Inside The Firehouse

The Lobby

Step through the front doors and one of the first things you'll notice is the fire pole, gold and gleaming on the right hand side. Removed from its original place in the old fire station, the pole serves as an apt reminder of the buildings historical past. The top of the fire pole glides past a gated glass walkway connecting the two sides of the upper level.

Arts center patrons won't be able to try out the pole, but it is dedicated to the fire fighters who worked at the firehouse for 40 years.

A glass bell has been commissioned and will be displayed in the lobby along with a poem by Deborah Grossman, Pleasanton's poet laureate, also honoring the services of the firefighters.

The lobby is tall and narrow, yet feels spacious and airy due to the use of glass, pale tiled flooring and high ceilings. Doors at the end open out to the patio. Yuan-Miu said it was "designed as a gathering place where people can flow into the patio on the park side."

Further down by the studio theater entrance, is an open bar area. Rob Vogt said the bar top's scarlet surface is, " made of recycled glass, an example of our green building practices."

The Studio Theater

The studio theater only has 227 seats, but the space is very flexible. The floor can be flat or tiered, allowing for different types of theater experiences. The stage itself can come forward, like theater in the round.

Andy Jorgenson, Civic Arts Manager, said, "Children's theater becomes more magical when you sit this far away, (at arms length) there's something very powerful about being right up close and intimate." In the more traditional format the stage also has a large pull down screen, perfect for arts cinema or corporate events.

The padded, red seats are easily moved into different seating formations. Even from the balcony, there is not a bad seat in the house. With the ceiling being high, and the bold red and black color scheme, this intimate stage doesn't feel small or claustrophobic. 

The ceiling looks industrial with its black tension grid, strung across like a wire mesh. Bob Elliott, theater technician, explained, "This is a safe way to hang the lights as you can walk on the grids." A glass box at the back of the studio is full of state of the art theater equipment for special effects, lighting and sound. Solar panels on the roof supply 17-20% of the load for the building.

The Art Galleries

To the left as you enter the lobby are the art galleries. The Harrington Art Gallery is based in the old firehouse itself, and is surrounded on two sides by the Main Gallery. The galleries can hold two separate small exhibits or one large one. With smooth whitewashed style walls, discrete lighting and a cool thermostatically controlled  environment, it feels tranquil and spacious.

The Harrington Art Gallery is named after Pleasanton residents Gary and Nancy Harrington, for their donations to the Firehouse Arts Center. It inhabits the lower floor of the original firehouse. The bricks are all salvaged from the original building and made in Pleasanton. The decorative doors are reproductions of the original firehouse door design and designed to open out onto the side patio.

Finegan said, "It's multiple use. We can have an outside patio cocktail reception with an art gallery show."

A side door leads up into what was once the fire hose drying area, and now is the stairway to the administrative offices. A glass bridge, decorated in a honeycomb style motive, leads across from the offices to the classrooms and the Studio Theater balcony.

The Classroom

This looks more like an art studio with large East facing windows, pale walls and a bank of sparkling stainless steel sinks ready for action. In the middle is a pull out screen, which divides the class in two. Both sides have video feeds and are sound proof, ideal for school visits, art classes or rehearsals.

Accessibility

Brail signage appears throughout the building, everything is handicapped accessible and hearing-impaired devices are available.

The Firehouse Arts Center seems meticulously planned to offer as many flexible arts environments as possible, and now all it needs to become a fully-fledged part of the community is an audience!

For a full schedule of performances and classes go to: www.firehousearts.org 
The Firehouse Arts Center public opening is a free event, September 18th 10 - 4 with a dedication and ribbon cutting at 11.

Further information can be found at: http://www.firehousearts.org.

Patch Firehouse Coverage:

A preview article on the center talks about the public grand opening this Saturday, September 18th from 10 am to 3 pm.

That day will include a ribbon cutting at 11 am and activities for children outside the building.  Meanwhile, performances will be taking place inside to showcase typical acts that will be seen at the arts center. This includes vocals, dance, and improv as well as class demonstrations and community band events.

These articles gives a breakdown of how much the theater will cost to operate and how it impacts Amador Theater.

The center will need a number of volunteers for events and every day function.

Read this poem by the city's Poet Laureate Deborah Grossman. The poem will be read during the public grand opening this Saturday.