Photos: Atwood Music Hall
The 93-year-old building's $2 million transformation is nearing completion and is scheduled to open in June.
Dallas Rucker, 18, has been a part of Operation Fresh Start's Build Academy for the past three months.
Myia Rex-Dean, 24, with Operation Fresh Start, shows some of the construction work she has done in the balcony of the Atwood Music Hall on Winnebago Street. The building was erected in 1932 for a church, with the balcony serving as a choir loft.
Dallas Rucker, 18, with Operation Fresh Start, shows some of his work at the Atwood Music Hall, standing behind what will eventually be one of three bars in the building, which will hold up to 700 people for a show.
Dallas Rucker, 18, center, and Myia Rex-Dean, 24, gather their toolbelts for more renovations.
Dallas Rucker, 18, right, and Myia Rex-Dean, 24, are both embarking on new careers with the help of Operation Fresh Start's Build Academy.
From 1980 through 2018, the site was home to the offices of Operation Fresh Start, which since 1970 has offered training in job and life skills to young people.
The Atwood Music Hall would be located just a few blocks from the Bur Oak, another live music venue on Winnebago Street. Christensen owns the hall and is part owner of the Bur Oak, and says the two businesses could complement each other. The hall has a planned capacity for up to 700 while the Bur Oak can hold about 130 people for shows.
Toffer Christensen looks over architectural plans for the future Atwood Music Hall in Madison. A $2 million renovation project could begin in June with the venue opening in early 2025.
What was once the choir loft for the Madison Gospel Tabernacle will be expanded and serve as an elevated area for concertgoers to watch live musical events at what will be the Atwood Music Hall.
Toffer Christensen has purchased the former Madison Gospel Tabernacle building at 1925 Winnebago St. and has plans to turn the venue into the Atwood Music Hall for live music. The building opened in 1932 and was built with a lamella roof, made up of simple, single prefabricated standard timber segments as a way to span large spaces without support columns.
Toffer Christensen shows off the Atwood Music Hall's basement, which will be home to bathrooms, dressing rooms and a catering kitchen for weddings and other special events.
Looking toward the stage at The Atwood Music Hall.
A rendering shows the view from the stage at The Atwood Music Hall.
The lamella roof structure at The Atwood Music Hall.
The Atwood Music Hall will be designed to host acts too big for The Bur Oak five blocks away.
Brad Schimel and Susan Crawford are running for the seat held by departing liberal Justice Ann Walsh Bradley.
