Refurbished: Eagles Theatre and The Sanctuary

from Wabash County Business Journal Spring 2020

Cover Story: A Family Affair, Kaufman Family Marks 60 Years at Etna Acres

BY JOSEPH SLACIAN REFURBISHED EAGLES THEATRE OPENS WITH CRYSTAL GAYLE

The newly renovated Eagles Theatre opened on Feb. 29, 2020, with a sold out performance by former Wabash resident Crystal Gayle.

The theatre has been closed since 2017 to update and modernize the building, originally opened in 1906. The changes have been amazing to include an updated sound system in the theatre, the creation of a smaller, second theatre in the basement, the creation of suites for private parties during movies and concerts, the creation of meeting rooms and classrooms, the creation of a recording studio and the full restoration of the ballroom on the fourth floor.

Theatergoers enter the building to an expanded Ford Meter Box Lobby featuring an accessibility ramp, expanded concession area and offerings, a donor wall and more.

The theater will seat 560 people, including the aforementioned suites – the Forrester Landing and the Forrester Roost. Each suite can accommodate up to 14 guests and provides additional food and beverage options.

The movie screen is 30 feet wide by 18 feet tall, larger than the former screen. It also can be easily moved up for performances on the theatre stage.

The Sweetwater backstage area, located in the fully renovated basement, has been totally renovated to include a large, cast dressing room, a green room and a star dressing room. There also is an elevator to the stage.

The Ferguson Theatre is located beneath the lobby. It has 49 seats and will offer, among other things, first run films and classroom space for the Media Arts Program.

The theater can accommodate films that have been shown in the main theatre but are required to be screened for several weeks.

In addition, the Honeywell Foundation received a grant from the AWS Foundation in Fort Wayne to make the Ferguson Theatre a sensory theater.

“That means for folks with autism, we can keep the lights up a little more, make the sound a little softer,” Corporate Relations Manager Ellen Mock said. “They also can get up and move around. We were thrilled to do that. AWS suggested that to us, and we said, ‘Why not? Let’s do it.”

The Genita Speicher Music Rooms also are available for those who wish to practice musical instruments. Classes will launch in conjunction with the 2020-21 school year.

The Media Arts program, which takes place in conjunction with the Heartland Career Center, is located on the second floor. High school students who complete the program can earn dual credits.

The floor features the Inguard Editing Room, a soundproof recording studio and a video production studio that includes a green screen.

The third floor features conference rooms that can be used for a variety of events. They can be rented separately or together. There also is access to the suite level balcony.

The top floor is the newly restored Parkview Ballroom, as well as the Parkview Physicians’ Group Conference Room and the Parkview Conference Room. The conference rooms can be rented separately or in conjunction with the ballroom.

The ballroom is designed to host weddings, receptions, corporate meetings and other special events.

Honeywell officials had a series of events planned in the first few weeks of the opening. However, Gov. Eric Holcomb issued the stay-athome orders about three weeks after the opening, bringing a halt to any shows at the Eagles Theatre and the Honeywell Center’s Ford Theater for weeks.

During the closure, workers were able to put into place the theatre’s new, high-tech marquee.

B Y JOSEPH SLACIAN

THE SANCTUARY

Under construction for nearly 3 years, The Sanctuary of Wabash opened for business on Friday, May 1.

The Sanctuary of Wabash, 492 N. Wabash St., is an overnight event hub that was once the Wabash Street Methodist Church. It is owned by Ben and Jennifer Bailey.

The couple, who also own Bailey Construction, began making improvements to the façade in 2017 before working on a massive renovation of the building’s interior.

“Like us, I’m sure everyone in the community looked at this church and thought, ‘What a shame.’ How could such a stately building be in such disrepair?” Jennifer told The Paper of Wabash County. “One day my husband came home and said, ‘I want to buy that church.’ I thought to myself, ‘What are you going to do with a church?’”

Ben reasoned that “anyone can flip a house; I want the challenge of flipping this church,” she continued. “I thought to myself, why not? I’ve casually observed this property for my entire life. I never in my wildest dreams thought it would one day be mine.”

Bailey Construction worked on the project in between normal jobs for three years.

“It was probably closer to one full year that Bailey Construction worked on this property from start to finish,” Jennifer said. “It truly seems like we’ve been renovating this property for decades. Just when you think you’re done, there’s always one more piece of trim to install and one more window to wash. This building goes on and on.”

The couple did the interior design on their own.

“When we first stepped inside the building and stood in the sanctuary we were overcome with the beauty of the stained glass windows that surrounded us,” Jennifer said. “As we renovated the church, we strived to keep the integrity and spirit that has always been with this property.”

Jennifer said she spent many nights searching websites such as Houzz and Pinterest for design ideas and paint colors.

“Once we meshed the ideas we had a pretty clear vision for each room, make it comfortable, make it beautiful and make it memorable,” she said. “We tried making each space unique but not fussy. Interior surroundings need to have a story and a feeling of comfort.

“I believe we’ve achieved turning a huge stone building into an inviting cozy space that can accommodate so many possibilities.”

The building has seven bedrooms, three full bathrooms, two half bathrooms, two living rooms, a dressing closet and a commercial kitchen that Jennifer said, “is to die for.”

In spite of all the work in renovating the property, Ben said he never had any second thoughts about the project.

“No,” he said, “I never second guessed buying this property.”

Jennifer, on the other hand, admits second guessing herself about “everything about this property.”

“One day,” she said, “I went into the building and bats and birds were flying overhead in the main sanctuary. After I ran back outside, I thought, ‘what did we buy?’”

But as worked progressed, those thoughts quickly diminished.

“With every wall that was torn down and with every inch of old carpet that was thrown out, the soul of the building started to shine again, the space could breath and be stunning once more,” she said. “This building was no longer neglected but was meticulously restored and given a fresh new life.”

OPPOSITE PAGE: One of the many rooms at The Sanctuary. ABOVE: Owners Ben and Jennifer Bailey sit in one of the rooms at The Sanctuary.

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The Sanctuary can host intimate weddings, rehearsal dinners, wedding day brunches, corporate meetings, family reunions, friends’ weekends and more. The couple already has had inquiries on renting the facility for such things as weddings and graduation parties.

Ideally, the couple would like to rent the entire facility, however, they realize everyone hosting an event may not need overnight accommodations.

“You can rent the main sanctuary for an intimate wedding and reception, corporate meetings, family reunions, bridal showers, anything you have a need for, we can accommodate you,” Jennifer said. “The basement of The Sanctuary has many bedrooms and bathrooms. This makes traveling with a group of family or friends convenient. You can all stay together in one location rather than renting individual rooms.”

The Sanctuary was once a Methodist Church.

Some r ooms have been turned into bedrooms for overnight accommodations.

As for food, The Sanctuary offers catering.

“I am ‘Serve Safe’ certified and we have all the local permits,” Jennifer said. “The Sanctuary can accommodate any food craving you may have.

“The menu will highlight simplistic seasonal foods as well as decadent options, not forgetting our vegetarians.”

The menu, she said, has something that will please every palate. In addition, those leasing the facility may hire their own catering firm.

Perhaps, Jennifer said, the most asked question the couple gets is about parking.

“There is on-street parking available just north of the property,” she said. “We are in the process of adding an ADA parking spot, as well as a 15-minute drop off parking spot just outside of The Sanctuary.”

In addition, the couple has a verbal agreement with the Honeywell Center regarding parking at the Charley Creek Gardens parking lot.

“They will allow us access to their parking lot, when available, when we are hosting events or providing overnight accommodations,” Jennifer said.

In addition, the facility has a private parking lot on Manchester Avenue that the Baileys will make improvements to in the future.

“We have gone above and beyond to make sure we have adequate parking,” Jennifer said. “we do not want to take advantage of private parking lots that surround The Sanctuary.”

The couple plans to have an open house at the facility sometime in the near future.

“We are so blessed to have the support of our community through this process,” Jennifer said. “Enough can’t be said on how lucky we are to call Wabash home. We are excited to work with local businesses to make your special event the very best it can be.”