April 2018
Spring has sprung! It’s a different world on the boardwalk once that weather breaks! March sure came in like a lion, but we were pleased to see it mosey on out like a lamb.
April will see our renovations really pick up speed. The demo part of the work took the longest. Once the workers cleared and prepared the space, the contractors have done an amazing job getting the reno work accomplished. As I write this, the painting is almost completed. Having visited recently to see the progress, we are excited how brighter the museum is looking with a new coat of paint. Never underestimate the power of fresh paint! Our new LED lighting system gets installed next and this should be completed by the second week of April. The biggest task ahead is the new flooring. The way the project is moving now we’ll be able to return to the building to set up our offices by the third week of April. It will be wonderful to have our offices again!
A special thank you this month goes to our friends at the 1701 Work Cooperative in the Vibe District. Jeff Werby and Lisa DeNoia walk their talk when it comes to creating a powerful community space. They have graciously offered office and conference space for our meetings, intern and volunteer interviews, and a special oral history workshop. It has become our home away from home during this very challenging time. Imagine continuing the many facets of preparing for a busy summer…without your office, or even your own building to use! 1701 has made our lives so much easier to manage and thank you just doesn’t see to express our gratitude properly. If you are an entrepreneur or need a designated workspace to fuel your creative energy, give them a call. A shout out goes to Megan Hogan as well, who shared her beautiful new Annex space with us for an afternoon. Connecting with so many great people these past months reminds us, again, that Virginia Beach is an amazing community.
Something very special we did at 1701 was host Erica Fugger, Oral Historian to the Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience at Washington College. She shared her expertise with us for best practices for conducting and archiving oral history interviews. She focused on lessons learned from her own work on the Library of Congress Veteran’s History Project. We are just beginning our own Oral History Project to capture the many voices we have in our community and her insight and knowledge offered inspiration along with a great resource.
“When will you open?”
That’s a question I hear a lot these days and, yep, it sure is very frustrating to not have a date yet. We need to get back into the building first. Once the contractors are clear and we know we have the space again, we’ll be able to set a date. Remember, we need to put the offices back together, return the collection to its permanent place, and build the new set of exhibits you’ll enjoy this summer. Don’t worry, the date isn’t far off.
So let’s knock April out of the park. We’ll be back in the building soon. We’ll be able to set our Grand Opening date. We’ll be able to start putting together a whole new set of experiences for our visitors and supporters. It’s going to be a good month.
William Hazel