“We’re in kind of a demolition phase downstairs and we’ve opened up the entire three businesses that were down there in preparation for creating the three new spaces,” August Heritage Executive Director Seth Young told The Inter-Mountain. “The three new spaces will be a cafe, community hub and dance hall. We have removed all the walls and we are preparing the floor for the new spring dance floor that is soon to be installed.”

The three former businesses sat along Davis Avenue on the first floor of the Wilt Building, which is located on the corner of Davis Avenue and Third Street, across from the Elkins Sewing Center.

Young said the cafe will be the first thing to open in Augusta’s new space, and will be finished this spring. He added that the dance hall and community hub will be open in early June.

“It’s going to be a place that features concerts, cultural sessions, community gatherings and the children’s choir and string program will go in there as well,” Young said. “And when the weather turns cold, we will be able to host Pickin’ in the Park in that space.”

The Augusta Heritage Center’s redevelopment of the Wilt Building in Elkins is currently underway with demolition happening in the downstairs of the building.

Once complete, the cafe will be highlighted by the Baker’s Daughter, a family-owned and operated European-style bakery. The cafe will serve breakfast and lunch year-round, provide catering to Augusta participants, and offer a new gathering place in the heart of downtown Elkins.

One of the most notable features of the redevelopment is the new dance hall, which will include a custom-built sprung dance floor made possible by a “significant philanthropic gift” from Elkins resident Pamela Moe. The floor is designed to reduce strain on dancers and enhance performance.

“All of this is moving us into the future, while returning us home all at the same time,” Young said. “Augusta was started in downtown Elkins as some of the first programs were implemented downtown. However, this is the first time that the institution has had a permanent facility to utilize for traditional arts education all-year round.”

Davis Trust Company made a substantial investment of $125,000 to the project in celebration of its 125th anniversary. The commitment reflects the bank’s long-standing ties to Elkins and its belief in the role of arts and culture in strengthening the local economy and supporting downtown revitalization.

Young said there are still opportunities, however, for community members and businesses to support final construction, program spaces, equipment and public areas, with options designed to make participation accessible at many levels.

“We will have an artistic interpretation of a guitar neck going up the length of the main staircase,” Young said. “Individuals and families will be recognized for their donations for decades to come by joining the foundation of this incredible redevelopment in our downtown. Donors of all levels will be continually celebrated and recognized for contributing to the project and the community.”

Four individuals and families made leadership-level gifts toward the renovation of the building’s classrooms, helping convert former office space into dedicated learning environments for music, dance and traditional arts instruction. These classrooms will support expanded year-round educational programming in downtown Elkins. One classroom remains available for a donor interested in contributing to its redevelopment and securing naming rights.

“Now is the time to turn this into a reality,” Young said. “We have benefitted from generous contributions at the leadership level from several folks, and the building was purchased by an incredible ‘Augusta angel,’ and while we have secured the funding for major parts of the project, there’s still a way to go.”

Once complete, the revitalized Wilt Building will host classes, concerts, dances, shared meals and community events throughout the year, extending Augusta’s impact well beyond its well-known summer workshops, and creating a consistent source of activity in the downtown core, Young said.

“We are very excited to be delivering internationally renowned Augusta Heritage Center programming in downtown Elkins,” Young said. “It’s going to create a very authentic community of people who live here, and a community of visitors who come to enjoy West Virginia’s culture, which has a global impact when it comes to music, dance, craft and storytelling.”

For more Augusta Heritage Center information or to make a donation, visit augustaartsandculture.org.