Veterans Memorial Auditorium Arts & Cultural Center's Renowned Acoustics Successfully Protected

Testing was successfully completed yesterday on the results of the extensive acoustic separation design and construction of the Renaissance Providence Hotel ballroom to protect Veterans Memorial Auditorium (VMA) from sound transfer between VMA and the hotel ballroom operations. This was required because the two neighboring businesses on the new Avenue of the Arts are interconnected at the foundation level, with the hotel's ballroom located two floors beneath the historic auditorium. The area was most recently utilized as the Downstairs at VMA event space.

The protection of the auditorium's highly acclaimed acoustics, and sound separation of the ballroom from the auditorium above it, were a shared concern in the property development agreement between the non-profit VMA organization and Sage Hospitality Resources, the developers of the Masonic Temple site. Specifications for the acoustic isolation of the auditorium and ballroom were created by the noted acoustic firm Shen Milsom & Wilke, in conjunction with Odeh Engineers, Inc. Shen Milsom & Wilke are well regarded for the results of the sound separation between Carnegie Hall and the new Zankel Hall created beneath it.

The significant expense of the design and construction entailed additional concrete slabs, drywall ceiling layers, concrete block walls and a "floating" concrete floor - all of which is completely acoustically decoupled from the Veterans Memorial Auditorium existing structure. There is no sense of ballroom activities with the auditorium during auditorium events and vice versa.

The acoustical testing was organized and supervised by VMA Technical Director, Jake Hegnauer and Sage Hospitality Resources Project Manager, William Perrett, utilizing the expertise of audio and visual specialist ATR/ Treehouse, and acoustic engineer David Dalzell. In usage, the sound pressure levels in the ballroom exceeding 100 decibels will not penetrate the ballroom's isolation construction.

At the conclusion of the acoustic testing, William Perrett stated "Sage Hospitality Resources is truly pleased with the test results. They could not be better!"

VMA Executive Director Tereann Greenwood commented, "The VMA organization is extremely satisfied with the remarkable test results. We acknowledge the tremendous time, expense and effort that Sage Hospitality Resources undertook to protect the auditorium's acclaimed acoustics, and extend special thanks to Sage executives Kenneth J. Geist, Executive Vice President of Development and William Perrett for their commitment to this sizeable effort. They are to be commended for their roles in this extensive project."