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Eagle Event Center approved for rear elevator; owners apologize for not notifying commission in advance
Summary
Owners of the Eagle Event Center presented plans for a rear‑mounted, removable elevator shaft clad in matching brick and the Historical Commission unanimously approved a certificate of appropriateness. Owners apologized for starting work without prior notice and committed to the materials shown.
Jerry Donovan and his son Chris, co‑owners of the Eagle Event Center, asked the Fall River Historical Commission on June 16 to endorse an exterior elevator tower they had begun designing for the rear of their 1929 building. The owners apologized to the commission for not presenting before starting preparatory work and described the proposed feature as removable and clad in brick selected to match the building’s aged façade.
“We are approaching 1,000 events in 15 years and we finally were able to gather up the money to build an elevator,” Jerry Donovan said, explaining the project’s intent to improve accessibility for special events at the venue. The architect’s packet showed a rear foyer and a vertical elevator shaft that would allow an elevator car with a 2,500‑pound capacity (about eight to ten people) to serve the event spaces.
Commissioners questioned circulation and how the elevator would integrate with the interior; co‑owner Christopher Donovan explained the lower‑level foyer, shaft and a short walkway that would lead into the existing building. Commissioners praised locating the new work at the rear and using a removable tower design, which the National Park Service Secretary of the Interior standards endorse when exterior additions are necessary.
The commission voted to issue a certificate of appropriateness for the presented scope, design and material, with a requirement that the new skin match the building’s brick where practicable. The vote was unanimous. The chair and clerk will prepare the certificate for issuance.
Next steps: the commission will draft and deliver the certificate of appropriateness to the Donovans; the owners plan to proceed with the rear elevator construction consistent with the materials and design approved by the commission.
