St. James Opera House East Storefront Facade Restoration

The St. James Opera House, built-in 1890, played an important role in bringing performing arts to the city of St. James at the turn of the twentieth century. Over time, however, the building underwent numerous remodels, and its historic character was hidden. This project aimed to return the building’s eastern facade to its original appearance.
Plans for the restoration were developed based on old photographs of the building, as well as clues left behind on other parts of the structure. For example, while black-and-white photographs could not reveal what color the building’s windows frames ought to be, remnants of the original paint job proved that they were once a deep green.
The revitalization of the building’s exterior ensures that its status on the National Register of Historic Places will be well understood by passersby, and allows the Opera House to remain an intriguing piece of the city’s changing downtown landscape.