A Room with a View
One of the more noticeable projects nearing completion at The Neighborhood House is the revamped "Parady Room," which serves as a spot for guests to sit and relax as well as area groups to hold informal meetings and small gatherings.
Keeping it Local
There have been numerous improvement projects happening at The Neighborhood House over the past year. We’re happy to report that throughout the process, we avoided any major disruptions in programs and activities. Our nearly 115-year-old building continues to be a vibrant gathering spot for our community.
A big reason all of these projects—both large and small—have gone so smoothly is thanks to an amazing group of local merchants and tradespeople. From Coastal Computers finding a solution to fit our needs in hosting video conferences with Board members spread across the country, to F.T. Brown ordering the perfect size bins to keep our outdoor garbage tidy, there is truly a wealth of knowledge and experience in our community to help you get the job done right.
This skill level was fully on display as both the Parady Room and newly named “Fishermen’s Room” were revamped. MCM Electric, Northeast Plumbing & Heating, Acadia Wood Floors, and Hayne’s Brothers Construction quickly transformed the spaces so that they can continue to serve The Neighborhood House and entire community for years to come. Meanwhile, we benefited greatly from the guidance and design help provided by WMH Architects.
Outside, there was even an off-island assist by Williams Irrigation of Ellsworth, who generously donated and installed a full irrigation system last summer. The installation was followed-up this spring as A.C. Parsons hit the ground running to install new sod funded by a significant grant. We’re happy the outside of the building now vibrantly reflects all of the fun things going on inside.
The Romantic Room went above and beyond helping with refurnishing the Parady Room. Their showroom (one of their three storefronts) is just across the street from The Neighborhood House.
“Romance” In the Air (and Across the Street)
The space that gets the most attention, however, is undoubtedly the downstairs Parady Room. Having served as a comfortable area to sit for small gatherings and meetings for decades, it was time to spruce things up a bit. But where do you start?
Luckily, we didn’t need to look far. In fact, all we really needed to do was look out the window of the Parady Room. Across the street sits The Romantic Room, which has been a Northeast Harbor institution for years. Owned and operated by Jennifer Richardson and managed by Tim Murphy, the business actually occupies three storefronts in town, offering an unbelievably wide selection of home goods, furniture, and clothing.
We reached out to The Romantic Room early in the winter to see if they might be able to provide some advice on furnishings. What we got in return, however, was much, much more. Tim Murphy assessed the space and saw a great deal of potential to keep things comfortable and low key while also adding a little sophistication.
Being a non-profit, we are used to stretching each dollar to its fullest. Some funding for the Parady Room project was secured via grants and gifts from the family of the room’s namesake, Bette Parady. Still, it was going to be a tall order to get the room completed in a timely manner and within budget. That’s when Tim returned with more good news. After discussing the space with Jennifer, she graciously offered to provide the furnishings at cost. This, on top of their design expertise, ensured the room would not only be completed within budget, but the end result would be amazing.
There are still a few odds and ends which will soon be arriving to complete the project, including two table lamps and accent chairs, and some artwork for the walls. When you’re in the neighborhood, we invite you to stop by and have a look. If you like what you see, there’s plenty more where that came from… and it’s just across the street.