Opera House eyes place for artists to hone their skills

LACONIA — The man who restored the historic Lakeport Opera House, turning it into a performance venue, is moving forward with an amenity which will dovetail with the theater.

The Laconia Zoning Board of Adjustment granted two approvals last Monday to permit developer Scott Everett to build an artists’ studio on Clinton Street, a half block from the Opera House which is situated in Lakeport Square and which hosts a variety of community-focused programs.

The board gave unanimous approval to a special exception allowing the facility to be built in a residential zone, and voted 4-1 to grant a variance to allow some of the proposed parking spaces to be located close to the property’s boundary line.

The studio will be available for performing artists where they can review performances at the Opera House in a workshop-type setting, Shawna Bentley, the attorney representing Antaeus Holdings Ltd. of Dallas, Texas, and Paugus Properties told the board.

Engineer Nicholas Sceggell said the house at 59 Clinton Street will be torn down and replaced by a smaller two-story structure. The plans also call for nine parking spaces on the site.

Planning and Zoning Director Dean Trefethen noted that parking is scarce in the area.

With the Opera House restoration and other development in the area, the city three years ago considered converting part of Sanborn Park into a parking lot, but that idea was scuttled.

ZBA Vice Chair Gail Ober said she did not want the studio turning into a short-term rental operation or being used as a dormitory for performing artists.

Bentley said there are no plans to include sleeping facilities in the new building.

Trefethen said the project will also need site plan approval. He said the earliest that it could be brought to the Planning Board for consideration would be on April 5.

He said the developer will also need to get a permit from the city‘s Heritage Commission in order to tear down the existing house because it is more than 50 years old. Part of the building dates back to 1880, he said.

“This furthers the character of the community,” Bentley said, “by further establishing Laconia as a center for arts and culture.”