As we move into the third phase of construction here at the Dreamland Ballroom, we have a lot to consider. This phase includes some of the largest historic restoration projects we’ve ever done in Dreamland, aside from Kerry McCoy’s complete renovation back in the early 1990s. The granted work this round will focus on big structural components primarily while including some smaller, mostly cosmetic, details as well.

Something folks on my tours often like to hear is our philosophy around the restoration effort. Our goal with any project in Dreamland is to “freeze it in time.” What I mean by this is to capture and/or maintain the current aesthetic and feel of the room. It’s crumbling plaster, chipped paint, exposed brick and lathe, graffiti, and general wear and tear. Not to say we won’t update where we must or reimagine certain elements as they were or may have been. Our goal is for the ballroom to tell the “full story” all on its own. The tale of its grandeur and its decline, it’s this complete, honest representation that gives the space its characteristic charisma.

Keep Dreaming, Matthew McCoy