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At the heart of downtown Globe stands the old courthouse, restored and repurposed into the Cobre Valley Center for the Arts. Today the building is buzzing with local art shows, classes, events, and theater. As a authentic combination of old and new, the center draws people in attracting art fans of every age. The building is constantly changing, adding fresh coats of paint when needed and a few antique pieces of furniture on the third floor, but the biggest change will be welcomed this February. A free standing elevator is expected to be up and running by Valentine’s Day.
Adding an elevator to a historic building constructed in 1907 is no simple task. “It wasn’t easy,” said CVCA Director Kip Culver. “But with anything worth doing there are always growing pains.” Because the center is listed on the national register of historic places the elevator could not change the imprint of the original building. It had to be free standing and could not touch the building. Luckily for the center they had the convenience of having a fire escape on the north side of the building. “It was kind of serendipitous that we had the space between the buildings and great neighbors in United Jewelry,” said Culver.
The elevator is a culmination of dreams and goals for CVCA. “It’s been a long series of baby steps,” said Culver. In 2005 the center held a fundraising event called Jailhouse Rocks to raise money for an electrical expansion that would provide air conditioning to the theater. “This was the first step with the goal of an elevator always in mind,” said Culver. Over the years the center has collected several small donations with the Globe-Miami United Fund helping to pay a large chunk of the construction costs.
Facing a variety of obstacles before and during the build, the CVCA is enjoying the relief of having a finished elevator. “How were we to know we’d hit the rock of Gibraltar when we started construction, or face sprinkler system issues once things were in place,” said Culver.
“This dedication will mean a lot to everyone involved in making this elevator a reality.”
The elevator will probably mean the most to the parents and grandparents that can not climb the stairs to the third floor theater due to physical reasons. They are the biggest fans of the Summer Youth Musical Theater Program. The SYMTP has a long standing tradition of bringing the best in musical theater to the Globe-Miami area. Since 1998 the program has provided musical theater experiences to over 2,500 young people in the community. While the center has always had a chair lift to take those in need up the stairs, an elevator will bring a new level of accessibility to the theater.
Finalizing the elevator project means setting directives and celebrating. The Oak Street level will stand alone with an option for the second and third floor. “We will be limiting where it stops by need,” said Culver. “It will, of course, be turned off when the center is closed to stop anyone from joy riding.” The third floor will only be open when there is a production planned. “We have reconfigured the back of the theater with a private way to enter without interrupting a performance,” added Culver. The project that broke ground in September should be completed by Feb. 1. “It won’t be functional until Statehood Day which is Feb. 14,” said Culver. The center is planning a grand dedication on Feb. 14. They are currently selling raffle tickets for the first 10 people to ride the elevator. “Our plan is to possibly have a large masquerade ball to celebrate Statehood Day, Valentine’s Day, and the elevator,” said Culver.
Preserving a piece of Globe’s history is a never ending task, and for Kip Culver and the CVCA Board of Directors it is truly a labor of love. “The elevator is just the beginning and there is still more to do,” said Culver, as he pointed to a small crack in the wall. “But it’s always worth doing.”
Photo by Andrea Justice
Photo by Andrea Justice
Andrea Justice started working for the Copper Area News in Feb. 2013. She is the primary reporter and photographer for Copper Futures, a special edition highlighting exceptional students and athletes from Globe, Miami, and San Carlos. Andrea works as a copy editor for several of the publications produced by Copper Area News. She is the former managing editor of the Arizona Silver Belt and San Carlos Apache Moccasin, and has over 10 years of experience working in a newsroom. She has received awards for photojournalism and design from the Arizona Newspaper Association. Andrea has strong ties to the Globe, Miami and San Carlos communities. She is a Globe High School and Eastern Arizona College graduate. She lives in Globe with her husband, Justin, and their three children, Brandon, Isiah, and Ryliegh.
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