The Capital Expenditure budget proposals for 2026 submitted by the Finance Committee included a proposal to renovate the Charlestown Auditorium. This proposal was incorporated into the approved Charlestown capital budget for 2026. It was understood by residents that 2026 would focus on planning for the eventual renovation and that no construction would begin during this year. The Residents’ Council created a special committee on November 10, 2025, to make recommendations to the Charlestown Administration regarding the planned renovation of the Charlestown Auditorium, with June 2026 established as the target date for the committee’s final report. However, the committee later learned that the Charlestown Administration planned to begin preliminary discussions with Erickson Senior Living earlier than residents had expected. As a result, the committee has worked to produce this report much earlier than planned.

The Committee gratefully acknowledges the advice and support provided by Charlestown Administration, particularly Jason Dennis, who served as the committee’s primary contact, as well as the Transportation Department and other staff members. To determine needed improvements to the Auditorium and to address related concerns, the committee sought input from the principal user organizations and from others with relevant technical expertise in the areas of infrastructure, safety, and accessibility. In addition, a subgroup of the committee visited Oak Crest to tour its auditorium, which underwent renovation approximately three years ago.

The Committee hopes that the Charlestown Administration will continue to include residents in its planning and discussions with Erickson Senior Living and that the observations and recommendations of this report will become a significant element of Charlestown’s ongoing planning and decision-making. In fact, we believe that continued resident participation will be critical for a successful project outcome.