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Crested Butte agrees to 50-year lease
The Crested Butte Center for the Arts has a new lease on life—or at least a lease for a longer life. The Crested Butte Town Council has agreed to give the Center a 50-year lease at $1 per year.
“This will help the board members to be able to go out and raise significant money for the expansion,” explained mayor Leah Williams. “It shows stability.”
Center executive director Jenny Birnie told the council at the December 20 meeting that the Center’s board of directors is updating its business plan and pro forma budget for the expansion. The Center is also currently negotiating with the Trailhead Museum. This children’s museum will be housed at the new and expanded Center. Focus groups will also be gathered over the winter to gain more information on the feasibility of funding the expansion.
The council has agreed to let the Center expand at its current location when the funds are raised. The current plan calls for a 23,000 square foot expansion and enhancement of the existing 7,000 square foot Center. Birnie said the cost is estimated to be $10 million and the board hopes to generate a $2 million endowment.
As it stands, the plan calls for building a dance space for the Crested Butte School of Dance. There will be 1,800 square feet of classroom space and 2,300 square feet of rehearsal space.
The plan calls for two multipurpose rooms for a combined 1,000 square feet. The Piper Gallery will see a 600-foot addition and it will be relocated to the ground floor.
Seating will not be expanded significantly. “The current performance hall has 215 seats. We have many enhancements planned mostly related to the back stage area and improving the acoustics of the overall space. Additionally, we will be adding space in front of the stage for a dance floor that could also be used for dinner theatre seating or an orchestra pit. In this area, there will be the ability to add up to two more rows of seats,” Birnie explained.
As far as timing, fundraising will begin in earnest next summer. The hope is to have the expansion completed in 2016.
“Our commitment is to preserve the intimacy and unique features of the Center while creating a more vibrant place for the benefit of all members of the community,” Birnie said.
The council also received an update on the Crested Butte Arts Alliance, which Birnie co-chairs. Made up of nine local arts organizations, the alliance requested that the Town Council assist with funding for a study entitled, “Arts and Economic Prosperity Study: The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts and Culture Organization and Their Audiences.”
“We feel the study is important for the community,” explained Birnie. “We want to try to get comparison data to go with the results we compiled five years ago.”
Birnie said the Arts Alliance would be participating in the study whether or not the council helped fund the $10,000 cost. The county had contributed $300 to the study and the town of Mt. Crested Butte and city of Gunnison had pledged $500 each. The Crested Butte council agreed to also donate $500 for the cause from its 2010 Service Grant Fund.
“It feels like we already know the answers,” pointed out councilperson Jim Schmidt. “We know the arts has a significant impact on the local economy and is good for the community. It’s like doing a study to see if the sky is blue.”
The study will take place this coming January.
As for the upcoming winter, 13 center-sponsored events are on line, ranging from showing documentary films to bluegrass concerts, comedy shows and ballet. Birnie also told the council that nine Alpenglow concerts are scheduled for next summer, with one in Crested Butte South.
