Classical Arts Centre
Our vision. Your Centre.
Indiana Ballet Theatre (IBT) began 45 years ago (1979) with either students as Imperial Ballet at the home of Gloria Tuohy. IBT’s first show was at Lakes-of-the-Four-Seasons Club House almost 40 years ago. Throughout these many years, students have travelled to, and performed on, The Big Red Boat and in Cancun, Festival de Cozumel Mexico, the Bahamas, Disney World Florida, and Euro Disney. Some of our dancers have achieved futures on the Broadway stage, performing in Cats, as the Cookie Monster for Sesame Street Live, and as a Disney character in Florida. More than 10,000 students have taken classes and/or participated in our annual productions.
What is the CAC Project?
In 2003-04 Gloria Tuohy lobbied for IBT ownership of the Colonial Revival style Nurses Home building. The Commissioners of Lake County donated it to IBT but included only the building, with a land lease. IBT successfully got the building designated a landmark on the National Register of Historic Places. However, the commissioners pleased conditions on the building that made it difficult to obtain loans for the renovations. In 2017, IBT was finally deeded full title to the building and 1.75 acres of surrounding land. This was with the understanding that the building would be for Indiana Ballet Theatre use and only other programs directly related to the arts.
The Goal was and still is to make the structure and grounds into a destination arts center, much like has been done in Europe. It will be a place to house all arts activities, performing and visual. The building is almost 20,000 square feet with three upper floors and a full-height, natural-light illuminated basement.
The History
According to tuberculosis hospital planning and construction at that time, it was customary to provide housing for the nursing staff whose duties made their presence on the ground mandatory. In the initial 1925 Lake County Tuberculosis Sanatorium complex, twenty rooms were occupied by the nursing staff. The 1928-1929 plans and specifications for a separate nurses home building was completed by architect Karl Norris of East Chicago, Indiana. The Nurses Home was built and completed in 1930.
The Nurses Home was designed in the Colonial Revival style. It is a good example featuring many of the trademark elements including brick masonry construction and symmetrical placement of the door and window openings. Identifying features of this building are the centered front pediment, the three floor height, brick window lintels with keystones and dentils along the shallow molded cornice.
This building was abandoned in 1976 when the TB Sanitorium closed.
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Placed in June 2005.
The Classical Arts Centre
The Classical Arts Centre will be a:
- Education Center
- Venue for Performing Arts – 80 seat theatre inside
- Venue for Fine Arts – Sculptures and Art on the grounds
- Restaurant – Onsite Carvery & Team Room with inside and outside seating
- Garden Destination – a place to visit time and time again as the seasons change
- Museum – Showcasing the history of the Lake County Nurses Home and Tuberculosis Sanatorium