Ely’s Centennial Fine Arts Building On The Verge Of Revival

Across the street from Courthouse Park in Ely, Nev., stands a grand brick building that appears to be abandoned. Many of the windows are boarded up, the roof is sheathed in plastic, and pigeons are constantly trying to nest in the eaves. But the Centennial Fine Arts building is anything but abandoned. In fact, it is on the verge of a grand revival. 

The three-story building at 900 Aultman St. was constructed in 1927 by the Mormon Church as a tabernacle, and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its design and construction were overseen by Joseph Don Carlos Young. He was the last surviving son of Brigham Young who, of course, was the longtime president of the Mormon Church and founder of Salt Lake City.  The tabernacle building is now owned by the White Pine Community Choir Association, a nonprofit, which acquired it after the church built a modern worship facility in East Ely.

 “Structurally, it’s different than almost any church building you see,” said Carol McKenzie, president of the association and a former county commissioner. “It has a special design to it that wasn’t used a lot, I don’t think.”

The community choir, which was open to anyone who wanted to sing, once held regular performances in the building. But those ceased as the membership aged, and the building slowly fell into disrepair.  Now, with encouragement and small grants from the White Pine Tourism and Recreation Board and the Great Basin National Heritage Area, the association is working to restore the building. In 2018, it brought in a group of architects to confer on potential uses for the building. This year, a structural expert will examine the building and suggest vital repairs.

Eventually, the association hopes to remake the building as a performing arts center — a perfect use, McKenzie said, for such a distinctive building at the heart of Ely’s downtown.  “We sure want to do it, and we’re moving in the right direction,” she said.  Minnis Alderman, a former president of the association, said she hopes the building will one day feature choir performances again, as well as public speakers, concerts by visiting musicians, dance and theater groups.

 “I would like to see it used for all kinds of fine arts activities,” Alderman said, a former counselor at White Pine High School who now owns the Knit Knook and Gift Gamut shop in Ely. “I want to get the community together to attract tourists. But to also keep our own arts activities intact.”  The building has enormous potential for all those kinds of events, thanks to the sound quality in the main hall.  “The acoustics in that building are phenomenal. It is the best acoustics in town, and among the best acoustics in the state,” Alderman said.

The building’s layout is also ideal for both small and large events. In addition to the main hall, which features a small stage and choir risers, there are four balconies with stepped seating on the upper level. Two similar rooms lie on the ground floor. Each of these six rooms can be sealed off by folding windows to host small events, practice sessions, classes or the like.  The basement is nearly as large as the main hall and features its own stage. This makes it an excellent rehearsal space or meeting area. And it is not a dark basement: The space is lit by large windows at ground level, currently boarded up to protect them from damage.   

The building has hardwood floors throughout — all in good condition — and numerous unique architectural details.  But there are many challenges, including a lack of ADA-compliant access, a leaky roof that has caused some damage to the ceiling and walls, only one functioning bathroom, and possible structural problems in the building’s southwest corner. 

Reviving the building will be expensive. But supporters are undaunted. After the structural report is completed, the association will seek grants to begin repairs, McKenzie said.  “This has been a part of White Pine County and the city of Ely for so long,” she said. “It was a beautiful building in its early days. There is no way I would want to see it go away.”