Live Entertainment Club Venue

The Live Entertainment Sector of EA has another exciting project on the boards; an intimate music & performing arts venue adjacent to our sister project Kanù. The true nature of how this venue will operate, the types of acts that fans can expect, and the final capacity of the venue are all works in progress. These considerations are all part of an evolving design that weighs functional (egress, ingress, acoustics, sight lines), aesthetic, and economic components equally in an effort to produce another world-class atmosphere that represents only the very best in Live Entertainment venue design.

More specifically, Ervin Architecture is working closely with the owner of two neighboring properties that will be conjoined to produce a single 20,000 sf facility with capacity numbers potentially in excess of 1500 fans spread across three levels. This venue will be accessible directly from the street and also from within the adjacent Kanù restaurant. Early amenities include multiple bars serving up tasty craft cocktails and local beers, full concessions with local cuisine featuring seafood, venison, and vegan options, luxurious bathroom facilities, as well as a rooftop patio for pre and post performance entertainment and socializing.

Project challenges to demo existing interiors in both buildings, conjoin the buildings by a significant load-bearing wall, and adding additional building infrastructure such as mezzanines, kitchen facilities, an elevator, and favorable fan to fixture ratios in the bath facility, all requires dollars that make sense. However, the post-pandemic recovery continues throughout America and no industry was been hit harder or has been more integral to the economic recovery than the entertainment industry. Socializing, and more importantly, being entertained en masse while socializing, continues to strengthen even in small communities like Old Town, Maine.

Specifically, these venues are significant economic catalysts for any scale market by creating jobs, driving tourism and spending, energizing downtowns, and strengthening local economies. In fact, the performing arts industry is a significant contributor to the economy, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The arts and culture sector, which includes nonprofit, commercial, and educational organizations, is an $878 billion industry that supports 5.1 million jobs in the United States. This is equivalent to 4.5% of the nation’s economy, which is a larger share of GDP than powerhouse sectors such as agriculture, transportation, and tourism. And the arts have been shown to be an essential tool for economic recovery in the post-pandemic era. Research shows that the arts can inspire, define a sense of place, and strengthen the economy. Arts attendees spend an average of $31.47 per person beyond the ticket cost on event-related items such as meals, retail, parking, and lodging. This provides vital income to local merchants, energizes downtowns, and puts people to work. Arts travelers are ideal tourists, staying longer and spending more to seek out authentic cultural experiences.

And so we embark on another design journey. Stay tuned for more updates on another exciting opportunity.