Deborah Johnson Wood
Opera Grand Rapids' first permanent rehearsal space in 43 years is almost completed and project leaders expect it to receive Silver LEED-NC certification.
The 14,000-square-foot Betty Van Andel Opera Center, corner of East Fulton and Carlton, features rehearsal and stage space, practice rooms and administrative offices.
LEED features include natural daylight in the offices, onsite storm water management, room occupancy sensors, high efficiency HVAC systems and walls constructed of a double cement block and insulation system.
"This is the first LEED-certified new opera building in the country," says Joe Camp, chair of the facilities committee overseeing construction.
Camp adds that the cost of having the building LEED certified was less than expected because "so many suppliers are building efficiencies into their systems and products. There might have been an upcharge of $20,000, but with efficient systems we'll get that back in a couple of years."
Perhaps the biggest reduction in energy will be the physical energy saved by performers, musicians, costume designers and stagehands that won't have to travel the region to rehearse in empty stores and warehouses.
"You go look for storefronts, like Frank's Nursery that's out of business on 28th Street, and see if you can rent it and hope that the heat and restrooms work," Camp says. "And sometimes you bring out the sewing machine from storage in somebody's garage and set up the costume fitting area in a different location down the street."
Performances are at DeVos Performance Hall, so props and sets are moved there for the final week of rehearsals.
"It's a labor of love," Camp says.
Source: Joe Camp, Opera Grand Rapids
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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].