Lissa So, founding partner of Marvel, and Vonn Weisenberger, Marvel senior architect and Lake Placid Center for the Arts renovation architect (Provided photo — Naj Wikoff)

Since the day it opened, the Lake Placid Center for the Arts has needed upgrades, as the roof was never insulated and the floors were never soundproofed. Yet, over the past 50 years, the venue has served the community and the artists it presented extremely well. In a few weeks, a long-needed and radical upgrade will begin.

On Friday, Aug. 15, the final exhibit in the LPCA Gallery showcased what’s to come and how the new design evolved. Titled “Marvel: In Process,” the exhibit highlights the remarkable work and process of Marvel, a leading architecture and design firm specializing in cultural facilities. The Upper Gallery showcases a remarkable array of projects accomplished in New York City and elsewhere, while the Lower Gallery presents the evolution of the LPCA to come.

The work and process revealed is enchanting.

Earlier in the year, Executive Director James Lemons and Managing Director Jon Donk led three public tours of the main building to help present the challenges that need addressing and share the plans for handling them. A significant difference between now and when the art center was established is that back then, a few people with big visions and limited experience designed the venue. This time, Lemons and the LPCA’s board have brought together an array of highly qualified specialists to advise on all aspects of the design, planning, and development process.

Another difference is that when the LPCA was launched, it had a generous benefactor, Mrs. W. Alton Jones, who covered all expenses; this time, they are depending on a mix of individuals, local agencies, foundations, and state and federal grants. They need and desire a wide array of people and agencies to have skin in the game, which is both smart and reflects that the LPCA is now a very much loved and valued community resource.

Joan Gignoux and Nancy Master (Provided photo — Naj Wikoff)

In many respects, this community-based approach began not with its founding, but when the W. Alton Jones Foundation gave the art center its last check, following a shift in leadership from Mrs. Jones to her daughter and grandchildren. The then CMDA board realized it had to make some radical changes to survive; the key was bringing on five people: Ruth Hart, Bob Grant, Charlie Ritchie, Stefanie Holderied and Lisa Weibrecht.

They implemented three significant changes: cutting expenses by selling off a beloved annex, a former car dealership building now housing Stewart’s, shifting the focus towards community-based programming and instruction, and nurturing local support. Gone was the professional art school and the founding directors; in their place were people beloved in the community, well-connected, and very practical. Going forward, a now scaled-down art center had to live within its means.

The art center remained vibrant, in many ways more vibrant than ever, because the venue became filled with people of all ages learning how to dance, draw, paint, throw pots, and perform in plays. In addition, they offered long-term summer residencies to the Martha Graham and Paul Taylor Dance companies, and others, and became the home for the Lake Placid Sinfonietta. The gallery was filled with a mix of themed exhibitions of local/regional artists, area youth, and well-established artists. Community theater, touring performances and Sinfonietta concerts filled the stage.

The tours revealed just how remarkable it’s been for the LPCA staff and board to have accomplished so much in spaces that were very limited and not well-suited to a combined teaching and performing facility. The roof in the dance studio leaks and isn’t insulated, the dressing rooms are tiny, and the number of bathroom stalls is insufficient. Three especially challenging features are the lack of a loading dock (instead, a ramp designed as if it were for a luge start), an antiquated lighting system, and the fact that thirty percent of the building isn’t accessible.

The design process revealed in the exhibit highlights the LPCA board and staff’s priorities and how Marvel addressed them through providing an ongoing series of options that range from roof design to the shape of the theater, a simplified and more central box office, and choices in color, texture, and materials. No question, all who participated are to be applauded for their creativity, time and thoughtfulness.

William Dehoff and Ashley Kasperzak (Provided photo — Naj Wikoff)

Parsons Dance, a long-time seasonal residency, will close the LPCA’s performance series Saturday, Aug. 30, on the current stage and launch the new one following the venue’s transformation. Artistic director David Parsons was one of the many who assisted the planning process, focusing on the stage and backstage support.

“For us, our main focus was on the size of the stage and enhancing the bringing in of lighting and other equipment,” said Parsons. “This transformation will be great for the performers and the community; it’s long overdue.”

Lissa So, the founding partner of Marvel overseeing the LPCA renovation and a lead designer, who grew up in Geneva, New York, on Seneca Lake, said that Lake Placid felt like coming home, which makes this project more exciting and personal.

Vonn Weisenberger, Marvel senior architect and LPCA renovation architect, has been impressed by the locals’ passion for nature and the art center.

“Everyone I talk with loves everything about this area, which excites me,” said Weisenberger. “The challenge is we are renovating an old building that comes with a lot of surprises that we learn as we go, you uncover weird things no one knew about as it evolved in a bit of an organic process.”

“The LPCA has had so much history, people have had so many experiences here,” said So. “We want to hold on to and reflect that spirit, while allowing it to be new, exciting, and forward-thinking. The opportunity is creating a venue that will enable them to expand their programming, to do more, which includes having an expanded lobby space.”

Nancy Master is thrilled by how more accessible the entire venue will be for the general public and performers, a priority of hers. Joan Gignoux is pleased that the venue will be more environmentally friendly, have expanded parking, and that the theater will be more flexible while remaining intimate.

“Observing the planning process was amazing,” said Ashley Kasperzak. “Observing how every little detail gets made and how much thought goes into a little thing like a handrail and what that means to the entire project, Marvel has an incredible team. I am so excited about the LPCA’s future.”

“The renovation is needed, and it will be wonderful,” said William Dehoff.

(Naj Wikoff lives in Keene Valley and has been writing his column for the Lake Placid News since 2005.)