If one man saved the Rochester Opera House, that would be George Allen Jr.

George Allen pointing out the mechanics of Rochester Opera House moving floor. (Screen capture/NHPT)

ROCHESTER - COVID occupancy restrictions have made the past couple of years a rough sled for the Rochester Opera House, but 26 years ago it almost closed forever but for the brilliance of a Rochester man who made it his mission to save it from extinction.
George E. Allen Jr., a driving force behind the restoration project that saved the iconic Rochester landmark from the dustbin of history, died on Tuesday. He was 83.
Allen "quarterbacked" a massive renovation project in 1996, Rochester Opera House Executive Director Anthony Ejarque said today.
Allen formerly owned Oasis Alignment and Inspections Services located on Pickering Road, a precision alignment service used primarily for the paper industry, which gave him expertise in all things mechanical.
"George had the technical knowledge to repair, design and implement the structural repairs," Ejarque said. "And he had the vision to gather the people and resources to complete the renovation."
Former Rochester Mayor Harvey Bernier, whose energy and spirit helped get the city and its residents behind the project, said Allen had "an engineer's mind."
"He had to know how everything worked," Bernier said today by telephone from his retirement home in Chapala, Mexico.
And when the restoration effort began in early 1996, "George was the first one in there getting his hands dirty," Bernier added.
Bernier, former owner of Bernier Insurance, said he had been longtime friends with Allen and had insured Allen's business.

"I knew what he did, and I knew he was smart," Bernier added.

But it wasn't easy. Bernier said when he became mayor in early 1996 he viewed the deteriorating ROH, which had bat feces on the floor and a crumbling ceiling above.
"I had George take a look at it, and it wasn't long before he came back to me and said, 'Yeah, we can do this,'" Bernier said.
Bernier said the crew he and Allen brought into the renovation project were incredibly talented and willing to work, practically every Saturday during the 10-month project.
"We'd work and then go have a meeting at the 103 (now Lilac City Grille)," Bernier said. "We'd have a meal and a couple of drinks and plan our next move."
Beside being a brilliant guy, Allen was a great recruiter and motivator.
"He had the vision to gather the people and resources necessary to complete the renovation," said Ejarque, who tracked volunteer time and material used in excess of $3 million.
In October 1996 the Rochester Opera House hosted a concert by "Up With People," its first production in 20 years.
Former Mayor and city councilor Doug Lachance said he was saddened by the news.

"George's passing is a huge loss for the city of Rochester. His vision and dedication helped to make Rochester a better place to live," he said. "George was a good friend of my father. We frequently went smelting with George in Bowdoinham, Maine."

The Rochester Opera House remains the only historic venue in the country that has a moving floor, Ejarque said.

Allen leaves behind his wife of 43 years, Suzanne (Chamberland) Allen: sons, Daniel Allen, his wife Cheri of Rochester, their sons Joshua and Jacob; Donald Allen, his wife Pam of Walpole, NH, their children Ian, Devin, Kaitlynn, Allicyn; daughter, Darcy Clay and her husband Will of Rochester and children Erin and Zachary; and 10 great grandchildren; sister Judith Cornish of Harpswell, Maine, and many nieces and nephews.
Family and friends may visit Wednesday from 1-4 p.m. at the R.M. Edgerly & Son Funeral Home, 86 South Main St., Rochester. An Elks Service will be conducted at 3:45 p.m.
A memorial service will follow at 4 p.m. in the chapel of the funeral home with Rev. Jeff Hunt officiating.