Tallahassee Performing Arts Center

[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?

[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.

[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]

^That looks really suburban!

[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.

[bobliocatt]

^That looks really suburban!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is suburban. Hopefully the Marriott deal will finally work out and some decent infill will occur at the site.

[Florida]

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.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd like to see more than FSU involved in this joint venture. It seems, especially since the Civic Center is virtually decorated in FSU decor now that we are pushing aside the community for FSU, thats not the way things are usually done in Tallahassee. I'd like to see city, county, state, school board, universities all in on the act, especailly if this center is going to be state of the art. The Tallahassee Boys Choir and the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra have already talked of making this center home, having it solely an FSU-Civic Center venture may continue that push against the rest of the community that I'm sure no one would like.

[stjoe]

I never said push aside the community...not sure where you got that from. I specifically said "joint" project.

The best setup I heard about was basically one building with two performance areas. One where FSU uses and the other the community. Same property, shared expenses, but both make use of it.

Neither FSU or the COT can afford the $170 Million alone. Frankly if either of them do this alone....I disapprove. Especially as a taxpayer of Leon County. The city has much bigger issues than droping that much coin on a PAC.

I think this project will bomb no matter what..they really already have. FSU returned MILLIONS in donations for it because they couldn't get it going on time with the city. So this probably eliminates FSU from it all.

[Florida]

I never said push aside the community...not sure where you got that from.  I specifically said "joint" project.

The best setup I heard about was basically one building with two performance areas.  One where FSU uses and the other the community.  Same property, shared expenses, but both make use of it.

Neither FSU or the COT can afford the $170 Million alone.  Frankly if either of them do this alone....I disapprove.  Especially as a taxpayer of Leon County.  The city has much bigger issues than droping that much coin on a PAC.

I think this project will bomb no matter what..they really already have.  FSU returned MILLIONS in donations for it because they couldn't get it going on time with the city.  So this probably eliminates FSU from it all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Im not sure what you're referring to regarding FSU returning donations recieved. And again, the Civic Center Properties do not belong to FSU and therefore FSU should not be given so much of its own space on that plaza unless they intend to purchase it from the community for university use (which I doubt). There is a campus (FAMU) just across the tracks growing ever weary that this city is too FSU and less supportive of them.

[stjoe]

Im not sure what you're referring to regarding FSU returning donations recieved. And again, the Civic Center Properties do not belong to FSU and therefore FSU should not be given so much of its own space on that plaza unless they intend to purchase it from the community for university use (which I doubt). There is a campus (FAMU) just across the tracks growing ever weary that this city is too FSU and less supportive of them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

FSU received millions in donations that were lost due to not making enough progress on a PAC for FSU.

Where did I say the Civic Center belonged to FSU? Or that FSU should be given anything? I said "joint"...which implies "joint" payment and "joint" sharing of space. You are making huge leaps here...and not off of what I am saying.

What does FAMU have to do with it? They haven't indicated they want a joint PAC...if they did...great, the COT needs to break up the cost. But if they don't...why should they be a part of it? You pay for it...you own a piece of it. Thus "joint".

The COT simply cannot afford to spend over $100 million on a PAC. They need to find other means of find money for this. If they do not, it is just one huge political turkey which as a taxpayer I find offense. They can't afford this.