The renovation of the Calvin Theater involved eighteen months of planning and construction. Every space and surface of the building was affected. The theater had extensive damage from years of neglect. As architects, we planned every aspect of the renovation from redesigning the loading dock to creating a new concession area to designing the new marquee.

The complete renovation and restoration of the 1924 historic Calvin Theater earned Thomas Douglas Architects a Massachusetts Historic Commission Preservation Award and a Northampton Historic Commission Award.

This restoration involved creating a new stage, seating, lighting and equipment as well as designing a whole new color scheme - all tied to the theater’s historic roots, but still new and fresh. We used elaborate decorative paint and restored and duplicated huge old, plastic moldings. In the end, this Northampton 21,000 square foot landmark with 1,300 seats has evolved from Vaudeville theater to movie house to one of the most popular live music venues in Western Massachusetts.

related projects