BARNARD — Residents voted in favor of the town leasing the old Barnard Fire Department building to community theater nonprofit BarnArts Center for the Arts for 15 years with an annual rent of $1 in a special town meeting on Wednesday.
BarnArts also has the option to renew the lease for an additional 15 years. The vote was decided by paper ballot from the floor, 73-42.
BarnArts intends to use the old fire station, located at 6220 Route 12, as its first home base since its founding in 2012.
Performances are currently staged at venues such as Barnard Town Hall and outdoors at Fable Farm.
Dating back to the 1970s, the single-story former fire station sits on a .22-acre parcel of land next to the Charles B. Danforth Library.
The organization plans to renovate the building to use it as a rehearsal and community gathering space, as well as a place to build and store sets and costumes. It also is slated to feature an office, restrooms and a kitchenette. Under the lease, the town will approve any renovations beforehand.
The organization has said it plans to finalize the design and start a capital campaign after the lease is approved.
Residents initially voted in favor of the town leasing the old fire station to BarnArts at Town Meeting in March. The vote was decided by paper ballot, 66-41.
The lease has been updated since Town Meeting, meaning residents were required to vote on the revised lease before BarnArts could move forward with the project.
The updated lease gives BarnArts the option to knock down some or all of the fire station if it’s more affordable than renovating the existing building.
Other changes to the structure include installing new water and electrical systems and renovating the building’s foundation.
The lease also stipulates that BarnArts must use the building as an arts space for the benefit of Barnard residents and the community at large in order for the lease to be considered for renewal.
The lease is slated to be signed at the next Selectboard meeting, said Vice Chairman Richard Lancaster, but no date has been set.
Marion Umpleby can be reached at mumpleby@vnews.com or 603-727-3306.
