Horn in the West

facilities should be demolished
By Frank Ruggiero
ruggiero@wataugademocrat.com

An architect’s report could draw the curtain on the current Horn in the West facilities.

According to Larry Greene of Greene Architecture, demolishing buildings on the Horn in the West grounds would be more cost-effective than the extensive repairs necessary.

Greene presented his findings to the Boone Town Council at last Thursday’s regular council meeting. The council had contracted Greene Architecture to assess the Horn facilities and present recommendations.

The Southern Appalachian Historical Association (SAHA), which produces the “Horn in the West” outdoor drama, leases the property from the town of Boone.

The assessment determined the general condition of visible elements of buildings, such as walls, windows, doors roofs, electrical components and plumbing components, as well as whether or not the facilities could be adapted to the current code, Greene said, noting the study also determined if the buildings’ lives could be extended.

Greene said he determined whether buildings could be repaired for long, medium or short-term use.

“Frankly, I don’t think any of those buildings can be considered for long-term use,” he said.

Starting with the Powderhorn Theatre, Greene said the structure has a sagging truss and recommended the theater not be used until the truss is repaired or replaced.

“If it were to collapse, the entire roof would collapse,” he said, adding the structure has suffered a “good deal” of water damage from a leaking roof, which should also be repaired.

Further, he said the “spider web of electrical wiring” in the Powderhorn is not protected and could break easily to create an electrical hazard. Some of the electrical boxes do not even have covers, he said, noting, “This is pretty typical throughout all those facilities.”

Greene said the ticket office and concession stand are in fair condition and could be placed in the medium-term use category.

After walking down the trail from there toward the seating area, Greene said he became aware of accessibility issues with slopes not conforming to the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The two toilets are not handicapped-accessible, and Greene said he was uncertain as to whether or not they should be grouped in short- or medium-term use, since so much work would be required to make them accessible.

The amphitheater has some “serious accessibility issues,” as well, Greene said. The amount of seating requires handicapped accessibility, with wheelchair seating dispersed throughout the entire seating area.

Considering the stadium-style seating, Greene said there is a difference of about 17.5 feet in elevation from the main cross aisle down, meaning there would need to be a sufficient amount of ramping for handicapped accessibility.

“That’s not an insurmountable challenge,” he said, adding, however, that the ramps would be costly.

The physical condition of the amphitheater itself is not good, Greene continued, saying the asphalt is cracking, depressed in areas and high in others. Drainage has proven to be a problem, as well, he said.

“My concern with that area is the structural condition of those facilities,” he said, making particular note of the tall wall near the stage area.

Greene said the wall’s support beams are “badly deteriorated,” with one of the poles appearing to just sit on the ground and not in it.

“The question would pose to me, could we go in there and brace those walls some more and get us through two or three more years,” Greene said, “and I posed that question to my engineer, and he wouldn’t touch it. There’s no way in the world he could determine the extent of the decay.”

Greene said he was surprised the wall endured some of the strong winds of late.

“I don’t know how we can replace that wall and work around it with future modifications,” he admitted.

Greene told the council he is a strong proponent of historic preservation and adaptive reuse of older buildings, which is how he became involved with the Jones House Community Center almost 20 years ago.

“Sometimes, unpleasant things happen to our buildings, and the most common of them are neglect and demolition,” he said. “Neglect we can solve with action, while demolition can sometimes be a very difficult decision. Unfortunately, in my judgment, I don’t think that many of those facilities are good candidates for rehabilitation.”

Council member Janet Pepin suggested that material be salvaged from the facilities, should they be demolished, to be incorporated in their replacements, though Greene said he was uncertain as to how much material could be reused.

Council member Rennie Brantz, also a professor of history at Appalachian State University, said historical structures and experiences are vital to the community, “and Horn in the West is one of those places that have come to identify our community for what it is.”

“There are parts that may not be salvageable, but there are parts that are,” Brantz said. “Sometimes you save the best you can and move forward with what you need to continue.”

Brantz added that he’d like to thoroughly examine all the options before coming to a decision on the matter, and council members agreed.

Council member Liz Aycock noted Greene’s estimated cost of $3 million for comprehensive repairs. Jim Byrne, assistant to the town manager, reminded the council that $250,000 had been allocated from the budget for repairs to Horn facilities, of which $228,000 remains. Brantz suggested that the funds be used to address the most pressing issues.

Electrical repair work could be completed for an estimated $110,000, Greene said, suggesting that the wall is the next most critical issue. Byrne suggested council members speak with the SAHA board of directors to determine what could be done in that respect.

Council member Lynne Mason stressed that funding should not be used for just a temporary fix, saying, “I just want to avoid throwing money away.”

Replacing the wood truss in the Powderhorn is a high priority, Greene said, that would cost about $20,000, not including roof repairs. Even short-term repairs would allow the facility to operate for several years, offering the town breathing room to address the funding issue, Byrne said, but added, “Ultimately, I think demolition is going to be the answer to some of these.”

Byrne said time is of the essence. If the council waits until March to start repairs, the facility might not be able to open in time for its summer season.

The council agreed to further discuss the matter at its planning retreat, scheduled for Jan. 25 at 8:30 a.m.