Varco Pruden Buildings supplied its Continuous Beam framing for the new Verona Area Community Theater (VACT) in Verona, WI. 1848 Construction Inc. of Middleton, WI was the VP Builder for the new facility, which was designed by Dimension IV Madison Design Group of Madison, WI.
Verona Area Community Theater was selected as a winner in the Recreation category in the 2018 Varco Pruden Hall Of Fame presentation. The 13,580 sq. ft. project was completed in July 2017.
The theater reheasal facility consists of two buildings, connected at 90 degrees. The main building is a combination of a clear span over the stage and seating area, and multi-span at the stage and shop. A mezzanine is installed around areas of the building. The lobby framing is perpendicular to the main building, spanning 106' utilizing wind columns and the main building frames. Varco Pruden Buildings' SSR profile was used on the roof, formed from unpainted Galvalume-coated steel. VP's Vee Rib wall panels are complemented on the exterior by glazing and brick/masonry. An OptiLiner insulation system was used in the roof.
The theater had originally been designed to use conventional construction, and it was noted that the switch to VP systems reduced the project cost by 33%. "We were so fortunate to have worked with 1848 Construction," said Terry Dvorak of the theater's Board of Directors. "When we had an issue with our design going way over budget, Brad (Crowley, 1848's president) and his team came up with the idea of building a steel building and utilizing a decorative front to achieve the look that we had originally decided on. This not only allowed us to break ground on our building, but we were able to increase some of our square footage and add some enhancements and still stay within our budget. We are a theater company and have some very specific needs. Brad and Mac listened carefully and utilized their resources to deliver a building that is both beautiful and functional. They were exceptionally accommodating to our move-in time frame. The whole process was friendly and efficient. Our VACT family is in love with our new building and we are very grateful to Brad, Mac and the whole 1848 crew for creating such a wonderful addition to the Verona Community."