CONSTRUCTION UPDATES 2025
53 COLONY STREET: ELEVATE THE ARTS & ACCESS THE ARTS RENOVATIONS
GALLERY 53 IS OPEN DURING CONSTRUCTION!
- Our G53 Gift Shop is open during normal business hours
- The 2025 Art Exhibits are proceeding as planned
- A limited number of classes are scheduled, more will be added as space is available
March 5, 2025
The G53 renovations continue as we work around plastic sheeting, new Sheetrock . . . and construction dust! We’re now starting to see the final configuration of each floor. AND we even have an emergency call box in the lobby, which means our new elevator is not too far off in the future! Plus, the construction crew from J.A. Rosa Construction fournd a treasure trove of old advertising signs and equipment in the attic!
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February 22, 2025
Great to see Meriden Mayor Kevin Scarpati at Gallery 53 on Saturday! Executive Director Sandy Goodyear gave Mayor Scarpati the VIP Tour of all 4 Floors. It was a great opportunity to show him the progress on our major renovation project, which was made possible by ARPA Funding approved by Meriden’s City Council.
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February 14, 2025
Another Special Delivery! A hydraulic lift truck from Kamco Supply Corp. delivered more Sheetrock for our “Elevate the Arts/Access the Arts” renovation project. This time the J. A. Rosa Construction crew pulled the material in through the second floor windows in the Indianna Room. Every day brings us closer to the finish line as we anticipate the replacement of our 90+ year old elevator that was installed during The Great Depression!
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February 7, 2025
We were able to hold the opening for our first art exhibit of 2025 in the first floor gallery/gift shop on February 8th! Thanks to the J.A. Rosa Construction, LLC Crew who completed the new, reinforced gallery wall just in time for our volunteers to hang the show , we welcomed a packed house of art lovers on February 8th! Meanwhile, the crew continues to sheetrock the new access/egress hallways on the second and third floors. They sheetrocked the “party wall” dividing 51 and 53 Colony and the ceiling on the third floor over the mezzanine. It’s interesting to see slices of old construction uncovered in this process, like the wood slats visible in the ceiling of the rear third floor stairwell. We really appreciate how the crew takes care to keep the construction site neat and clean.
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January 30, 2025
The big news this week: the hard working crew from J. A. Rosa Construction, LLC is working at warp speed to finish the new wall in the gallery/gift shop in time for our upcoming Ebony & Ivory Art Exhibit. Plus, they are installing a “party wall” on the 3rd and 4th floors to completely separate G53’s building at 53 Colony from the former Butler Paint Company building at 51 Colony Street. And there’s even a little closet tucked in behind the rear 3rd floor stairwell . . . because artists can never have enough storage space!
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January 28, 2025
Special Delivery! There was some heavy lifting going on at the gallery on January 28th as we received Sheetrock, insulation and other materials for our “Elevate the Arts/Access the Arts” renovation project! The materials were lifted via a hydraulic lift into the 4th Floor Mezzanine. J. A. Rosa Construction removed one of the small arched windows to bring the materials inside.
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January 25, 2025
On January 25th, we can see the renovated spaces starting to take shape! On the first floor, the workers from J.A. Rosa Construction, LLC, are prioritizing the interior wall in the gallery in anticipation of our upcoming Ebony & Ivory Art Exhibit! On the second floor, Co-President Kathi Gorman led a family group in a fun, festive paint party in the art studio. The Indianna Room is being readied for a photo editing workshop on January 29th and February 5th. Stairwells in the rear of the building are delineated, putting us closer to access/egress code compliance. And the newly accessible third floor - plus 4th floor mezzanine - continue to fire our enthusiasm with their potential for new programs! As always, you can see Executive Director Sandy Goodyear going to great heights to inspect the work!
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January 15, 2025
January 15th tour of all 4 1/2 floors of 53 Colony Street with “hands on” G53 Executive Director Sandy Goodyear and Kevin Slade of J.A. Rosa Construction, LLC:
GROUND FLOOR/BASEMENT
Workers had to break through the basement floor so they can place stairwell supports. Plus get ready to say “buh-bye” to the ancient mechanism powering our Great Depression-era elevator.
Workers had to break through the basement floor so they can place stairwell supports. Plus get ready to say “buh-bye” to the ancient mechanism powering our Great Depression-era elevator.
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1st FLOOR GALLERY & GIFT SHOP
The G53 Volunteer Staff has gone above and beyond in rearranging this floor so we can remain open during construction! It really helps that the J.A. Rosa Construction, LLC, crew always leaves a work area in pristine condition.
The G53 Volunteer Staff has gone above and beyond in rearranging this floor so we can remain open during construction! It really helps that the J.A. Rosa Construction, LLC, crew always leaves a work area in pristine condition.
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2nd FLOOR ART STUDIO & MEETING ROOM
Work continues on building out additional hallways and stairwells to bring the building up to code. The artists continue to create in the midst of construction!
Work continues on building out additional hallways and stairwells to bring the building up to code. The artists continue to create in the midst of construction!
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3rd FLOOR & MEZZANINE
One of the most exciting aspects of this renovation is gaining useable additional space on the third floor. The upper mezzanine is taking shape with its row of small arched windows. Seeing DeCarlo & Doll’s plans for the staircase leading up to it has reignited our excitement for potential of this unique space.
One of the most exciting aspects of this renovation is gaining useable additional space on the third floor. The upper mezzanine is taking shape with its row of small arched windows. Seeing DeCarlo & Doll’s plans for the staircase leading up to it has reignited our excitement for potential of this unique space.
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Construction kicked off January 2nd. The crew from J.A. Rosa Construction, LLC has been simultaneously working on all 5 floors at 53 Colony Street. Their first step is to create code-compliant access/egress stairwells and hallways. The stairwells call for additional structural supports, including several in the basement/ground floor that required digging through the basement floor.
The crew also broke through the front half of the ceiling on the third floor. This will allow construction of a mezzanine that will be open to the third floor and have a row of windows facing west. Our staff is very excited about gaining this additional unique space and the resulting potential for more programming.
Once the access/egress updates are in place, J.A. Rosa Construction, LLC will coordinate with Kone, Inc. on the elevator installation.
The crew also broke through the front half of the ceiling on the third floor. This will allow construction of a mezzanine that will be open to the third floor and have a row of windows facing west. Our staff is very excited about gaining this additional unique space and the resulting potential for more programming.
Once the access/egress updates are in place, J.A. Rosa Construction, LLC will coordinate with Kone, Inc. on the elevator installation.
January 8, 2025
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January 3, 2025
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