Durkee Brown Vivieros Werenfels Architects has completed the 297-seat Stanford White Casino Theatre.
Prior to its restoration, the theatre was vacant for more than 30 years. Originally designed by Stanford White in 1880, it is part of the shingle style complex known as the Newport Casino, which is now home to the Tennis Hall of Fame.
The $5.2 million restoration was made possible through a partnership between Salve Regina University and the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The preserved theater will be used by Salve Regina's theatre arts department, the Tennis Hall of Fame and outside groups.
DBVW Architects scope included complete renovation of the 15,500 s/f building. Inside, decorative plaster, gilded ornament and original seats were restored. Behind and below the stage, a new workshop, dressing rooms, green room, costume room and classroom were created. All new MEP, fire protection, sound and lighting systems were installed. On the exterior, a wrap-around porch that had been significantly altered was returned to its original configuration, cedar siding was replaced, windows were restored, and the stucco on an addition from the 1930s was restored.
The Stanford White Casino restoration received a 2010 Preservation Award from the RI Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission and Preserve RI.
The project team included: owner, The International Tennis Hall of Fame; lessee, Salve Regina University; architect, Durkee Brown Vivieros Werenfels Architects; contractor, Farrar & Associates, Inc.; theatre consultant, Robert Davis Inc.,; structural engineer, Odeh Engineers; M/P/FP engineer, Wilkinson Associates; electrical engineer, Building Engineering Resources (BER); and acoustic consultant, Marshall/KMK Acoustics.