Construction of the New Performance Hall at The Hill Arts, 76 Congress Street, Has Begun!

A Theater Addition by Architect David Lloyd Approved by the City Back in 2013 is Now Under Construction on Munjoy Hill.

The Hill Arts announced late this afternoon that construction of the new 400 seat, state-of-the art performance hall began on Monday, November 3, 2025.  This work, with utility connections in Congress Street and the sidewalk will require opening up the street for a short period of time.

Site construction wil begin with tree removal ahead of earth moving activities.  Early work will involve pile driving, sheeting and shoring.  It is anticipated the noisiest parts of the construction , the piling, driving, will begon on or around November 17 and will last approximately two weeks according to information received from Julia Kirby, Development Direcotr for the Hill Arts.

No other details on the construction of the performance hall are available at this time.  But there is lots of history on this former Congregational Church.

It was built in 1897 and the architect was Arthur Bates Jennings, who this Left Wing Lunatic belives, was the same architect for The Norumbega, in Camden.

At one time, The Hill Arts, formerly a Congregational Church was the center of activity on Munjoy Hill.  But several factors contributed to its closure. That closure happened in 1986.  It happend because many of its parishoners moved off the Hill and because of expensive structural problems – some in the roof dating back to the original construction of the building that were never corrected.  Private developers purchased the building. Fortunately, the Friends of the St. Lawrence, led by the tenacious Deidre Nice and attorney Bill Milliken, stepped in. The two  rescued the building from sure demolliltion in the early 1990s.  The duo saw a use for it that others didn’t see or weren’t willing to pursue.

In 2008, the acoustically superior sanctuary was condemned and demolished for safety concerns.  Large corner boulders were buried beneath the ground during the demolition in the lot next to the parish; making this LWL hope they will be used in the reconstruction of the new performance center.  (This LWL watched the sad wrecking ball demolish the sanctuary from across Congress Street at the Front Room restairant over several days.)  Since that time, Ms. Nice has spent ad nauseam hours at planning board meetings and ad naauseum meetings with neighbors.  And much of it under the talented and wise tutelage of retired David Lloyd founder of Archetype Architects and architect of the Hill Arts new performance hall.

Until recently, the beloved Good Theater, founded by Brian Allen and Steve Underwood, was the resident theater group at the Hill Arts.  On March 3 2024 at a performance of “A Man of No Importance,” Mr. Allen announced to a stunned packed house that his theater had lost its lease.  That news followed 21  years of outstanding performances at that location. At that time, Good Theater had no prospects for a new home.  But Kevin Bunker of Developers Collaborative learned of the homeless thespians.  The two got together.    And Good Theater  relocated to 631 Stevens Avenue.  That’s  where the oustanding performances of Good Theater and other performances continue in a much larger space.

ON WITH THE SHOWS!

For some background nformation, please visit post herein dated June 7, 2023 herein.