DETAILS

One of the first YMCA buildings, completed in 1905, this building began its life as a community center in the heart of downtown Portsmouth, NH. When the Y moved on, the building became a solely commercial space, changing with ownership in accord with the aesthetic and economic shifts of the next hundred years. When the building was purchased six years ago, the goal of the current owners was to reimagine a community center which would be economically and culturally stimulating for the region.  Careful restoration of the front façade and historic interiors reintegrated the streetscape.   A contemporary addition to the rear of the building allows new daylight into the interiors, including sunset at the start of evening programs.  Programming includes nationally recognized acoustic and visual artists for multisensory experience.  Flexible room separation allows for modern use of traditional spaces, while the new addition links venues and offers full accessibility. The original building was lauded for use of new structural technologies.  The existing trusses are exposed and celebrated both in the renovation and by echo in the new exposed steel framing of the glass addition.  The city participated in the design and construction through official public Historic Review meetings but also in lively ongoing dialogue on project Instagram and Facebook sites. Accessible by train, bus, and ferry, music performances are priced to attract all levels of budget. One pleased musician called Jimmy’s “the Church of Jazz.”