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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-05-14 - AGENDA REPORTS - FEASIBILITY STUDY (2)AGENDA REPORT City Manager Approv Item to be presented by: CONSENT CALENDAR DATE: SUBJECT: MAY 14, 1991 PERFORMING ARTS CENTER FEASIBILITY STUDY Jeff Kolin DEPARTMENT: PARKS AND RECREATION Y,,t Al� BACKGROUND Many organizations in the Santa Clarita Valley have expressed an interest in developing additional - performing arts facilities to meet the needs for performing arts venues in our community. Earlier this year the City facilitated a meeting between College of the Canyons; the Santa Clarita Valley Arts Council; the William S. Hart Union High School District; California Institute of the Arts; City representatives Jo Anne Darcy, Councilwoman; George Caravalho, City Manager; and Jeff Kolin, Director of Parks and Recreation. Each organization present at the luncheon provided an update on their planning and development efforts related to performing arts facilities. Participants in the meeting all agreed that additional performingarts facilities would be needed in the Santa Clarita Valley. They recognized the William S. Hart High School auditorium as the only existing venue available for public performances on a regular basis. They felt that, it would be essential to renovate and rehabilitate the structure, so that it could be used on a more regular basis during the summer months. Installation of a new heating and ventilating system, which included air conditioning, would be necessary to accommodate performances during the summer months. The William S. Hart Union High School District offered to provide architectural and design services through district resources in order to develop plans and specifications for renovation work. The City indicated that they would be willing to help facilitate a community involvement process to help determine which improvements were most needed for the auditorium to make it into a flexible performing space, which could act as an interim; valley -wide community performing arts facility until a new structure could be developed. Development of a.new performing arts center was a minimum of five years away, by most estimates provided at the meeting. The participants also agreed that prior to beginning the planning process and development of a performing arts center, it was essential to determine what the market for performing arts was in the Santa Clarita Valley. A preliminary feasibility study process was discussed and received unanimous support from each of the organizations. The feasibility study would examinethe regional arts venues, which would be potential competitors for a new performing arts facility in the Santa Clarita Valley, as well as determine the types of events and performances which., might be most successfully marketed in a performing arts center to determine the types of facilities which should be included in a design process. APPROVED Agenda Item: /X"/ California Institute of the Arts, the Santa Clarita Valley Arts Council and College of the Canyons have each pledged $1,000 towards the completion of a preliminary feasibility study for a performing arts center in the Santa Clarita Valley. Staff estimates that such a study could be completed for approximately $8,000. This study would provide invaluable information about the type of performing arts facility which could be most successfully marketed in the Santa Clarita Valley. This type of approach helps to ensure that the type of facility designed and built will meet the audience and performance requirements for the types of events which will be supported by community members. Some communities have experienced the frustrating phenomenon of building a very well designed and thought-out facility with extensive ability to provide technical and .staging requirements for a particular type of performance, only to learn that the audience to buy tickets and attend the events is not located within their community. FISCAL IMPACT Funds for a performing arts facility feasibility study are not currently budgeted in the Parks and Recreation Department budget for fiscal year 1990/91. Staff estimates that the cost of the feasibility study would be approximately $8,000. Donations in the amount of $3,000 will be received to help offset the cost of the study. $5,000 would be required from the City Council contingency fund to pay for the balance of the study costs. It is recommended that the City Council authorize staff to proceed with a performing arts center feasibility study, and transfer.$5,000 from the City Council contingency fund, account number 01-4101-290, to account number 01-9000-227.