Rehabilitation
We are marching through our exterior renovation work and are in the early stages of fundraising for the interior.
Saving A national treasure
Our plan to save the Tabor is progressing well! Colorado Preservation, Inc. named it one of Colorado’s Most Endangered Places and the National Trust for Historic Preservation named it a National Treasure due to the threats facing it.
The Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation is deeply honored to have been recognized with the 2022 Endangered Places Progress Award, part of Colorado Preservation Inc.’s annual Dana Crawford & State Honor Awards. The statewide awards program honors work that demonstrates excellence in historic preservation.
Decades of harsh Leadville winters and deferred maintenance have added up for the Tabor Opera House. The full rehabilitation is estimated to cost $15 million and will take several years to complete. Read the Feasibility Study to learn more about the vision for this building: Summary / Full Study.
Current Focus
Exterior Phase 2: Preserving the North and East Exterior Walls
Phase II launched in the summer of 2022. Critical repairs to the north and east exterior walls were made by contractor A&M Renovations, LLC. This phase is estimated to cost $1.3 million.
Funders
The Foundation is grateful for the following generous grants and donations to help advance this phase of the rehabilitation:
- Colorado Department of Local Affairs – $600,000
- Colorado State Preservation Tax Credits – $375,000
- History Colorado’s State Historical Fund – $250,000
- Gates Family Foundation – $50,000
- El Pomar Foundation – $25,000
The Foundation is pleased to have received nearly $500,000 in Colorado Preservation Tax Credits for the Phase I rehabilitation. The funds have been syndicated by Commerce Bank for reinvestment in the Phase II rehabilitation and the Tabor’s long-term maintenance.
Completed Revitalization Efforts
West Wall Rehabilitation
We are so proud of our new facade! Over the summers of 2020-21, brickwork, windows, and doors underwent extensive repairs. We also stabilized the storefront columns.
South Wall Ghost Sign
Over 6 weeks in the summer of 2022, fine artist Debora Uhl brought the historic and storied signage on our south wall back to life.
Past Successes
Architecture & Engineering Planning
The architecture and engineering (A&E) planning documents are guiding the full rehabilitation. Their completion is thanks to these generous funders, who together covered the $316,435 cost:
- Colorado State Historical Fund – $200,000
- Lifetime Fitness leaders and partners – $19,500
- Leadville Literary League – $10,600
- LT100 Legacy Foundation – $10,000
- National Park Service’s Heritage Partnerships Program – $10,000
- National Trust for Historic Preservation – $10,000
- Leadville Arts Coalition – $500
- Other local and state individual and business owners
Safety Upgrades and Interim Repairs
Many recent safety upgrades and repairs are helping keep the Tabor up to snuff and operable.
- CDPHE’s 1306 Brownfields Program awarded a $55,000 grant that allowed the Foundation to abate asbestos in the south storefront and boiler room.
- Freeport McMoRan awarded a $50,000 grant that supported an upgraded temporary heating system that will allow us to operate into the winter months.
- Conservation Trust Funds (CTF) from the City of Leadville and Lake County made it possible to install a new building-wide security system, add temporary heating in the auditorium and north storefront, refinish the stage floor, and inspect and make safety improvements to the stage rigging.
- Leadville Boom Days Committee; Lake County Community Fund; People’s Bank, now Community Banks of Colorado; and two anonymous donors made it possible to purchase new sound and lighting gear.
Join our newsletter
Keep up to date on events and updates from our Foundation! We will never sell your information or spam you.