Help Keep The Firehouse Alive!

What is The Firehouse?

The Firehouse is a collectively owned music and arts space in Worcester, MA. For years, we have been providing a free and accessible performance and housing space for artists, musicians, filmmakers, writers, and everyone in between. All donations made at our all ages public events are given directly to traveling artists, with no money being kept by the house itself. We have never turned anyone away from an event for lack of funds, and we explicitly do not charge artists a fee to perform here or use our space, though the cost incurred from heavy public use of our space is far from zero.

We frequently house touring acts, have provided emergency housing for those experiencing housing insecurity in the past, and provide a low-cost, landlord-free residence to those committed to keeping this community space alive. All events held at the property are DIY and run by both house members and performers themselves. This all on a volunteer basis; members are not paid for their time, and performers receive only audience donations.

Running a space of this size, age, and popularity is not cheap.

Any cost the house incurs is paid for exclusively by residential and studio member dues. Given that the house, built in 1901, is over 120 years old, the maintenance costs for the property are considerable. These costs include, but are not limited to: mortgage, taxes, utilities, maintenance, insurance, and supplies for public events.

The house recently completed the daunting undertaking of repairing the rear retaining wall, which necessitated an addition of an $80,000 loan to the mortgage, which in turn saw a rise in the cost of rent for residents. We are now facing a new set of maintenance costs that we are unable to cover out of pocket, so we are turning to the community we serve to ask for help because we are committed to keeping our housing costs low and our community arts space accessible.

We are asking for help from those with the financial means of doing so so that we can continue to be a cornerstone of the Worcester arts and music scene.

If you are unable to donate, please share this fundraiser so that it reaches those who can.

Where your donations go:

Full roof repair of our lower deck roofing

Both our lower roof decks are in dire need of repair. We have been dealing with extensive leaking in both decks, which has led to the progressive decay of the wood in the ceiling and floor below. One of the decks is still comprised of its original membrane, built along with the house in 1901. The other deck was redone with improper material and continues to leak significantly.

Please see the photo below for a detailed breakdown of the project’s cost.

We have compared two quotes from different companies and have decided to opt for the company whose price was comparable with others but included full removal and replacement of all structural wood, and who would allow us to retain the historic copper flashing on the perimeter of the roof.

Total cost: $7,680, plus any unforeseen cost incurred during construction

Roll-off dumpster rental and removal

We have been in the process for the past year or so of consolidating and removing the trash that has been left by former residents and that has accumulated during public events. We have calculated the cost of individual removal of all furniture and debris and have concluded that wholesale removal using a commercial dumpster is cheaper and more efficient.

The company, Budget Dumpster, will place a roll-off dumpster on the property where it will remain for two weeks until they haul it away.

Total cost: $600, with an added fee for any weight over the 2 ton limit

Tree branch removal

Our insurance provider has required that we remove a protruding branch on the edge of the property. As the branch is high off the ground and fairly large, this is a task we are unable to safely undertake ourselves. Specialized climbing gear, or cherry picker, will be required for the job.

Total cost: approximately $500

For all three projects, the total minimum projected cost is $8,780. We have set our fundraising goal to $10k so that we are prepared for any unforeseen costs. Any amount that we receive beyond the cost of these projects will be used to cover regular house expenses as mentioned above.

Thank you for reading, sharing, and donating,

The Firehouse