EAC shows plans for new Arts Center

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By Bobbi Mlynar (Contact)

Saturday, August 2, 2008

This artist's rendering shows a new Emporia Arts Center in the 800 block of Commercial Street just north of the Granada Theatre.

A capacity crowd packed the Black Box Theatre Friday evening to see architect’s drawings unveiled for the planned construction of a new Emporia Arts Council building. The drawings for the project were shown during the arts council’s annual dinner meeting at EAC’s current home, 618 Mechanic St.

Executive Director Melissa Windsor and architect Steve Bowling of Kansas City discussed the design and the layout of the two-story building that will be constructed just north of the Granada Theatre, where Dayton’s Toy and Hobby Shop and Tallgrass Art and Frame Shop had operated for many years.

Both stores recently moved to the old Outfitters clothing store north of Grave’s Drug Store in the 600 block of Commercial Street, and brought along another business, Plum Bazaar.

COURTESY EMPORIA ARTS COUNCIL

This photo shows the 800 block of Commercial Streeet in downtown Emporia where a new Emporia Arts Center will be built. The new center replaces the three sotrefronts just to the right of the Granada Theatre.

Windsor announced Friday evening that a real-estate contract had been signed this week to purchase a third building at 815 Commercial St. from Fred and Lillian Spellman. The vacant building sits immediately south of Spellman’s Plumbing. Windsor said after the meeting that the Spellmans had been “very generous” in setting a sale price, though details of the contract were not available.

An intense fundraising drive, fueled by the promise — and challenge — of a $330,000 grant from the Mabee Foundation of Tulsa, has put the EAC on its way to raising the $2.6 million needed to construct the new building.

Windsor said that another $490,000 needs to be raised to meet the campaign’s goal.

“My personal goal is that we have it raised by the end of the year,” she said.

Bowling described the building as a red brick structure with limestone accents at the base and the top, divided by glass in middle and to the left, adjacent to the Granada Theatre.

“It was important for us to blend the original downtown fabric of Emporia,” Bowling said.

He and Windsor noted, however, that the new council home will incorporate features keeping with the arts theme, in addition to the traditional elements.

“We wanted to give it a playful twist,” he said, mentioning the whimsical banner awnings shown in the drawings. “It should be a signature building for many, many years.”

The new building will enable the arts council to offer more services to greater numbers of people, and to draw them to the planned arts section downtown.

The building at 618 Merchant St. had shown numerous shortcomings as the arts council exhibits and programs grew and flourished.

The building is not handicapped accessible and is small, with no space to grow.

The council had a clay studio that would house four wheels, but the space was not properly ventilated and could not accommodate an artist in residence or long-term classes.

Space also was needed for glazing and art classes, and restrooms were not handicapped accessible.

The new building just north of the restored Granada Theatre will have all that and more.

COURTESY EMPORIA ARTS COUNCIL

The main floor of the proposed new Emporia Arts Center features a gallery, offices and retail space in the front. A new 130-seat theater and full kitchen are in the back. A lobby between the gallery and two-story theater includes a connecting door to the adjacent Granada Theatre.

COURTESY EMPORIA ARTS COUNCIL

The second floor includes three art studios for classes as well as a ceramics classroom with kilns. Completing the floor are offices and a conference room.

There will be a 130-seat theater area on the ground for professional performances, as well as the Young Thespian Players and other community groups that use the current facility.

Access also will be available to move between the new arts council and the Granada. The council expects its small theater also will be used for break-out sessions and smaller gatherings that overflow from conferences and meetings at the Granada.

The ground floor also will hold a reception area, a retail store, a gallery, a spacious storage area and green room, a gallery work room, and equipment and mechanical rooms, as well as a kitchen and pantry. The kitchen will be available to use for events at the Granada, too.

A portion of the second floor will be left open to overlook the theater on the first floor and a hallway near the gallery.

The second floor also will have a conference room, three art studios, offices, a library, a students’ gallery, and the ceramics work area that has been lacking for so many years.

Windsor said the room will have eight wheels, in addition to a hand-building ceramics area, a kiln, and glazing equipment.

The new building will accommodate a much-larger number of students to attend specialty classes frequently sponsored by EAC, and Windsor expects that area schools will be able to utilize council facilities as part of their arts studies.