Fire chief to Franklin: Bring Opera House up to code or close

FRANKLIN — For about 60 years, fire chiefs in the Three Rivers city have told City Hall that the historic building at the center of downtown needs to be brought into compliance with modern safety codes. Every year since, the city’s leadership has chosen instead to use Band-Aid solutions, allowing the Franklin Opera House to be used as the primary gathering place for the community.

That ends this year. Mike Foss, the current fire chief, has given the city an ultimatum: fix the Opera House or find another place to hold events.

Mayor Jo Brown said she and the council are taking the matter seriously. The issue will be taken up at a meeting Monday, Feb. 13. The proposal is to spend $60,000 — which could be funded through a recent sale of city property — to pay for an engineering study to describe exactly how the improvements could be made. Brown said that she hasn’t heard anyone in City Hall indicate opposition to the plan.

Soldiers Memorial Hall

The Opera House is part of Soldiers Memorial Hall, built in 1892, which was constructed to give members of the Grand Army of the Republic, a fraternal organization for veterans of the Civil War, a place to gather. But the building has always been a multi-use structure. It has housed, in the past, the police department and courthouse, and it currently contains the offices for the city administration and Franklin Footlight Theatre.

In a letter sent to City Council on Feb. 1, Foss outlined his argument, which is bolstered by the fact that he is the fifth fire chief to ask the city to confront the hazards at 316 Central St.

“This building is utilized to accommodate large crowds, employees and members of the general public for various events and meetings,” Foss wrote in his letter. “The City of Franklin would continue to be negligent without properly addressing the fire and life safety concerns,” outlined in a consultant’s report, which was attached to the letter.

The report identifies a dozen areas in need of immediate attention. They include some easier safety improvements, such as better hand railings in stairways, better exit signage and additional fire alarms and extinguishers. Then there are more challenging needs: Sprinklers, additional means of egress for some spaces, improved ventilation and extinguishment systems, and removal and replacement of all of the antique knob-and-tube electrical wiring that still runs behind the walls of the building.

Because of these issues, the structure has never had an occupancy or assembly permit, Foss said, which the city has skated past through the use of fire watches. He said he isn’t willing to punt again, and hope that a sixth fire chief would be able to succeed where five others hadn’t. He’s giving the city until the end of July to post a building permit — meaning that a plan of action has been agreed upon, and that a contractor has been hired — or he will issue a notice of hazardous conditions, which will close the curtain on the historic theater.

“We believe this can get done, but any delays in decision making can result in that notice being sent,” Foss said.

The price and value of art

Brown said there aren’t any fantasies about an inexpensive solution. “It could be a couple million, or more, dollars,” she offered. Yet, there’s also a strong sense of support behind the effort to, as she said, “stop kicking the ball down the road and take action.”

Funding the project would surely be challenging, especially as the city has to operate under a tax cap. On the other hand, the cost of inaction could be even higher, as the city is already experiencing a renaissance. Mill City Park, which has turned the Winnipesaukee River into a paddlers’ playground, has inspired the opening of microbreweries, a new restaurant and condominium development projects downtown.

Dan Darling, executive director of the Franklin Opera House, said interest in the cultural activities has increased along with dining and recreation. He said that in its current configuration, the Opera House can seat up to 299 people, and that it has sat up to 400 at one point.

“We are selling more tickets now than we ever have in my eight years here,” Darling said. “I see nothing but a bright future for the Opera House if we can get taken care of what we need to.”

Last month, a dueling pianos performance resulted in a full house, and a full downtown before and afterward. A mystery theater show, "Murder on the Oriental Rug,” is sold out for this weekend, and the list of upcoming shows, which can be found at fohnh.org, includes community and school theater, music performances, magic and comedy.

Jule Finley is one person who hopes that those shows — and many more — will go on. She founded Franklin Footlight Theater and Franklin High School Players nearly 30 years ago, which she said were “two of the greatest accomplishments of my life.” Those arts organizations have since been joined by FMS Players and Franklin Area Children’s Theater Summer Camps, creating a vibrant community for performing arts, all centered around the Opera House. She said she has watched children step onto the stage as kindergarteners, grow up performing at the Opera House, and become adults who “want to pursue further education or believe in themselves enough to make whatever their dreams are come true — that is worth more than anything else and any amount of money to me,” Finley said in a speech to City Council.

LeAnne Fifield, a city resident and parent, said that the opportunities provided to local children at the Opera House should not be underestimated.

“What that gave to our children was a safe space and confidence building,” Fifield said. “What that program brings to Franklin and to the community, there’s no price you can put on that.”

Fifield said she is “disappointed” with the failure of previous city leaders to invest in the building, and that it was those inactions that resulted in what is likely going to be a steep price tag.

Brown said she was optimistic that, this time, the fire chief’s challenge would finally be met.

“There is an awful lot of community support for that, there is a will by the city to do it,” Brown said.