WATERTOWN, N.Y. — The newly renovated auditorium at the Dulles State Office Building in Watertown has reopened. The New York State Office of General Services (OGS) spent more than $3.5 million on improvements in the recently completed auditorium rehabilitation and modernization project, per a July 21 announcement. The auditorium is used throughout the year by several […]
WATERTOWN, N.Y. — The newly renovated auditorium at the Dulles State Office Building in Watertown has reopened.
The New York State Office of General Services (OGS) spent more than $3.5 million on improvements in the recently completed auditorium rehabilitation and modernization project, per a July 21 announcement.
The auditorium is used throughout the year by several local and regional organizations and touring groups.
OGS in March 2020 awarded contracts for the project to several local and regional firms. They included Bernier, Carr & Associates Engineers, Architects & Land Surveyors, PC of Watertown, which served as the design consultant. The companies also included heating and plumbing contractor Burns Bros Contractors, LLC of Syracuse and electrical contractor Dow Electric, Inc. of Malone. Bette & Cring, LLC of Latham, near Albany, was the construction general contractor.
Subconsultants on the project were Scheu Consulting Services, Inc. of Fayetteville and Jade Stone Engineering, PLLC of Watertown, a New York State-certified woman-owned business, OGS said.
Renovation improvements
Improvement to the auditorium included increased accessibility — with ADA-compliant theater seating in areas throughout the auditorium, handrails, bathrooms, dressing rooms, and ramp leading to the stage and dressing rooms. ADA is short for the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
In addition, the work included new hardwood stage floor and a modern curtain-raising system; improved and “modernized” sound and lighting systems that will allow added flexibility to accommodate lectures, training, local recitals, and regional and national entertainment.
The improvements also included LED (light-emitting diode) lighting in the auditorium and stage area; a new projector screen and ceiling-mounted projector; and newly refurbished bathrooms and dressing rooms that will benefit both audiences and performers.
In recent years, OGS says it has made considerable improvements to the Dulles State Office Building in Watertown, making it a more secure and environmentally friendly facility for the people who work there and members of the public who come to conduct business or attend an event.