The Grand Halle on Broad Street

The Steeples Project is ably led by the Chair of our Board of Directors, Mr. Kim Rauch. For years, Kim also has served as Program Director of The Grand Halle, arranging dozens of outstanding programs over the years. But for the past 20 years, Kim also has led "Inclined to Sing," the children's choruses of the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra. The JSO is recognizing Kim's contributions to the community in this well-deserved tribute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYE0nrby4Sk&feature=youtu.be Well done, Kim. We are proud of -- and blessed by -- your leadership in Johnstown's music community!

Happy Holidays! To help get you in the spirit use the link to see and hear some organ music from the Grand Halle! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEibtkwy0NE&feature=youtu.be

JSO and the Inclined to Sing Children's Choruses https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2iIUBkrneA&feature=youtu.be

As some of you may know, The Grand Halle is part of the Steeples Project, which also owns Johnstown's St. Columba and recently completed a purchase of the latter's rectory. For more information on the future of both of these amazing buildings and a peek inside the rectory check out the following story from WJAC TV. https://wjactv.com//two-more-buildings-in-cambria-city-to-

Here's Brian with, "Sleigh Ride" https://youtu.be/4HVKYsahogU

We are looking forward to the day when we can have guests back in The Grand Halle! Mark your calendars for our next concert event on October 16th. Stay tuned for more information!

Today is the day! After undergoing a year of restoration work, we finally get to share the result of The Grand Halle Renewal Project.

In anticipation of the reveal of the completed Grand Halle Renewal Project tomorrow, we are reflecting on all of the special moments that have taken place at the Grand Halle / Immaculate Conception Church in years past. What is your favorite memory of the Grand Halle?

We can't wait to show off all the hard work that went into the Grand Halle Renewal on Friday! We are so thankful for all of the people that helped us finish the final phase of the Grand Halle Renewal Project including Cambria Glass and Insulation and Major Builders, Inc. who so diligently worked on repairing the unique features of our building, as well as the McKenna Foundation, PA Historical and Museum Commission, and 1889 Foundation whose support was invaluable to this project.

Happy Holidays! To help get you in the spirit use the link to see and hear some organ music from the Grand Halle! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEibtkwy0NE&feature=youtu.be

It almost time... we will be revealing The Grand Halle’s new look THIS FRIDAY! In the meantime, we are looking back at the second phase of the Grand Halle Renewal Project, the interior work. After completing the roof repairs, phase two of the restoration began in December 2019 and was completed in May 2020. The main components of this phase were stabilizing the north transept stained glass window, restoring the damaged sections of plaster, and giving the Halle a fresh coat of paint.

Here is another glimpse into the beautiful work accomplished on The Grand Halle’s roof! This project could not have been completed without the 1889 Foundation’s capital-match grant given to the Cambria City Cultural Partnership and the support of an anonymous donor. We are so excited to show off what the Grand Halle looks like on the inside - not much longer till the big reveal!

Now that The Grand Halle Renewal Project is complete, check out the next project that 1901 Church, Inc. is working on - reimagining the former St. Columba Church into a theatre space!

The Grand Halle’s roof has a very steep pitch of 16:12 -- 16 inches of rise per foot (as compared to an average roof which has a pitch between 4:12 and 9:12!) Even with the challenges the Halle’s roof presented, Yohe Roofing, Inc.’s work was meticulous. Every piece of copper was cut and shaped for a specific location. Seams were soldered. All of the work was done according to the National Roofing Contractors Association Steep Roof Manual. They located every problem area and corrected each, testing their work with buckets of water and taking time during off-hours to check for leaks during rainstorms. Thanks to the hard work of Yohe Roofing Inc., The Grand Halle’s roof has been beautifully restored.

This week we will be shining a spotlight on one of the biggest undertakings of the Grand Halle Renewal Project, one that is the hardest to actually see - the roof repairs! By 2019, The Grand Halle on Broad Street had serious water infiltration issues, which stemmed from the aging roof copper. This was a major problem, since the copper is used for valleys between slate-roof sections, flashings between the roof and vertical surfaces, saddles where pockets form, as well as the gutters and downspouts. It all needed to be replaced! This project was completed between August and December of 2019 by Yohe Roofing, Inc. of Finleyville PA, a fantastic company that specializes in tough jobs working with slate and metals, even on steeply pitched roofs like the Grand Halle’s. Stay tuned this week for more details about the roof repair project!

The Grand Halle Renewal Project could not have been completed without the help of a number of local businesses and community members. Yohe Roofing Inc. of Finleyville, PA, performed the roof repair work in the fall 2019. Major Builders, Inc. of Johnstown completely restored interior decorative plasterwork and repainted the Halle during the first quarter of 2020. And Cambria Glass & Insulation stabilized a large and very weak stained glass window as the final piece of the project in May 2020.

Remember our photo from yesterday? Well here's what it looks like now! Stay tuned for the Halle's big reveal at the end of the month!

Last year, 1901 Church, Inc. launched The Grand Halle Renewal Project and was able to successfully raise more than $500,000 to put towards the building’s restoration. Central to the project was 1901 Church, Inc.'s involvement with the Cambria City Cultural Partnership alongside Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center, Johnstown Concert Ballet and Venue of Merging Arts (V.O.M.A.). Together, the four organizations obtained a $1.2 million capital-match challenge grant from the 1889 Fou...ndation. For every dollar raised by one of the partners, the grant would match a dollar for capital projects. This resulted in $215,000 in funds towards the Halle's Renewal Project. Other key funds came from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s Keystone Historic Preservation Construction Grant and the McKenna Foundation of Latrobe, as well as the generosity of an anonymous donor.

We can't wait to show off the Grand Halle's new look, so here's a sneak peak of its transformation!

This week we will continue to look back on what the Halle looked like a year ago and thank some of the people who have helped us complete the Grand Halle Renewal Project! Through generous grants from Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, and National Trust for Historic Preservation, 1901 Church, Inc. retained architect Landmarks SGA, LLC of Somerset to conduct an initial building assessment. The architect soon realized th...at the water-infiltration issues were caused by roof deficiencies. While the slate itself was still doing its job, copper valleys, saddles, flashing, gutters and downspouts were failing from age and allowing water to enter the building in a variety of locations. Although this presented a daunting challenge, 1901 Church Inc. was determined to continue with the restoration project. See more

The Grand Halle Renewal Project is finished and we will be revealing the Halle's fresh, new look at the end of June! Meanwhile, we are taking a look back at what the building looked like a year ago -- and what has happened since. After reopening in 2011 as The Grand Halle on Broad Street, thousands of people have visited the former Immaculate Conception Church to enjoy cultural events, weddings, and the building’s Victorian Gothic Revival grandeur. However, by 2019 many vis...itors began to notice that the 112-year-old Halle was starting to show its age. There was a sizable hole up in one corner. A corbel in the choir loft had shattered. Moulded plaster trim around several of the beautiful Munich-style stained glass windows had eroded and disintegrated. Wall plaster was cracked and flaked in places. In many areas the paint was dingy and stained. The staff knew that after heavy rains water might drip from ceiling leaks and soak plaster that would fall and splatter on the terrazzo floor. The historic building was in desperate need of renovation, so 1901 Church, Inc. embarked on a project to restore The Grand Halle to its former glory. See more

Ongoing work today at our sister property St Columba, where courageous workers are braving today’s cold weather.

Marilu Ickes was the evening’s Leader for the Service of Lessons and Carols.

Special thanks to Mr. Kim Rauch, shown here to the right, directing the choir, for his production of this outstanding - and spiritual - event!

A capacity crowd turned out for the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols - a Christmas program at the Grand Halle. The Service featured scripture readings (the Lessons) by members of the community, choral music by the Greater Johnstown Community Chorus, the Glory Ringers bell choir and traditional carols sung by the audience. Scripture Readers included Rep. Jim Rigby, JPD Chief Robert Johnson, Rev. Sylvia King, Mike Cook, Angie Berzonski, Renee Daly, Chip Minemyer, Laura Huchel and Dave Hurst.

Tonight's SongWorks Christmas Show meal will include: Chicken Bruschetta, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, White Wine Green Beans, Garden Salad, Homemade Brownies and Bottled Water... BYOB See more

A Christmas show with great value - https://mailchi.mp/cda1a4/a-christmas-show-with-great-value

Celebrate Christmas with a local Flair! - https://mailchi.mp/f/celebrate-christmas-with-a-local-flair

Tickets are still available for the Nicholas Feast! - https://mailchi.mp//tickets-are-still-available-for-the-ni

It's #GivingTuesday, please consider donating to support 1901 Church! #GiveLocalCFA https://cfalleghenies.org/givelocalcfa-steeples/

Reservations are due today for the Nicholas Feast - https://mailchi.mp//reservations-are-due-today-for-the-nic

The Nicholas Feast featuring Beauty and the Beast - https://mailchi.mp//the-nicholas-feast-featuring-beauty-an

From the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies: "Love heritage, history, and architecture? We’ve got a great #GivingTuesday opportunity for you with the Steeples Project. Here’s an update from the folks who’ve worked hard to spare and repurpose beautiful church structures in Johnstown’s Cambria City neighborhood: 'The Grand Halle on Broad Street is a vibrant, busy concert hall and special-events venue. We are preparing to reopen Columba as a ‘theatre in the rough.’ But we are struggling to find the resources to effectively staff and manage these new community assets. We need Johnstown’s help if these cultural gems are to achieve their full potential to serve the community.' #GiveLocalCFA #GivingTuesday 1901 Church, Inc. Ready to give where you live? Click here: https://cfalleghenies.org/givelocalcfa-steeples/

When you support 1901 Church, you're helping the former St. Columba church and the Grand Halle become and remain viable contributors to the Cambria City Cultural District! Please consider 1901 Church during the upcoming #GivingTuesday #GiveLocalCFA!

Beauty and the Beast will be at The Grand Halle - https://mailchi.mp//beauty-and-the-beast-will-be-at-the-gr

The Grand Halle lives into its name on Friday! - https://mailchi.mp//the-grand-halle-lives-into-its-name-on

Kassidy and Matt Terchanik enjoying their wedding ceremony and reception their way at The Grand Halle! A full capacity event with 250 guests, catering by Joey Del, DJ Jack Labarko and bar service by Bartenders and Us.

The Grand Halle Performance Series is back! - https://mailchi.mp//the-grand-halle-performance-series-is-

Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Rager! Thank you for choosing the Grand Halle for your special day!

We are giving away nine, 20-foot pews from our sister building, the former St. Columba Church. These very solid pews are still in good condition and are made from wood composite. We'd love to see them go to a good home! For more information, email [email protected].

This evening’s reception. Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Mollette! DJ service provided by DJ Jack Labarko Catering and Bar Service provided by Asiago’s Decor provided by Wedding Elegance by Joelle

There will be an Open House at the former St. Columba church building this weekend in conjunction with the Cambria City Ethnic Fest. You can learn about The Steeples Project's proposed theatre-reuse project and browse a garage sale of items, gleaned from both buildings and left behind by Grand Halle guests. The Open House and Garage Sale will be from noon to 6:00 PM on Saturday and noon to 5:00 PM on Sunday.

We are excited to announce that the Grand Halle is receiving improvements that will enable it to shine for another century! Work now is underway that will seal troublesome roof leaks and restore the decorative plasterwork inside. Skilled employees of Yohe Roofing, Inc., of Finleyville, PA, are replacing copper flashings, valleys, saddles, gutters and downspouts atop the Halle’s steep-pitched slate roof through a $356,000 roof-repair project that will require the remainder of ...Continue reading

Congratulations to Dr. & Mrs. Kriak who had their ceremony and reception at the Halle!

Today’s reception for Mr. & Mrs. St. Clair

Congratulations to sister former church, St. Columba, on the removal of the belfry tree today!

Trish and Christopher Gilliland, having their Disney-themed wedding their way at the Grand Halle.

Don't miss the Johnstown debut of a dynamic brass band! - https://mailchi.mp//dont-miss-the-johnstown-debut-of-a-dyn

Congratulations to sister church, the former St. Columba, on some exciting news! The National Endowment for the Arts will be providing $40,000 for the design of a theater, according to an announcement made Wednesday by the federal agency. Within its first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2019, the NEA listed an Art Works grant of $40,000 to 1901 Church, Inc. d/b/a/ The Steeples Project to be used for design of a theater for dramatic arts within the former St. Columba church building.

There was a sold-out house at The Grand Halle Friday evening for the Festivals of Lessons and Carols, the traditional Christmas Eve service performed every year in Kings College Chapel at Cambridge University in England. Judging from the enthusiastic responses afterward, it may become an annual tradition at the Halle as well! Thank you to the Greater Johnstown Community Chorus, the Glory Ringers, and especially to Mr, Kim Rauch for making this such an inspiring event.

Cambridge comes to The Grand Halle, Friday, December 21st -

Chelsea and Kevin Margic had their winter wedding their way at The Grand HALLE.

Great food and holiday music in The Grand Halle -

SongWorks' Christmas Show is coming! -

Don't miss this NEW holiday dinner-theatre experience. -

Something new at the Nicholas Feast this year -- a panto! -

Holiday programs at The Grand Halle -

Karli and Alec Koontz had a country chic wedding their way in The Grand Halle.

Don't miss the A-B Team at The Grand Halle. -

Janaye and Cory Berchick had their wedding their way (less cake, more donuts!) at The Grand Halle.

The Steeples Project Newsletter -

Bryan Lohr will push Adam Stein in The Grand Halle. -