Eliot Hall Restoration
Eliot Hall Exterior Restoration Project
On January 4 2027 the Footlight Club — “America’s Oldest Community Theater” will raise the curtain to celebrate its 150th anniversary in its beloved home, Eliot Hall. To prepare for this important celebration the Trustees of Eliot Hall are leading a project to restore the exterior of the building to its late 19th century appearance.
About the Eliot Hall Exterior Restoration Project
Over the next two years we will complete the Eliot Hall Exterior Restoration project, including:
carpentry and window preservation/restoration. Historic trim and quoins that cannot be preserved will be replicated to match existing historic profiles.
repairs and improvements to the building envelope, metalwork and exterior lighting.
painting in accordance with historic paint analysis. The color scheme dates to about the year the Footlight Club purchased Eliot Hall (1889).
This work is urgently needed to ensure we can preserve Eliot Hall’s historic fabric while making it more weather-tight, energy efficient, climate resilient, and secure. Initial work has already begun to show examples of our preservation efforts.
In 2008, when we last painted Eliot Hall, we stabilized the most concerning issues to protect the building knowing that a more comprehensive approach was needed. The interim time has taken a further toll on exterior building conditions. We are fortunate to retain our late 19th century windows but the sashes are in poor condition and require attention before they are beyond repair. Materials used in the 1980s to repair window sills and quoins have degraded, leaving those trim elements vulnerable to weather-related decay. The paint condition no longer protects the building.
Each element of the project is being reviewed to ensure the building continues to be a Jamaica Plain landmark for future generations.
You Can Help:
The Eliot Hall Exterior Restoration Project will cost approximately $450,000.00 — a significant sum for a small community theater that is 100% overseen, operated, and supported by dedicated volunteers and members like you. To date, we have raised nearly 50% of our project budget. We are writing grants, planning events, and launching our capital campaign to raise the remaining funding need. Please make your tax-deductible donation TODAY You can:
Donate to the Restoration Fund online now (www.footlight.org/EHFund) to keep our fundraising on track.
Send a check written to The Footlight Club; include a memo noting your Restoration Fund support. Mail your check to:
The Footlight Club
c/o Treasurer
7a Eliot Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130Give via a donor advised fund or stock transfer; email treasurer@footlight.org for detailed information.
The Footlight Club | Eliot Hall is a 501c3 tax-exempt organization. Your donation, it is fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. For your records, the Footlight Club’s tax identification number is 04-2326895.
Our Exterior Restoration project signals that we are respectful of our neighborhood, care about being a welcoming presence to a diverse populace, and demonstrates our commitment to preserve Eliot Hall for future generations.
Please email trustees@footlight.org if you have questions, need additional information, or would like to help with this important project.
Past & Future Restoration Projects:
The Footlight Club has completed a series of important restorations and upgrades to keep Eliot Hall safe, functional, and welcoming. The long-range plan for ensuring the safety of the building, improving energy and mechanical systems, and making the building accessible will ensure The Footlight Club’s impact on the Jamaica Plain community for years to come. It is estimated that the cost of these projects will surpass 3.5 million dollars once completed. The following is a list of current and recent restoration projects that we've been working on. Donations are still needed for any project that is not completed.
Building Accessibility
Completed April 2022
In December 2021, we finally opened our doors as a fully accessible building, with a final cost of $1,049,828.65. The work provides access to four levels of Eliot Hall – from the basement to the first and second floors and to the stage level – ensuring that both audience members and potential cast and crew can access all parts of the building. Alongside the building runs an accessible ramp that leads to a new entrance, the elevator, and a staircase to all four levels of the club. An additional accessible restroom was added on the first floor, as well as increased storage space in the basement and on the second floor.
In 2019 we received a $190,000 grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council Cultural Facilities Fund to make Eliot Hall accessible to all our patrons. Since that time, we have received additional funding from the Community Preservation Fund in the amount of $200,000, as well as $50,000 from the George B. Henderson Foundation. These generous grants, along with the contributions of our wonderful donors, made it possible to break ground in November 2020 on the most ambitious restoration plan The Footlight Club has ever undertaken.
Life Safety Systems Upgrades
Completed Fall, 2016
We completed our replacement of the sprinkler and emergency alarm systems in Eliot Hall in late 2016 at a cost of $165,000, with half of that paid by a Cultural Facilities Fund grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Replacement of Theatre Seats
Completed Fall, 2017
We were able to install new theatre seats that met an urgent Fire Department mandate in September of 2017 at a cost of $80,000. Audiences can now enjoy comfortable, safe seating while they enjoy our FLC productions.
If you prefer to make a gift with a check, please make it out to The Footlight Club noting that you would like to support the Restoration Fund. Checks may be mailed to:
The Footlight Club
c/o Treasurer
7a Eliot Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130