Building Tomorrow: Revitalizing Ludlow Independent Schools’ Historic Auditorium
Ludlow, Kentucky – nestled along a bend in the Ohio River just a few miles south of downtown Cincinnati – is a close-knit community of some 4,300 residents. One of Ludlow’s finest assets is Ludlow Independent Schools, a K-12 district of around 820 students. Founded more than 150 years ago, Ludlow Independent has been described by residents as the “Crown Jewel of Ludlow”.
In 2023, Ludlow Independent broke ground on a $33 million facility improvement project. Called “Building Tomorrow”, this effort comprised a new cafeteria, a new library, a new band room, an updated maker space, new art rooms, technological improvements and improvements to ventilation systems, as well as general improvements to the flooring, walls, ceilings and other internal infrastructure.
The project also included a renovation of the high school’s nearly 100-year-old auditorium. Lead architect REH Associates retained Harvey Marshal Berling Associates (HMBA) to manage this part of the project,
from programming through construction.
Challenges
As a small school district in a small community, cost was a major consideration. This included not only the project costs but ongoing equipment maintenance. This space also had to serve many purposes, from plays and graduations to presentations and meetings.
Solutions
Due diligence during the programming phase identified critical design improvements to expand the scope of space usage. Applying the appropriate technology addressed cost and equipment challenges. This included an all-LED lighting system that expanded the bulb life from 250 to 50,000 hours, removed the need to re-gel lights and dramatically upgraded production value. A new audio system removed dead spots and speaker arrays deliver listener-focused sound. 4K and 8K video projection systems with LED and laser technology not only broaden the potential space usage but virtually eliminate maintenance
needs.
Interesting Detail
HMBA Partner Todd Berling, who managed the project for the firm, was a student at Ludlow Independent Schools in elementary and high school. “Ludlow is where I was introduced to theater,” he said. “I started performing there in junior high, and that launched me into this career. To be able to go back and play a role in such an important project has been one of the highlights of my career.”
