Olive Opera House
The Olive Opera House in downtown Ossining, a key arts venue for nearly 40 years, is being revitalized to boost street life and business in Ossining while preserving the building’s historic character, featuring a 3,000 sq. ft. flexible performance space for various community events.
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Commercial Building, Institutional, Adaptive Re-Use
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Ossining, NY
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13,000 sf
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In Progress - Anticipated Completion 11/2025
The Olive Opera House project aligns with Ossining's 'Village Center' [VC] zoning district regulations, which are designed to balance preservation with revitalization. Located in the historic downtown, the project is uniquely poised to support these goals while maintaining the area’s architectural heritage, promoting increased business activity, and supporting community arts culture. The zoning also encourages mixed-use development, enabling residential opportunities within the Opera House to foster a lively streetscape both day and night. These incentives support the Opera House’s transformation into a central landmark that contributes to the vibrancy and economic growth of downtown Ossining.
The Olive Opera House, located at the 5-way intersection of Central Avenue and Brandreth Street in downtown Ossining, has been a cornerstone of the local arts community for nearly 40 years. Originally purchased in the 1980s by a group of artists, the building served as studio space for five artists and housed a 2,500 sq. ft. retail rental space. After a fire in 2018, the building remained vacant for three years as renovations addressed the damage. The property was purposefully not designated as a landmark to maintain its taxable status is now undergoing significant revitalization to restore its place as a central hub in the community.
The renovation plan includes updating the building to comply with ADA requirements and creating space for 4-6 tenants, diversifying its use. With Hudson Valley Books for Humanity as the first tenant, two theater organizations and several artists are also expected to join. Additionally, the Sing Sing Prison Museum has partnered with the project as a key tenant and investor, adding cultural and educational value. The goal is to activate street life and promote business in downtown Ossining, while preserving the historic character of the building. A flexible 3,000 sq. ft. performance space will host theater, dance, and community events, making the Olive Opera House a vibrant destination for both the Ossining community and the broader Hudson Valley region.
The renovated performance space at the Olive Opera House aims to inspire the Ossining community and its surroundings, focusing on nurturing local arts and theater. Constructed in 1865 as Olive Hall, the building has a rich history of hosting concerts, plays, musical shows, community events, and amateur nights. Our goal is to restore its original purpose for performances while transforming it into a versatile multi-use venue that attracts visitors and serves as a hub for local talent.
Central Avenue Elevation
Brandreth Street Elevation
Brandreth Street Entrance
Olive Opera House, 2023
The soul of the Olive Opera House is coming full circle. Originally designed to host and support community-based cultural events, the building has survived both diversion and calamity. After a 50-year hiatus, its artistic spirit began to reignite in the 1980s, led by the efforts of Katherine Hu Fan and a group of adventurous artists. Now, its potential to support a vibrant spectrum of art, performance, culture, history and community will once again anchor the unique Five Corners intersection of downtown Ossining. The Olive will speak to all things that make Ossining unique—diversity, resilience, art and cultural deep roots laced in grittiness. The design strives to honor these attributes while embracing the future.
The Sing Sing Prison Museum is committed to sharing stories of incarceration and reform to foster a more just society. With strong historical ties to Ossining, the museum aims to enhance understanding of the prison system through engaging exhibits and programs. By focusing on the history of punishment in America and personal narratives, the museum seeks to shed light on contemporary criminal justice issues and promote social justice discussions.
The Olive Opera House renovation prioritizes sustainability through the installation of a high-efficiency, multi-zone heating and cooling system, Enhancements to the building's thermal envelope, and New high-efficiency windows. To further reduce energy consumption, the project will incorporate daylight dimming and occupancy sensor lighting controls, along with proposed solar panels on the west-facing roof to harness renewable energy.
With New York’s goal of achieving 70% renewable energy by 2030 and a carbon-free grid by 2040, the Olive Opera House is set to meet long-term decarbonization objectives, contributing to a sustainable future for the community.
The 'Five Corner' intersection is a major node as Main St winds through the village of Ossining linking Highland Ave [Rte 9] to the Riverfront. The Five Corners unique street convergence sets the stage for 'The Olive' on the '5th' corner.
Set back from the primary four corners the framed vista of 'The Olive' is unique in downtown fabrics. This vista allows for visual prominence of the building's corner while simultaneously providing view sheds down Brandreth Street. From the Five Corners, traffic and pedestrians can see the Hudson Valley Books for Humanity entrance, Sing Sing Prison Visitors’ Center entrance and The Olive's main entrance and marquee.
