Trinidad
Las Animas County

Brothers Sam, Sol, and Henry Jaffa opened Trinidad’s first opera house in 1882 to great fanfare. It hosted plays, brass bands, public speakers, and other events for twenty-four years before closing in 1906. The practical citizens of Trinidad filled in the old auditorium with a new floor and repurposed the building as an office block and an annex to the nearby Wight Hotel. The building was still in use when it was badly damaged by a 5.3-magnitude earthquake in 2011. Although some experts recommended demolition, the community rallied to preserve and repair the building.

With the help of $525,000 in State Historic Preservation Tax Credits, the old Opera House will be repaired and restored for use as offices and housing. The earthquake-damaged masonry will be reinforced and repaired to meet current codes, while the building façade and its historic storefronts will be restored to their 19th century appearance. When completed, the building will include twelve units of much-needed downtown housing in addition to the office and retail space.

100 West Main Street, Trinidad
Built in 1882
Project costs: $1,750,000
State Tax Credit: $525,000
Sales tax: $131,100
Jobs created: 30
Estimated opening date: 2019

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