Preservation Durham To Host Two "Hidden Durham Tours ...

Baldwin Auditorium

Attendees will get special access to the newly renovated Baldwin Auditorium and Eligibility Building.

Preservation Durham recently announced two new ?Hidden Durham Tours? ? one in July and the other in August. On Tuesday, July 16th, ?Preservation Durham will host a one-time tour of Baldwin Auditorium on Duke University?s East Campus. And on Tuesday, August 6, a ?Hidden Durham Tour? will provide a sneak peek inside the adaptively re-used Eligibility Building in the downtown historic district.

Baldwin Auditorium is the primary rehearsal and performance venue for numerous student musical ensembles, including the Duke Symphony Orchestra. It was named for Alice Baldwin, the first dean of Duke?s former Women?s College. Designed by architects Horace Trumbauer and Julian Abele and built between 1926 and 1930, the auditorium?s Georgian-style architecture recalls the Roman Pantheon with its classical front inserted onto the main, domed building. Renovations to the building, approved in September of 2011 and funded by a Duke Endowment of Charlotte gift, are nearing completion. The interior is being upgraded with improved acoustics, new seats and other amenities, and improvements to the infrastructure.

Milburn and Heister, a prolific Southeastern architectural firm, designed the Neo-classical masonry-and-brick Eligibility Building in 1924 as a Freemasons? Lodge. The City of Durham acquired the building during the Great Depression. Located at 300 East Main Street in downtown Durham?s historic district, it was vacant from 1992 until a developer bought it in 2007. It is now being converted into an event space called ?300 East Main.? According to the developer, the renovations complement the historic features while transforming the once-endangered building into a lively event space.

Preservation Durham sponsors ?Hidden Durham Tours? of special Durham places periodically throughout the year ? ?places you don?t ordinarily get to see,? said Wendy Hillis, executive director of the non-profit organization, ?such as these renovation projects, previews of new spaces about to open, and cool historic spots you didn?t even know were there.?

?Hidden Durham Tours? are open to Preservation Durham members only, but attendees may join online at http://preservationdurham.org/support-us/become-a-member/, by calling (919) 682-3036, and even at the door on the day of the tour. Tours are from 5-7 p.m. (on the half hour) and slots usually fill up in advance. These events are one-time only tours that Preservation Durham has arranged by special permission and they may have limited attendance. Attendees may also be required to wear hard hats.

For more information on ?Hidden Durham Tours? and other Preservation Durham events, visit www.preservationdurham.org.

About Preservation Durham:
Preservation Durham is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to preserving Durham?s architectural heritage. The organization was founded in 1974, originally as the Historic Preservation Society of Durham. Preservation Durham has worked to establish historic districts in Durham that provide tax credits for homeowners of historic houses. Preservation Durham ?s Endangered Properties Fund helps buyers and sellers of historic properties protect them with preservation covenants. Its Renovators Network provides information and expertise to homeowners and other renovators. For more information visit www.preservationdurham.org.

Source: http://triangleartsandentertainment.org/event/preservation-durham-to-host-two-hidden-durham-tours/

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