ALAMOSA — Already a truly unique venue for concerts, plays, debates and town halls, the infamous Society Hall in Alamosa is raising funds for a renovation of the front porch and other much-needed improvements. Once the project is finished, the renovation will, as Don Richmond says, “allow everything at the hall to expand”. 

"The building was built in 1922,” says Richmond, Society Hall board member, Alamosa native and regional iconic singer-songwriter. “It’s very solid and was beautiful even when we took it over, but it needed a lot of work and a lot of TLC to bring it up to date and make it work. We’ve done all that - except for that front porch.” 

The floor needs shoring up and refinishing, the steps need replacing, and there are a lot of little things that need attention, he says.  

“Our feeling is that, if we do this renovation, the hall will be ready for another 100 years. We’ll also be able to enjoy more space for audiences to relax, mingle and visit before and after shows and during breaks. Plus, it will make it easier for other types of events to be held there, where a little more room is needed.” 

According to board member Ruthie Brown, the front porch will be enclosed with windows all around, making it a “very open, beautiful space.  The pillars will still be there with a 2-foot stucco wall.” The project will also “catch up on all deferred maintenance.” 

The board is using all local vendors, including “Bob VanIwaarden who is doing a fabulous job with the design,” Brown says. “He’s done a lot of work at the Hall in the past, is organizing the project.” 

The work is more extensive than just enclosing the porch. The steps will be taken out and replaced with ones that are sturdier and easier to navigate. The wooden steps currently in place were built over concrete steps which have to be removed using a jackhammer before new steps can be put in place. The plans also include putting in a deck and stairs on the north side plus redoing the access ramp on the south side of the building that allows access to wheelchairs. 

The goal is to raise at least $50,000 by the end of August. All donations will be eligible for Enterprise Zone Credit, meaning that 25% of any donation can be taken directly off of state taxes that are owed.  

For example, anyone who donates $1,000 will be able to deduct $250 off the taxes they owe the state.  

The folks at Society Hall are also aware that not everyone can afford to write a check for $1,000 or more and emphasize that even “smaller” but regular donations can get the job done. One hundred people pledging to donate $20 a month for two years would raise $48,000.  The board at Society Hall has already obtained a verbal agreement from SLV Federal to fund the rest of the project. “They’ve been the best neighbors,” Brown says. 

Society Hall bought the building from the Christian Science Society and opened as the extraordinary venue about 12 years ago. In that time, they have booked more than 400 shows, making it a true cornerstone of the artistic culture in Alamosa.  

While attendance may be spotty, at times, the reputation Society Hall has garnered among musicians is extraordinary, with artists - some who are internationally well-known - contacting Society Hall requesting they be booked for a concert.  

“We’re booked two to three months in advance,” Brown says.  

And the entire operation is run entirely by a highly devoted group of board members and volunteers who are better at “stretching a buck” than most, given their modest take of only thirty percent of ticket sales. 

“I remember back in the 90s when Don Conoscenti played at the old Milagros on Hunt Avenue,” Richmond says, “my wife Teri and I talked about how wonderful it was to have an excellent national-level artist playing in our little town, in a listening room setting, and we didn’t even have to drive to Denver or Santa Fe to experience that.  

“And here we now have that level of artists coming through almost every week,” he continues, “in a room that sounds great and feels great. Plus, our local and regional musicians can experience what it’s like to have their music heard in such an environment. Many of these artists and also audience members from many places have said pretty much these same words - Society Hall is a treasure." 

Anyone with questions or wishing to donate should call Ruthie Brown at (719) 580-7838 or go by the Green Spot at 711 State Avenue.