Virginia Repertory Theatre has bought the Scottish Ceremony Temple at 4202 Hermitage Highway for $3.5 million as the brand new house for its Youngsters’s Theatre.

Phil Whiteway, managing director of the theater, opened the doorways on Tuesday, simply minutes after signing the closing papers.

“This will likely be a significant funding for Virginia Rep, the RVA neighborhood and all performing arts teams,” Whiteway stated. “I’m not going to cry,” he added, jokingly.

Situated within the Bellevue neighborhood of North Richmond, the constructing will likely be named the Virginia Rep Heart for Arts and Training and can home youngsters’s theater productions, academic touring packages, camps, courses and workshops.

Whiteway described the constructing as “Richmond’s Kennedy Heart.”

“Different events considering buying the property included actual property builders, who, as a result of its supreme central location and off-street parking, sought to raze the constructing to assemble condos or flats,” he stated. “We will likely be saving the historic Scottish Ceremony Temple … as a performing arts area for RVA audiences.”

The unique asking value was $6.8 million. Owned by the Richmond Scottish Ceremony Masons since 1969, the constructing was listed on the market in 2018 when the group determined to downsize.

“We had a number of events within the property,” Sam Dunn, the realtor and a member of the Richmond Scottish Ceremony Masons, stated. “However in the long run this can be a actual win-win.”

The constructing contains three efficiency areas — a 650-seat foremost auditorium and two smaller studio levels — that may permit for a rise in performances. The power additionally features a business kitchen, eating corridor and assembly rooms.

The Youngsters’s Theatre was beforehand situated in Willow Garden for 25 years, however vacated the mall final yr when its lease was elevated.

“After leaving our rented area at Willow Garden throughout COVID and months of cautious planning and due diligence, this funding will permit us to create a brand new path for the way forward for Virginia Rep’s youngsters’s, households, and faculties programming, which represents about 50% of our whole operation,” Whiteway stated in a press release.

With the roughly 50,000 sq. foot construction, the Youngsters’s Theatre can have extra rehearsal area for its 18 tour productions that attain over 400,000 college students and households. There may also be room to double the variety of camps, courses, and workshops at present provided.

The nonprofit theater firm has a $5.2 million fundraising marketing campaign for the mission, of which 50% has already been accomplished, in addition to $1.5 million in reserve for renovation prices for restrooms, HVAC upgrades and different enhancements.

Virginia Rep is already busy planning its Youngsters’s Theatre season, which can begin in December with “‘Twas the Evening Earlier than Christmas.” Particulars with present dates and instances will likely be introduced quickly, in keeping with the theater.

The brand new constructing may also be the longer term everlasting house for “Gospel Nativity,” a brand new, annual vacation partnership with Virginia Union College, which has launched a brand new gospel music diploma program.

“We’re envisioning it because the equal of the brand new ‘Nutcracker,” Desiree Roots, creative director for the theater, stated. “We now have a lovely stage right here, a choir loft and even an organ.”

The principle 650-seat auditorium is situated off the second-floor atrium and outfitted with aqua seats straight from the Nineteen Sixties, full with the double-headed eagle insignia of the Richmond Scottish Ceremony Masons. The atrium area options huge floor-to-ceiling cathedral home windows.

“I’m excited for kids to return into this lovely area,” Roots stated.

The brand new constructing additionally gives a protected drop-off and pick-up space for households and faculties, in addition to a big lighted car parking zone with 230 areas.

“One of many actually thrilling points of the brand new constructing is the complete business kitchen and eating corridor,” Whiteway stated. “We envision many enjoyable particular occasions, neighborhood gatherings, themed character meals and faculty group lunches happening on this massive area.”

The Richmond Scottish Ceremony Masons will proceed to occupy the smaller workplace on the premises which homes the Scottish Ceremony Childhood Language Heart and supplies remedy for kids with speech and listening to difficulties.

The adjoining Acca Shriners property at 1712 Bellevue Ave. is individually owned and was not on the market.

The property is situated within the Hermitage Highway Historic District. The Bellevue Civic Affiliation supported Virginia Rep in making use of for a particular use allow to buy the property, which was initially zoned for residential.

“We will’t think about a greater consequence than to have such a extremely regarded arts group buy and host performances in a theater that’s been part of North Aspect for greater than 50 years,” Tim Pfohl, vice chairman of the affiliation, stated.

Virginia Rep hosts grownup performances on the November Theater in downtown Richmond at 114 W. Broad St. and on the Hanover Tavern at 13181 Hanover Courthouse Highway in Hanover. The brand new Youngsters’s Theatre will likely be house to the Household Season. This yr marks Virginia Rep’s seventieth anniversary.