Bent's Opera House - 1864

Bent's Opera House - 1864. Medina Downtown Historic District. , Built in 1864 by Don C. Bent and served as the social center of the village and surrounding area until the early 20th century. At that time the third floor opera house was abandoned. The second floor remained home to a fraternal organization until the 1970's, and the first floor home to various commercial enterprises until 2009. , It is one of the oldest surviving opera houses in the nation, having been built at the height of the Civil War and the Lincoln Presidency. Its Medina Sandstone construction shares a heritage with such other notable places as Buckingham Palace in London, the H.H. Richardson Towers, St. Louis RC Church and St. Paul's Cathedral in Buffalo, the George Washington and Brooklyn Bridges in New York, and countless other architectural masterpieces in Medina, Western New York and around the world. , Through a charitable donation of this building by the Bank of America, the property is currently owned by the Orleans Renaissance Group, Inc. The group is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded in 1997, and dedicated to bringing a rebirth of cultural events and preservation to the surrounding area. , The Renaissance Group's vision Bent's Opera House is two-fold: , . to stabilize, renovate, and restore the building in a historically sensitive manner, and , . to re-use the facility as a viable, multi-purpose 21st century commercial, entertainment, and culinary destination year-round. , Additionally, the vision for the facility will provide the flexibility to meet multiple needs for the community and surrounding area. Each floor is approximately 6,000 square feet. , The initial phases of the project will require various studies be undertaken. These will provide the Group with the necessary information to determine the scope and cost of the project. Until that time, the first and second floors will be leased to an appropriate commercial enterprise. , The renovation and restoration of Bent's Opera House is without question an ambitious undertaking. However, the vision is exciting and the possibilities endless. The Renaissance Group needs your support. Tax-deductable contributions can be made to further this project and help bring it to completion. , Tax-deductable donations can be made payable to: , The Orleans Renaissance Group, Inc. . PO Box 606 . Medina, New York 14103. The Orleans Renaissance Group is a 501(c)(3) volunteer organization. , For information about the Orleans Renaissance Group, Inc. go to: www.eggstreet.org or visit us on Facebook at "Bent's Hall". Both sites provide contact information for making financial contributions, lease inquiries, Group-sponsored cultural events and concerts, general information, and opera house history.