08/28/2006 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Minutes of the Regular Meeting of Council August 28, 2006 Page 5 In terms of how the project will be done, they have broken down main goals. They have broken down into two phases how the work would be completed. Phase I is work that is essential to having a performing arts venue. Phase II is additional work related to maintenance of the facility. With regard to site issues, they can be deferred to Phase II because they are not critical to having operational space for performing arts. Those include adding landscaping and walkways to improve building entry access, installing some kind of signage, installing a canopy at the entrance, constructing the loading areas for the stage. Of those, the loading areas for the stage is the only one that is critical. In building issues, they have provided the ticket window, an office at the main entry lobby, razing the floor level in the auditorium, razing the floor level in the gallery creating a sound and light loft; expanding the stage and creating stagehouse rigging which is basically above stage level and is used for propped scenery and drapery, remodeling the basement to provide dressing rooms and wardrobe space, refurbishing the multi-purpose classroom space, refurbishing additional classroom spaces to accommodate the dance program, refurbishing the basement level toilet rooms, repairing the roof, redoing the bricks and installing new flashing, removing and/or replacing the steeples. They have included in their estimate removing the east steeple and turning the west steeple into a clocktower to achieve the goal of not having the place appear to be such a church, having it look more like a civic building. They will also repair the building's siding, replacing siding and reworking the windows at the gallery, sound and lightlock area. As mentioned, they would like to raze the floor and since the windows go to the floor, they will have to be razed up as well. In terms of building systems, this is your infrastructure. A big one is upgrading the building's electrical service. Theater equipment uses an incredibly large amount of power. We need to make sure that the electrical systems can handle that as well as some minor modifications to mechanical equipment to adequately serve the spaces. In terms of costs, there is a cost estimate with a full breakdown of these costs in your packet. Construction costs for Phase I is $1,667,000.00. To do Phase II is $271,000.00. It is recommended that you consider doing both of these at one time. It .would be easier and would be less destructive to have all of the construction work as a single phase and it would also be cheaper. They broke it out so that if you are interested iri having Phase I before Phase II, they could defer Phase II work at your discretion. There is also a number for costs which include theater equipment and systems as well as other costs and contingencies that you might incur. Those are basically the numbers they would like considered as to really what it is going to take to 0 do these projects. Paul Zemborsky added that this is what they do all of the time. They go in to old buildings that are obsolete and underutilized. Their mission was to take this building to see if they could turn an ecclesiastical space into a theatrical space. There is a lot of detail and costs. What they want to demonstrate is that you can take this building and affordably convert it into a theatrical space and change the way it~ looks and feels. They will want to go back to the floor plan when you have some questions and try to demonstrate how it can feel and look different. You have to squint and imagine that the lights there now will come out and the things that feel liturgical are going to go away and become more theatrical. Renovating these buildings is oftentimes less expensive than building them new. You are looking at about $200-250 a square foot to renovate the space. As you go build a theater new, you will start at $350-400.