New look, same sound

COEUR d’ALENE — An old building is happy to be blue.

The Music Conservatory of Coeur d'Alene at 627 Government Way, built in 1908, received the royal treatment last week as workers from Color Changer provided a transformation by restoring old wood and splashing on a fresh coat of dark Hale Navy blue paint and bright white trim. It had previously been gray with a bluish-gray trim.

"We're trying to preserve it, so it was a lot of work to basically seal all the old wood to the point where it could hold paint," said Color Changer project manager Eric Blum. "The best part is, when people walk by, obviously, having been here for a while, everybody just stops and stares and 'oohs' and 'ahs.' It's kind of nice to have your work appreciated."

The Benjamin Moore Mallory Paint Store donated the paint. The labor was covered by Mayor Steve Widmyer, who owns the building with Windermere Coeur d'Alene Realty owner Pepper Smock.

Julienne Dance, one of the conservatory's founders and the executive director, said Marie Widmyer and Midge Smock chose the color for the house.

Dance applauded all the work Color Changer put into the project.

"Their prep work was phenomenal," she said. "They came in here and they covered every crack. I've never had a paint company do all of the renovation work."

The conservatory will present a Fourth of July-themed outdoor concert, Stars and Stripes, at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The concert will be a celebration of America featuring patriotic anthems and American classics.

The concert is free, but donations will be accepted. Guests are asked to bring their own lawn chairs.

Info: www.cdaconservatory.org