CAPE MAY — Balancing historic preservation and modern functionality is critical in this National Historic Landmark City.
On June 15, the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) granted conceptual approval for a two-story addition to the Allen AME Church.
The proposal was presented by Janice Woodcock of Woodcock Design, architect for East Lynn Theater Company (ELTC), which is leasing the historic facility and operating it as the Clemans Theater for the Arts.
The approval involved rigorous discussion on the addition (referred to as a hyphen, a connecting structure that bridges two larger building elements), including potential adjustments to the staircase and deck design, accessibility, public and accessible parking, wood railings, terracing and building materials.
“This is a very unique situation and I think it deserves an expansion of our thinking, us to be pretty creative in our thinking,” HPC Chairman John Boecker said. “It’s a unique condition in the city and unique function. How can we not only honor that, homage to it at the same time, to meet our standards?”
Background and proposal
ETLC opened the theater in the renovated former Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church in May 2025. The church is one of the few remaining historic sites after much of the area’s African American history was lost during an earlier period of urban renewal.
The city purchased the building in 2021 with the blessing of the former congregation. As an agreement with the city, ELTC is to act as caretaker to maintain and preserve the physical structure and uphold the legacy of the Black church and the community that supported it.
“This is such an important building [and] important history that is going on here,” Woodcock said, adding that there are a lot of design issues related to putting a new building in Cape May.
The proposed hyphen would be constructed using mass timber, a structural approach that uses engineered wood products.
“The crux of the problem here is that I have a 2,600-square-foot building with a large volume, that has a beautiful interior that we want to use only for the theater,” Woodcock said. “And I have a building program that’s 4,000 feet, so in trying to fit that on the site, we came to the conclusion that the best thing was to put it next to the historic building and create the hyphen.”
Woodcock said the hyphen allows the historic building to be exposed without interruption and preserves its silhouette.
“Then next to it, the form of the building is intended to continue the rhythm of the street to create a porch, which is a precedent in Cape May,” she said. “The idea is that this needs to be a visible entry for the theater, so that [it] can succeed.”
She added that passersby will know they are walking by something special, which was the criterion she used when developing this design.
Feedback and concerns
Boecker said the HPC standards are divided into three specific issues: site placement, site massing proportions and architectural characteristics.
“I find the siting of this, notwithstanding what may be lease issues, brilliant,” Boecker said. “The reason I find it brilliant is because the parking lot that’s next door to this theater creates, in essence, a missing tooth in the block.”
Boecker added that the series of structures, starting around the corner at the Harriet Tubman Museum, has often been referred to as “museum row.”
“It’s been completely repaved with brick pavers and upgraded as a very unique streetscape in the city,” Boecker said. “The idea that [the] adjacent structure to the theater is in fact a theater is really quite wonderful in that the opaqueness of the church relative to the transparency of the addition in and of itself is theater.”
Member Kevin Hammeran said he supported the addition and that it works well.
Member Judy Decker asked about the recent approval of a temporary structure to the rear of the church and whether the intent was to remove that with the addition. Woodcock said yes, and the trailer was going in to help the theater support the union actors.
Hammeran asked whether the concept was to use the trailer as makeshift dressing rooms to keep the theater operational, and whether the addition was part of a long-term vision for administrative functions and reception. Woodcock said yes.
“I support hyphens. I also think that an addition can be contemporary, so I don’t have a problem with that,” Decker said. “However, I do feel that when you read about additions, I don’t feel that this is subordinate to the church.”
Decker also questioned what would happen to the building if the theater were to move out of Cape May.
“The city is going to own this building and we have to figure out an adaptive reuse for it that isn’t a theater,” Decker said. “I wonder how much you’ve reviewed this with the city and I’m wondering about losing the parking. I kind of have a problem with the whole project.”
Woodcock said they have worked with City Manager Paul Dietrich and Deputy Mayor Maureen McDade and that parking would be moved to the rear.
Solicitor Chris Gillin-Schwartz noted there is a long-term lease.
“The lease is 25 years and there is an option for an additional 25 years,” he said. “It’s a pretty long term, consistent with various other nonprofits that the city has with these types of leases.”
Gillin-Schwartz added that it may be a concept not envisioned by the lease itself, noting that a bump-out was included in the lease but was for the rear of the building.
“I think the city totally envisioned having this type of discussion about what could be, but in my view, in an area that is clearly excluded from the lease at this point,” Gillin-Schwartz said. “There are some new concepts in here; I’m not saying they’re unworkable, but they do need to be addressed in the context of the lease.”
Decker said all city-owned properties must be reviewed by the state Historic Preservation Office.
Woodcock added that the addition is not a theater and is designed to accommodate community activities.
“One of the things that makes Cape May special is that we are a haven for the arts, and this is a great new addition to our community,” member Jake Stevenson said. “The existing church really doesn’t look like a theater at all and looking at this new building here, I quite frankly don’t think it even looks like an addition.”
Stevenson asked if there would be a marquee on the front of the addition. Woodcock said there would be a tiny one.
“It looks like a completely separate building with all the airspace around it, provided by the hyphen and I think it’s a good idea,” Stevenson added.
Boecker said mitigating concerns raised could be handled in several ways, noting there had been several iterations previously discussed with the review committee.
After further discussion, the amended conceptual approval required wooden railings and the HPC requested a landscaping and lighting plan.
By RACHEL SHUBIN/Special to the Star and Wave