Glens Falls Chronicle Serving the Glens Falls/Lake George region; Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties since 1980
By Cathy DeDe, Chronicle Managing Editor
Lake George Village will celebrate its new amphitheatre in Shepard Park this Friday, July 17. The public is welcome for tours beginning at 11 a.m. There will be a ribbon-cutting.
Music begins at noon, with The Stony Creek Band, Blue Moon Band, The Switch, Jonathan Newell and Rich Ortiz.
At 6:30 p.m., this week’s Fridays at the Lake show has Blues House Rockers opening and and headliner E.B. Jebb.
There will be food & beverage vendors.
The reborn Shepard Park amphitheater hosted its first performances Thursday and Friday of last week, armed with a temporary certificate of occupancy from Warren County Building and Codes.
The new amphitheater is now two stories. Work on the lower level was still far from complete as of last week.
Downstairs is a green room and rest rooms for performers, large and small meeting/community rooms with space for gallery exhibits, plus storage for music and equipment with a lift to the main level.
Mayor Perry also plans to move the lifeguard station serving Shepard Park Beach from next to the public rest rooms on the Lake George Walkway to under the amphitheater — which is actually adjacent to the beach, he notes.
“We will rebuild it, and better,” Mayor Perry told The Chronicle on the scene of the fire in June 2024.
Besides what he called “tough” winter conditions, the mayor said issues that held up construction included some upgrades to the original plan, such as improved access road for musical acts, and extending some of the exterior finish work — wood siding and especially the rock facing — around to the back of the building that looks toward the lake.
It’s an approximately $6 million project. Some of the money — $1.5 million for construction, $600,000 for audio-visual towers in the park and purchase of musical equipment — came from the $10 million Lake George Downtown Revitalization Grant from New York State. They also received a $2.9 million New York State Assembly grant.
Be aware: Construction is still underway. As of last Thursday, at stage level, the garage door-style back windows had not yet been installed and there was finishing work to be completed.
Amphitheater architect: ‘It just sits right’
Andrew “Andy” Allison, principal at AJA Architecture in Glens Falls, designed the new Shepard Park amphitheater, based on input by an ad hoc committee, community members, artists and performers using the stage.
Mr. Allison was at the first concert by Lake George Community Band last Thursday evening.
He told The Chronicle afterwards, “It’s a very rewarding project just because it’s such an important building for the community.
“Although it was a really challenging winter the contractors never really lost pace, slowed a little by the temps and snow, but I was really impressed with the fortitude to show up on the coldest of days and always progress.
“Everyone on the team really seemed invested, which is somewhat atypical for public works projects.
“Architecturally, we’re really happy with the way our early concept goals, of developing the stage area to frame the backdrop of lake and mountains beyond, came to fruition, and at the same time keep the roof profile slim enough so from the street level and upper park areas it really didn’t encumber the viewshed to the lake.
“What I’m looking forward to now is seeing the AV system get installed.
“As an architect you work on many projects and every once in a while, you get one that just sits right. It kind of came together in a way that makes it feel it’s always been there and just belongs.
“It’s both engaging, dramatic, but also comfortable to be in the space.
“We were fortunate that the Mayor, Board, Working Committee and the State really got behind this and took a big swing to develop a performance space that caters to the level of performers the arts community brings to the area. Excited to see how people will feel in the space, both performers and guests alike.”
— Cathy DeDe
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