On Tuesday, the Jay Heritage Center (JHC) announced the receipt of a $1.5 million gift to open the Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III Exhibit and Performance Center at the Jay Estate.
This donation will help restore and rehabilitate an existing historic Carriage House on the JHC grounds, designed in 1906-7 by the notable New York architect Frank A. Rooke. The space is currently used as a community gathering place for lectures, concerts and art exhibits. The Wachenheim family gift will expand JHC’s ability to host an expanded calendar of offerings and attract world-class musicians and artists.
The building’s rich mahogany ceilings, terracotta brick floors, and enameled walls produce the most unique acoustics. Chamber ensembles from Juilliard and Yale’s Opera Project, in addition to jazz, cabaret, and a cappella groups, have previously delighted audiences of 150. The high ceilings and accessible floor plan have made the building suited for photography and art exhibits as well. The refurbishment will include the finishing of bright, skylit ateliers on the second floor.
As with other preservation projects at the Jay Estate, the plans will conserve original materials but also incorporate sustainable features wherever possible. “The addition of this premiere arts and performance venue to our 23-acre campus is nothing short of visionary and we are truly thankful to Sue and Ed Wachenheim for their leadership and generosity,” said JHC in its public announcement.
A celebratory concert with composer, pianist, and MacArthur genius grant recipient Matthew Aucoin is planned for March 26, 2023 at 4pm.
