218 replies to this topic

[Florida]

Tallahassee Performing Arts Center



Performing Arts center
Proposal could cost $176 million
By Aetna Smith
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

A national consulting firm Monday unveiled two recommended scenarios for a Performing Arts Center in Tallahassee with a price tag ranging from $113 million -on the low end - to $176 million.

The next steps in the process include considering potential sites, designing a business plan and determining how to pay for the construction, officials said. The Performing Arts Center Committee will meet this morning to discuss the Civic Center as a potential site.

The first of the two options considers the broadest needs of the community, from the colleges and universities to local arts organizations to touring companies, Delinger said. The construction cost for this building in today's dollars would be $176 million for a 363,625-square-foot building, Delinger said.

It contains three performing venues: a multipurpose theater with 750 seats, a concert theater with 1,350 seats and a performance hall with 2,800 seats. The largest hall could accommodate events like the fast-selling "Seven Days of Opening Nights" and the 1,350-seater could host musical groups like touring symphonies.

The second scenario - which assumes little to no collaboration with local colleges and universities - carries an estimated cost of $113.6 million. It includes two performing venues: a multipurpose theater with 650 seats and a concert/performance hall with 2,200 seats. The square footage for that site is 241,742.

In 2003, the city of Tallahassee's cultural plan requested a new performing-arts center. Last year, Leon County commissioners approved a 1-percent increase in the tax on hotel stays to help pay for the center. The increase generates about $675,000 a year for the building and could help raise more through a bond issue.

So Florida... what should it look like? For those who are familiar with Tallahassee, where should it be?

Edited by Florida, 14 March 2008 - 03:36 PM.

[asonj23]

I'm not super familiar with Tally, but this building sounds like the perfect anchor for the Gains Street development.  It would link the two colleges and give future residents something more to do.

[Urban_Legend]

I've heard great things about the FSU School of Music, so it seems fitting to have a quality PAC in the city.

[cityboy05]

TaureanJ you probaly know they have 2 designs for the performing arts center. Do you have any pics of them, I am dying to see them!!

[Florida]

What I know as of now, is they are considering two different options for their design. One with the third performing arts venue and one with only two (an opera hall, and a stage theatre) vs (opera hall, stage theatre, and some other type of theatre). What they have yet to decide is which one they want to build. I think they will go with the more expensive of the two for the sake of making it top of its class, state of the art, and so on. But as far as an actual look, nothing has been released to my knowledge.

My question is... why does everything have the be about the Universities? As one raised in Tallahassee, I take offense to the notion that everything we get, and everything good that happens to this community has to be at the heels of a university. They are tremendous resources for us, but as a Tallahasseean I see us as much more than two or three schools. We are also still a state capital, and a regional economic hub for at least 100+ mile radius.

Edited by TaureanJ, 12 May 2005 - 08:26 PM.

[bobliocatt]

How can you design a building, when you don't even have a site picked?  The best buildings tend to intergrate well with their surroundings.  To do this, it has to be designed according to what's around it.  

Anyway, I agree asonj23, I'd like to see it along the Gaines Street corridor, either in the vacant area, just west of the train station or somewhere near the civic center.  This way it will serve as an entertainment anchor to the corridor, plus its a centralized location within town.

[Florida]

The PAC would be a nice fit near the Civic Center. There may be a way to connect the two venues. If not there, I would like to see it located at the corner of MLK and Tennessee, on a hill behind the FBI building (the City Center) and closer to the Governor's Mansion in a highly visable, high traffic area.

[Florida]

Any thoughts on how to dress up the Civic Center to make it more asthetically pleasing, and more of a crowd-drawer?

[bobliocatt]

How about building the PAC in half of the Civic center's parking lot, and using the other half for a large garage to serve both of them.  Then add in some street retail, for something like a Barnes & Noble and restuarants that can cater to the Gaines Street crowd, as well as people attending events at the PAC and Civic Center.

[Florida]

^Sounds good, but that would put the Marriott Convention Hotel project in more limbo.

[bobliocatt]

Cool rendering.  Is the Marriott hotel already planned to go on the civic center's parking lot?  BTW, I breifly stopped in Tally today and snapped a couple of shots around Gaines Street and downtown.  I'll post a couple a little later.

[Florida]

Nice. Yes, its been planned for the parking lot of the Civic Center for quite some time now.

[bobliocatt]

For some reason I thought it was supposed to be located on the vacant lot directly south of the civic center & north of Gaines.  Any idea on when construction will start on the Marriott building?

[Florida]

No. Actually this project is in jeopardy because of the developer. The city is considering the option of breaking its agreement with Tom Strauss, the current developer, and seeking a new one. This hotel has been in the making since the mid 90s. A few months ago they sampled soil. But he complains about the inability to get financing for the parking garage needed for the hotel, and he wants to finance the hotel with monies from the condominiums he has proposed to be included in it. The Civic Center Authority, the governing board for the project, is not comfortable with this financing plan. So talks have stalled, but hopefully differences can be resolved and the project can begin soon if ever.

[Florida]

Here's the Civic Center. I'm still trying to figure out what little things could be done to the building itself, paint, better landscaping, window art... etc., that won't require I remodel of the facility. This building has a real problem drawing a crowd. I think if the roof were a different color, it would truly change the way people percieve this center.

[Urban_Legend]

Quote

^That looks really suburban!

Edited by Urban_Legend, 16 May 2005 - 06:30 AM.

[Florida]

^Indeed! But say the roof were a different color and the bricks were white. And there were some light works or whatnot tracing around on the roof in blue or red, this place would come across alot differently and appear a more exciting venue.

Does anyone have imaging software that they can use to alter this picture according to that description. I just want to see how it would look.

[Urban_Legend]

^And a mix-use, mid-rise structure built in the adjacent grass lot!

[Florida]

^Sounds like you are an advocate for the Performing Arts Center being located at the civic center.

[stjoe]

I would like to see the PAC as a joint project with FSU at the Civic Center.  It is important that if you spend $170 Million on something like this you get regular use out of it, which is more likely with FSU's art programs involved.