WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – The building at 170 Court Street in Watertown has gone from being a saloon to a department store to a photo shop. Now it’s an event space.
“It was a long, arduous process at times but in the end, it was really fun,” said owner Steve Bradley.
The property was restored over the last two years.
The event space can hold more than 300 people.
“You could break it down into smaller areas and use it for small conferences, small meetings, that type of thing. You could have tribute bands here. You could have weddings here,” said Bradley.
During the restoration, Bradley found records from when Severance Photo operated in the building.
There’s also old equipment and tables where film was developed.
Severance Photo was one of a few businesses that called 170 Court Street home. The building was constructed in 1850.
“They built this with the intention of a saloon and they lived upstairs on the top floor – the whole family did,” said Bradley.
Bringing it back to its roots was important to Bradley; putting a piece of local history back on the map.
“We just like the old buildings. I like to restore things, you know, save some of the history that we have in town,” he said.
170 Court Street – the latest building to be restored by Bradley in downtown Watertown.
Copyright 2023 WWNY. All rights reserved.
