos of the seats from 1923. So we relied on what was likely selected in the 1920s and what is consistent with the theater’s Neoclassical style. This led to reference material to help select everything from the shape of the chair (back of the seat, armrests, end panels) to details like wood backs, seat bottoms, and fabrics. The end result is one that incorporates the comfort of today yet is true to the time period. We look forward to unveiling the new seats soon!

One of the capital project’s exciting components is the new orchestra lift. Before the lift could be installed, they needed to make room for it first. The crew has now expanded the pit 4 ft. wider and 11 ft. deeper, and the concrete slab and walls have been poured and will soon be waterproofed. The next step will be to backfill around the pit to prepare for the installation of the lift, which will have four positions that, depending on the level, will provide storage for chairs and the Wurlitzer organ, capacity for 35 musicians to perform, additional theater seating, or extension of the stage.

When construction began, general contractor Colantonio expected to find some ground water – but they weren’t expecting nearly 3 ft. of it where the concrete slab for the orchestra pit belongs. At first, they pumped the water to a higher portion of the building so they could get to the underpinning that strengthens the foundation. To work on the orchestra pit slab, however, they had to pump the water out of the building completely. This is where the frac tank comes in. Water is pumped out and into a green tank behind the building. There the sediment settles, the water gets filtered, and then deposited into the sewer. The slab has now been waterproofed and poured, but the entire dewatering process will take another month or so.

Last month, we found a BIG surprise – the biggest since construction began. When digging for the new elevator pit (the deepest part of the project), the crew encountered ledge! This is a large continuous body of rock that takes extra care – and lots of time due to the tight work areas – to remove. They drilled down, poured grout to fracture the ledge, and are taking it out piece by piece. Even though it’s a time-consuming process, it thankfully doesn’t derail the project. There is just another foot to go before the new elevator pit can be placed.

The project’s general contractor Colantonio might be based in Holliston, MA, but some of its team members have very local roots. One is Project Manager Jacob Robitaille. Born in New Bedford and raised in Fairhaven, he came to The Z for school field trips and his sisters’ and cousins’ dance recitals. He even had a cousin who was a Theatre Manager at The Z. After working in the DC area for a decade, he moved back to the Southcoast. Since he’s returned, he’s been to The Z for shows, mainly comedians. “I’m happy to be working on a project that means so much to the community I grew up in,” Jacob said.

On September 25, leaders from Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) and National Park Services (NPS) visited New Bedford to tour several key projects in the city, along with leaders from WHALE and the City of New Bedford. The Z’s project was one of their stops. On the tour, MHC and NPS had a chance to view our progress, check in on important preservation requirements, and address any challenges the project may have. We were thrilled to welcome them into our construction zone!

The Zeiterion has been cleared out – not just seats and fixtures, but also walls and floors. One of the biggest changes is between the second and third floors. Most people haven’t been to the floors above the theater, but they are a big part of the renovation. The third floor has been removed to prepare for the movement studio and office space. Soon a large steel beam will be brought in to construct new flooring for the third floor. In the meantime, we’re enjoying the beautiful, original windows in their entirety.

Once the seats and concrete removed from the theater, Colantonio dug up earth to address the slope. As they were digging, they hit ground water – it’s apparently named Spring Street for a reason! The concrete floor will be repoured, which will allow for better accessibility, including a new ramp, and improved sightlines throughout the auditorium. And of course, all new seats!

Colantonio has removed all the windows, including the large, two-story windows that overlook Purchase Street as well as the leaded glass above The Z lounge on the corner of Purchase and Spring Streets. The leaded glass is original to the building (1923) and was in significant need of repair. Each panel has been packed up and will be fully restored before returning to the façade. The two-story windows will also be returned to their original historic look.

Colantonio’s first order of business was to remove the aged, worn chairs. The theater had four different styles that were second-hand 40 years ago! Once removed, Colantonio broke up and removed the concrete underneath. This will allow for a new slope, making it much safer, and brand-new seating, for increased capacity and accessibility.

On June 20, Z President & CEO Rosemary Gill turned the keys to Colantonio project manager Jacob Robitaille! The two met in the Zeiterion lobby for the hand-off.

The top two floors above the theater were retrofitted in the 1970s to serve as office space for Paragon Travel, and eventually The Z, NBFT, and NBSO. Both floors have been completely removed of LOTS of wood paneling to make way for the incoming learning space, movement studio, lounge, and new offices.

For the first time in more than 100 years, the chandelier has left the building! Designed specifically for the Zeiterion in 1923, the 2,000-lb chandelier was in need of some TLC. Lighting restoration specialists Grand Light carefully dismantled it piece by piece and hauled it away for re-cabling and deep cleaning.

On June 28, we hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the restoration and renovation. The event, held under a tent outside the Zeiterion, celebrated the project and thanked the public for their support in making this transformative project a reality. It was attended by nearly two hundred community members, arts and culture advocates, and legislators. It concluded with leadership opting to smash a ceremonial wall instead of shoveling dirt to signify that we’re reimaging old traditions for the new Zeiterion.

The program included remarks from Zeiterion President & CEO Rosemary Gill, Mayor of the City of New Bedford Jon Mitchell, Representative Chris Hendricks, Representative Antonio Cabral, Senator Mark Montigny, Senator Michael Rodrigues, Kate Fox from Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, campaign co-chairs Deborah Baker and Joseph Nauman, and Zeiterion board chair Frank Almeida.

Crews begin A to Z upgrade for city’s storied theater
New Bedford Light | Arthur Hirsch  | July 8, 2024

Another 100 years: Zeiterion Theatre rebirth celebrated in New Bedford with groundbreaking
Standard Times | Frank Mulligan | July 1, 2024  (Updated July 9, 2024)

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