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An ancient work clothes manufacturing building in Lebanon is being tailored to AVA Gallery’s unique needs. By Jack DeGange

he H.W. Carter and Sons Building, located on Route 4 in Lebanon just a stone’s throw from the town green, has been home to the non-profit AVA Gallery and Art Center since 1990. AVA, or Alliance for the Visual Arts, is a regional resource for artists of all ages, and has owned the Carter Building outright since 2003.

Over a century and a half before AVA owned the three-story building, it was home to an enormous manufacturing and merchandising business that earned entrepreneur Henry Wood Carter the distinction of northern New England’s “Merchant Prince.” The business churned out overalls and work clothes throughout the Northeast and beyond, and at its height, employed about 175 people.

	as the carter business thrived the original building was surrounded by multiple additions. Pictured above and to the left is the original 1850s gabled roof.

Today, the 120-by-75-foot building encloses 36,000 square feet and rises over 40 feet high. Due to its age and a prevailing west wind, the building leans about seven inches to the east. Over the years, as Carter’s business thrived, the stone foundation was expanded, and the original 1850s gable-roof warehouse was surrounded by multiple additions.

From the day AVA moved into the Carter Building as a tenant, Bente Torjusen, AVA’s executive director since 1986, marveled at the space and light offered by the old factory and knew it was ideal for teaching and creating art.

“We wanted a building that would have a gallery component as well as artist studios,” Torjusen recalled. “This building had the quality and characteristics we needed: honesty, rawness, history, a great geographic location near downtown Lebanon, and accessibility to the interstate highways.”

But for all that the building had going for it, it was in need of renovations. The heating system was a boiler that had come from an old Lake Champlain steamer, the 140 old windows lacked efficiency, and, throughout the course of all of the additions that were put onto the building in the past, outside walls had become inside walls, and the building had become somewhat of a Rubik’s cube.

After AVA acquired the building in 2003, its board of directors started a capital campaign (that has realized about 75 percent of its $4.2 million objective) to fund renovations, and contracted with Stuart White of Banwell Architects.

White’s plans include multiple features that directly respond to the AVA board’s decision to “build green” and that will certainly make the building deserving of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. AVA has also worked closely with Trumbull-Nelson for several years on the construction plans.

Torjusen recalls her first meeting with Paul Tremblay, Trumbull-Nelson’s on-site superintendent. Tremblay, who has a reputation for managing “interesting jobs,” gave Torjusen one simple instruction. “Don’t worry,” he said. “It’s my job to worry, not yours.”

To date, virtually all electrical, plumbing, and fire protection services have been upgraded for efficiency. All exterior siding has been stripped, and a thick coat of foam insulation was applied to improve uniform retention of heat in the building. The green initiative, which includes an efficient new set of three liquid propane-fueled boilers, will be rounded out by new energy-efficient windows and the installation of sun shades on the south side of the building along with light shelves that diffuse natural light toward the ceilings.
Currently, all interior stairways are being removed to create more usable space for galleries and studios.

the 140 windows lacked efficiency and had to be replaced.

When the work is complete, the west end of the building will include a new main entrance, a patio that abuts the restored main gallery, and a new stairway serving all floors. With consideration for the building’s slight tilt to the east, a second stairway and elevator will be added to the east end, giving the building full handicapped accessibility.

In addition to the current galleries and administrative offices, the first floor of the completed building will include a new studio dedicated to teaching children. One interior wall of the children’s studio will be the east wall of the original Carter warehouse—and much of that old building will remain exposed and restored, becoming part of a display along the main corridor that is a tribute to the building’s history.

The modernized building will remain a portal for the past while becoming a staple for the community’s future. “As exhibits, classes, and workshops resume, attendance in all of our programs—classes, exhibitions, and special events—is expected to increase considerably,” said Karen Miller, AVA’s education director. “In addition, we’ll have 20 to 22 studios for artists in the building.”

The restoration of AVA Gallery is slated for completion in the fall and has been ongoing since last summer. Through it all, Torjusen, her staff, and the numerous artists have been able to continue running their programs.

“Our ability to work has gone amazingly well. The Trumbull-Nelson team, especially Paul and (project manager) Todd Thompson, has been fantastic. Every day requires negotiation, adjustment, and moving as the work continues.”